Metropole - October 2017

PHOTOS CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT:: ARGE RALPH APPELBAUM ASSOCIATES / HOSKINS ARCHITECTS, SERGEY PONOMAREV, FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES, THE ALBERTINA MUSEUM, VIENNA.

ON DISPLAY

exhibition

Bruegel

The Flemish master is shown to be a

meticulous draughtsman

Combining exceptional craftsman-

ship with a keen eye and attention to

detail, the prolific Renaissance mas-

ter Pieter Bruegel the Elder created

exquisite landscapes, bucolic peas-

ant scenes and bitter satirical tab-

leaux with equal verve.

A profound observer of the trage-

dies and fortunes of his lifetime,

Bruegel brilliantly dissected human-

ity in both paintings and drawings.

His open compositions eschew con-

ventional arrangements of masses

and contours, instead forming a cha-

otic reflection of various life situa-

tions. His darker works combine the

macabre and the mundane, decon-

structing metaphors and criticizing

the social mores of his era. Often

compared with his predecessor Hi-

eronymus Bosch, Bruegel’s work em-

bodies a lively, whimsical and at

times gloomy spirit, proving highly

influential for later artists like Goya

and the surrealists.

Better known for large-scale oil

paintings, Bruegel’s drawings dis-

play a more spontaneous, vivid real-

ism, often exaggerated to the point of

parody. With a selection of over 80

works, this exhibition presents the

full spectrum of Bruegel’s illustrated

legacy, including a complete collec-

tion of his prints and several recently

discovered and painstakingly re-

stored specimens. Astute and scath-

ing, the Flemish master’s visual wit

resonates through his remarkable

pen strokes.

exhibition

World Press Photo

Photojournalism proves its impact anew with the

winners of the 60th annual contest

Bearing witness to the momentous events of

our time while preserving them for the pub-

lic, photojournalists don’t just live in the mo-

ment; They save it for posterity. Each year,

the best of the best are celebrated at the annu-

al World Press Photo exhibit, a global compe-

tition where last year’s images are judged, se-

lected and then presented simultaneously

around the globe.

With over 80,000 images submitted by

5,034 photographers to a jury of their peers,

the contest is one of the world’s most presti-

gious, with 45 honored in 8 categories. With

2016 a particularly tumultuous year, compe-

tition was stiff, especially within the major

topics like the war in Syria, the struggle

against ISIS and the plight of refugees fleeing

to Europe. One image emerged, however: this

year’s winner is An Assassination in Turkey,

by Burhan Ozbilici. A stark image of the mo-

ment after Mevlüt Mert Altintas shot Rus-

sian ambassador Andrey Karlov at a gallery

in Ankara, Ozbilici caught the moment when

the agitated killer brandished his gun and

made the IS salute.

While increasingly under fire from the

ubiquity of camera phones and social media,

visual journalism still captures our emotions

in compelling or brutal ways. Their often

explosive subject matter confirming the vis-

ceral power of images; this selection, from

breaking news to human interest, nature and

sport, once again proves that point.

Through Oct 22, Westlicht. 7., Westbahnstrasse 40. westlicht.com

WIEN MUSEUM

KARLSPLATZ

14.9.2017

–25.3.2018

A History

of Pop

Through Dec 3, Albertina,

1., Albertinaplatz 1, albertina.at

With over 80,000

images submitted

b y 5 ,0 3 4

photographers ...

the contest is one

of the world’s most

prestigious, with

45 honored in

8 categories.