The sky can wait: Innsbruck International 2024

Just between you and me: life alone is an art. This year's Innsbruck International - Biennale of the Arts is also focusing on precisely this art of survival. For almost the entire month of May, the small Alpine city will be showcasing contemporary art in various public spaces. The curator of the art biennial, Franziska Heubacher, revealed to us exactly what awaits us there during the final preparations for Innsbruck International.

Ms. Heubacher, the Innsbruck International - Biennale of the Arts is taking place from 3 to 26 May. Why the title "HEAVEN CAN WAIT"?

Franziska Heubacher: "Because we are currently surrounded by crises and environmental disasters, wars and terrorism. That's why we wanted to invite artists to Innsbruck International who could show us strategies for not only surviving these times, but perhaps even living better with them. The central question is: How can we actively deal with this time? And what can help us collectively to give this time a different direction (than just remaining in crisis mode)?"

How were the artists selected for the Biennale, and what role do the themes of survival strategies, border areas and natural spaces play?

"As already mentioned, the artists were selected based on these specific aspects. For example, we wanted to work with Doris Uhlich again, who already put on a great performance at the Tyrolean State Museum in 2022 that was already geared in this direction: how can mechanisms be broken through and a new path found? This time, in search of answers, she enters into a dialog with the sun - a force of nature that we currently perceive more as an aggressor because it changes everything on earth and we are at its mercy. Or the artist Christian Kosmas Mayer, who deals with animal species that are dying out or with a new species of butterfly (specifically the Mother Shipton moth)."

What types of art are shown at the Biennale and why do they fit well with the theme of the exhibition(s)?

"From performance, sound installations, film and video, collages, drawings and objects to dance, music and concerts, we really have covered almost every genre! This also shows how a diverse collective can work simultaneously and interdisciplinary on similar survival strategies."

Which special places in Innsbruck are included in the Biennale, and why is that so interesting for visitors?

"We have the Innsbruck Hofgarten as well as the classic galleries. But also unusual places such as the ski jump at Bergisel, glass houses in the Botanical Garden or the Bishop's House on Cathedral Square. With the Biennale, the city is seen from different, new perspectives and thus offers the opportunity to rediscover the unknown even in the familiar (see pictures)."

How does the local cultural scene benefit from this global artistic platform?

"We network and give national artists an international platform with a corresponding context. We also present a Special Recognition Award each year to support an artist from Tyrol with a new production and exhibition."

What does the organizing committee of the Biennale hope to achieve in terms of exchange and discussion about the artworks and themes presented?

"Even more visibility and status in the city - it is precisely through art that we are interested in the survival of society and its issues, we give them a visible space and search for answers together. It would therefore be desirable to give the Biennale more importance and to network even more closely."

Many thanks for all the answers and the critical look behind the art scenes!

For even more insights, we also recommend the Innsbruck International Instagram account. The packed program for the Innsbruck International - Biennale of the Arts can be found here - and the same is hereby recommended to everyone alive. Because heaven can wait a little longer for now.

Photos: The images in the article were provided by Innsbruck International - Biennale of the Arts.