With “Erwin Wurm. Schöner Wohnen,” the MAK’s Artists in Focus series continues to introduce artistic stances situated at the interfaces between applied art, fine art and architecture. The series is meant as an appeal to the public as part of the museum’s innovative positioning strategy for the MAK Permanent Collection of Contemporary Art. A central aspect of this effort is the realization of necessary acquisitions via sponsors and patrons in order to expand and enrich important parts of the MAK Collection.

In his artistic practice, Wurm—who is among the world’s most successful artists—alternates between sculpture and performance, scenic image and action, concept and punch line. In doing so, the artist provides instructions on how his works are to be added to and used, as well as on how objects can become sculptures via performative sequences. As producer and protagonist, Wurm designs scenarios of the everyday while at the same time touching on the established canon of high culture and art history. His popular-aesthetic works distort social utopias as reflected in social criticism.