The Fortuitous Critiquing of Life, Death, and Happiness with Jack Oliver Johnston and Carson Joseph McNeill at the Albertina Museum of Vienna, Austria

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A Critique of the Albertina Museum of Vienna

By: Jack Johnston and Carson McNeill

 The Albertina Museum of Vienna, Austria holds some of the greatest works my associate and I have ever indulged our eyes upon. Each collection presented by the museum tells a tale through both the individual pieces and the collections as a whole. In Xenia Hausner's collection, True Lies, which was one of our favorites, the art conveys the universal emotions that come along with the human condition. Through her stylized precision, she subtly conveys emotions including love, turmoil, hatred, and vice. For example, in Hausner's Bullet in the Head (see below), she illustrates a woman at a table with a cake and a gun. The piece represents the emotional struggle she goes through; She sits in front of a cake, symbolizing joy and happiness, while she holds a handgun to her head. Hausner juxtaposes the celebration of life that is associated with cake and the dramatic portrayal of death associated with the handgun. Furthermore, in this piece, the cake is skewed out of proportion, while the handgun remains in proportion. This represents how her perception of happiness is skewed out of proportion, while the thought of suicide through a handgun seems normal. 


While the art in this museum may be spectacular, there are issues that come along with viewing these pieces via the website provided by the Albertina Museum. Although the virtual tour of the surely magnificent museum is at first a novel concept, this novelty quickly wears off, leaving these tours as challenging experiences that make the viewer feel limited and incapable of enjoying the art present by the Albertina Museum. Instead, my associate and I prefer viewing the art in a slideshow-like
manner, but this has its own challenges too. For example, each slideshow has a limited amount of photos that automatically go to the next one, limiting the ability for one to enjoy and savor the piece. Also, each piece comes with a caption but these are difficult to read. Finally, this form of viewing art removes the whimsy of it. In a regular museum, one would walk into a room and their senses would be overloaded by an explosion of color and art. This aspect of a museum cannot be replicated in the comfort of one's home. Viewing art through this medium, it is impossible for a piece to capture the essence of viewing the artwork in person with the surrounding of one by different colors and dimensions of collections. 

The Albertina Museum in Vienna gives the visitor an experience like no other, even if it is online. My associate and I would highly recommend visiting it through this online format because it is more accessible than ever, even if it has a few drawbacks originating from its design. If we had the chance, we would want to visit this museum in person and be able to experience the true nature of the Museum and its array of collections.

Comments

  1. AnonymousMay 25, 2021 at 10:17 AM

    I definitely agree that the virtual tours are limiting due to the fact that it's online and the viewer can not see the picture in different angles which may result in interpretation of the picture in less depth. However, I would like to comment that it is interesting how the woman is looking at the spectator of the painting as if she is waiting for the spectator to give her their opinion on whether she should commit suicide or not. It's just and interesting detail.

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  2. AnonymousMay 25, 2021 at 10:21 AM

    This publication was thoroughly enjoyable and it opened our eyes and led us to many realizations that we wouldn't have concluded on our own. Their analysis of 'Bullet in the Head' caused us to say, "Oh, I didn't even realize that!", which usually isn't something we say. Your analysis was deep and complete. Good job!

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  3. Shaan PatelMay 25, 2021 at 10:25 AM

    I enjoyed reading your thoughts about the Albertina Museum of Vienna, Austria because Steven and I wrote about it, as well. The detail captured inside the museum are amazing and I love how to guys chose a few specific art pieces and even put pictures of them within your blog. I agree with the fact that slideshow was limiting and that we, as students, are not able to really take in the museum as much as we could if we were able to go The Albertina.

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  4. AnonymousMay 25, 2021 at 10:33 AM

    I love the comments you made on the piece as well as the museum itself. I like how you described the sharp contrast between the cake and gun and the symbolism behind them. I find it interesting that the author decided to add a variety of vivid colors in the painting and even on the face and the black shirt despite the fact that it is depicting something so dark and depressing. In addition, I want to point out the fact that the author painted the woman's eyes without any light in them, as if illustrating that she sees no meaning and purpose in life.

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  5. AnonymousMay 25, 2021 at 5:57 PM

    I loved the selection of pieces that you guys chose, and the deep meaning and analyzation of the Bullet in the Head is very insightful. I think that the different color choices and style of painting that contrasts with realism is also another variable that adds depth to the painting as well.

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