LOOK

Frau in eleganter, weißer Abendgarderobe mit langen Ärmeln, umgeben von Menschen und Kameras, 1960er Jahre.

Silberne Handtasche mit einem rechteckigen, silbernen Objekt darin, auf weißem Hintergrund.

Vier stilisierte Figuren in eleganter Kleidung vor einem blauen Hintergrund, eine Frau in einem schlichten Kleid, drei weitere in Anzügen.

Frauen mit Regenschirmen und ein Kind in gelbem Kleid, umgeben von Gebäuden und einem Kirchturm in lebhaften Farben.

Neun stilisierte Porträts von Marylin Monroe in verschiedenen Farben auf schwarzem Hintergrund angeordnet.

Eine blonde Frau mit nachdenklichem Ausdruck hält ein Mikrofon, darüber steht "THE MEMORY HAUNTS MY REVERIE".

Stapel aus Modezeichnungen, Stoffmustern und Farbproben, darunter Skizzen von Yves Saint Laurent.

Gelbes Kleid mit aufwendiger Silberstickerei und hohem Kragen, präsentiert auf einer Schneiderpuppe.

Schwarzes, schulterfreies Abendkleid mit Rüschen und einer blassrosa Blume an der Taille, präsentiert auf einer Schaufensterpuppe.

Schwarzes Oberteil mit buntem, patchworkartigem Rock und rotem Gürtel, präsentiert auf einer Schaufensterpuppe.

Frau in einem fließenden, pinken Kleid mit weiten Ärmeln, die sich elegant zur Seite dreht.

1. Heidi Goëss-Horten, 1960ies

2. Sylvie Fleury, White Gold, 2010

3. Kees van Dongen, Comedia (Montparnasse Blues), around 1925

4. August Macke, Zwei Frauen vor dem Hutladen, 1913

5. Andy Warhol, Nine Multicolored Marilyns (Reversal Series),1979-1986

6. Roy Lichtenstein, The Memory Haunts my Reverie, ca.1965

7.-11. Haute Couture dresses from Heidi Goëss-Horten

The spectrum ranges from the 19th century to the present day, encompassing glamorous divas, modern avant-garde women, contemplative portraits, and psychological depictions of femininity, as well as fetish-like accessories, nude portraits, and feminist counter-narratives. The works on display were part of the collector’s immediate living environment; they reflect her very personal selection and, in a certain way, reveal aspects of her strong and self-assured personality.

In addition, the exhibition features haute couture dresses by Christian Dior, Givenchy, Yves Saint Laurent, Jean Patou, and Jean-Louis Scherrer, which were custom-made exclusively for Heidi Goëss-Horten. Since the 19th century, fashion has been understood as a paradigm of modern culture and serves as the dominant model for the here and now—for the zeitgeist, society, and its transformations. Clothing is a textile medium of communication; it both conceals and reveals, serving as a means of self-expression as well as protection and covering for the body.

LOOK is not a “fashion exhibition,” yet art and fashion enter into a new relationship—a kind of internal dialogue, so to speak—thanks in part to the participation of fashion designer Arthur Arbesser, a native of Vienna. The concise and striking exhibition title plays on the meaning of appearance, image, and fashion style, but is also intended as a direct invitation to discover this feminine—and likely the most personal—aspect of the Heidi Horten Collection.

In the videos, Director Agnes Husslein-Arco and curators Véronique Abpurg and Rolf H. Johannsen discuss various aspects of the exhibition. The exhibition was curated by Christiane Kuhlmann in collaboration with Arthur Arbesser.

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Featuring works by Friedrich von Amerling, Francis Bacon, Alexander Calder, Kees van Dongen, Jean Dubuffet, Lyonel Feininger, August Macke, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Mimmo Rotella, Niki de Saint Phalle, Andy Warhol, as well as contemporary works by Sylvie Fleury, Gelatin, Lena Henke, Birgit Jürgenssen, Michèle Pagel, Philipp Timischl, and others.

The exhibition was organized in collaboration with the Hetzendorf Fashion School. For several weeks, the students presented their final projects in the museum’s Tea Room and also drew inspiration from the spaces of the Heidi Horten Collection for their 2023 fashion film. To do so, they placed the protagonists in a dystopian setting. The entire film can be viewed here.

Pocket Guide Exhibition