André Heller's "Art Park" at the Old Danube in Vienna: Opening Festival on Saturday

At Mühlschüttel on the Upper Old Danube in Vienna, a "art and culture oasis" has been created on 28,000 square meters, featuring 150 new trees and 3,000 square meters of perennials and shrubs, as well as 14 sculptures or sound and wind installations by artists from seven nations. Mayor Michael Ludwig (SPÖ) called the new "art park" on Tuesday "the first botanical staging by artist André Heller in his hometown."

"Art Park" as André Heller's "Botanical Staging"

The park is intended "as a place of beauty, inspiration, peace, healing of the highest botanical and artistic quality dedicated to people of all ages, educational levels, and backgrounds. They can relax, spend free time, engage in sports, or indulge in leisure," Heller, whose special gardens in Gardone on Lake Garda and near Marrakesh are a public attraction, was quoted in the documents. He selected sculptures and installations financed by Bank Austria from Carmen Wiederin, Monika GilSing (represented with flags and an "Entrance to the Treasures"), Peter Pongratz, Marek Zyga, Edgar Tezak, Elmgreen & Dragset, Xenia Hausner (her sculpture "Breath of Air" was previously seen in the cultural capital Bad Ischl), Susanne Karl, Moritz Mizrahi, Ugo Rondinone, Karl Karner, and Era Tsao, and also contributed a sculpture himself, the four-meter-high "Water Guardian," which holds a wind turbine over five meters high.

Opening Festival in Vienna on Saturday

The "Bank Austria Park," whose concept was only presented a year ago, will be handed over to the public with a grand opening festival on Saturday, October 4, from 12 PM "with live music and magic moments." For the area in the Floridsdorf district, individual plots that were previously leased there were consolidated after the contracts expired, and in addition to the new greenery and artworks, a new play area, a climbing world, and new seating furniture were also added. At the presentation of the project, the costs for the city were estimated at 20 million euros.

At a press event on Tuesday, Ludwig spoke of a "new attraction that will also cause a stir internationally for our city." The free access to the park and shore is a "further quality seal for Vienna as one of the most livable cities in the world." Ulli Sima, City Councilor for Urban Development, Mobility, and Vienna Public Utilities (SPÖ), praised Heller's "creativity and imagination," who "created a place of beauty and magic with a unique atmosphere." Marion Morales Albiñana-Rosner, Executive Board Member of UniCredit Bank Austria, which ceased its support for the Kunstforum on the Freyung in the summer, called the park a "significant new pillar of our cultural promotion": "We contribute to keeping art accessible and a source of inspiration and reflection for everyone."

(APA/Red)

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