French Art History Festival: Austrian Cultural Diplomacy on Display
Austria was the guest country at this year's renowned “Festival of Art History,” which attracted up to 10,000 visitors and took place at the Palace of Fontainebleau, around 70 km south of Paris. The importance of cultural diplomacy for Austria was once again emphasized.
State Secretary Sepp Schellhorn emphasized the importance of culture together with French Minister of Culture Rachida Dati. / Picture: © © KF Paris
Former Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg has long recognized that cultural diplomacy is a crucial tool in international relations for Austria, given its small country status. This makes it all the more important that culture continues to play a key role in diplomatic missions under the new government. As this year's guest country at the major art and art history festival Fontainebleau, which took place at the Château de Fontainebleau (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), Austria had the unique opportunity to present today's vibrant art scene in Austria as well as its rich cultural heritage to a large French audience.
From film screenings, exhibitions, and guided tours of the palace and gardens, to workshops, children's events, a book fair, and much more. An extensive program of art history and scientific lectures complemented the cultural program. Highlights included a performance by the Liquid Loft dance company, a piano quartet by the Morphing Chamber Orchestra with a focus on the Johann Strauss Year and a concert by the NASOM band Alpha Trianguli. In addition to the book salon on Austrian literature and the screening of numerous films by Austrian filmmakers, including the Tricky-Women series and “Favoriten” in the presence of Ruth Beckermann, the visual arts were also represented with a focus on the work of Valie Export. filmmakers, including the Tricky Women series and “Favoriten” in the presence of Ruth Beckermann, the visual arts were also well represented with a focus on the work of Valie Export, a photography exhibition by Yvonne Oswald, and a sculpture exhibition featuring works by Elmar Trenkwalder and Franz West, among others.
In discussion rounds and expert talks, experts from the fields of art, culture, and science shed light on central themes in art history—with a special focus on Austria and its cultural influence in the European context: from the Venus of Willendorf to Rudolf II's art chamber, from Viennese Modernism to Viennese Actionism. Other topics included the feminist avant-garde, Austrian architecture through the centuries, and much more.
Austria's participation in such projects also makes it possible to “introduce a broad audience in France to the richness and quality of contemporary Austrian artistic creation, Austrian cultural institutions, and Austrian art history,” according to State Secretary Sepp Schellhorn.
“I am very pleased that Austria is represented at the festival by over 40 representatives from the fields of visual arts, music, film, dance, art history, science, and museum institutions,” emphasized State Secretary Sepp Schellhorn, who attended the festival together with French Minister of Culture Rachida Dati and exchanged views with her on cultural cooperation during a bilateral meeting.
The program of this “Festival de l'histoire de l'art,” commissioned by the French Ministry of Culture, was largely co-organized by the Kulturforum Paris, which, like the Austrian Embassy in Paris, is a partner of the festival. The festival is being held with financial support from the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Austrian Ministry of Culture.