sommer.frische.kunst.
Communication

For 13 years, during the summer months, Bad Gastein has transformed into a hotspot for contemporary art. The mission of the sommer.frische.kunst. festival and its founder, Andrea von Goetz, is to make art accessible to visitors in special locations. In combination with the spectacular mountain landscape of the Austrian Alps and the unique architecture of Bad Gastein, the art festival in the summer of 2023 became a very special adventure. Under the motto “Art makes you see. Discover your way.” the festival sent its guests on a journey: in search of art and their own, personal art experience, and for the first time with an Art Hiking Map, designed and illustrated by Sebastian Meschenmoser, one of the most narrative painters of his generation. With the Art Hiking Map, 16 stations were explored – from art in the town center, across the Kaiser-Wilhelm Promenade, and up to Sportgastein. There, visitors were greeted by, among other things, the spectacular truss sculpture “Harps” by Olaf Holzapfel and the installation “In the Name of a Day” by Kazunori Kura.

The sommer.frische.kunst. kicked off in mid-July with the opening of exhibitions on the Kaiser-Wilhelm Promenade. Artists including Conny Maier (winner of the “Artist of the Year” by Deutsche Bank), Andi Fischer, Dennis Buck, and Michael Günzer were part of this event, displaying their exhibition concept “VILLAGE” at the RADON PAVILION. VILLAGE in Bad Gastein addressed the tension between periphery and center, presenting four artistic positions that differed clearly in concept and expression.

With the “Pegasus Product Power Peckerl Paradise,” the Berlin artist group PEGASUS PRODUCT, consisting of Gernot Seeliger, Dargelos Kersten, and Anton Peitersen, showcased another performative exhibition concept in the IKE ROOM. Berlin painter Danni Pantel displayed the interplay of shape, color, and space and their relation to each other in a solo show in the HAUS MIMI. Following this, Katharina Prantl presented her works from the “Drops” series in the HAUS MIMI. Artist Franziska Agrawal crossed the boundaries between the art and design world with her works. Her sculpture THE PEAK, presented in Bad Gastein, was inaugurated in front of the Alpine lofts as part of a musical performance in collaboration with musician Stefanie Boltz. After great success, the second edition of Art:badgastein took place in 2023. Apart from the major art fairs in metropolises, art:badgastein was primarily about enabling a special exchange between artists, collectors, and galleries – with tranquility and time.

Following the art fair, six international artists moved into the power station for just under a month and worked in the studios there. Inspired by the magical power of the waterfall and its impressive nature, they created artistic positions that are in dialogue with Bad Gastein. The final presentation of the resident artists in August offered visitors another exciting art weekend. The Artist-in-Residence artists in 2023 were: Vanshika Agrawal, Lena Göbel, Nikola Pjevačević, Maria Szakats, Ozmo, and Edin Zenun.

For 13 years, dan pearlman has had the privilege to support Andrea von Goetz and Schwanenfliess and the sommer.frische.kunst. team with all communication, press, and design concerns for the art festival. In close collaboration, a magazine, invitations, posters, social media, website communication elements, and much more are created annually.

https://artbadgastein.com