Seeking God in the pandemic or art as a way to have divine comfort

A modern, secular society that seeks comfort and hope in divinity during the pandemic.

This is the starting point of an exhibition at the Museum of Art History in Vienna that analyzes how different civilizations have sought contact with the “higher powers” to face the crisis throughout history.

”We realized that during the first confinement people placed candles on the Plague Column – which recalls a deadly epidemic that struck the Austrian capital in the 17th century – to try to connect with the ‘higher powers’ and from there arose the idea ”, explains Gerlinde Gruber, curator of the exhibition.

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That was the trigger for an exhibition that collects 89 pieces that cover hundreds of years of the history of different civilizations around the planet. “The objects are placed in such a way that they generate a dialogue between them, both historically and culturally,” says Rudi Risatti, another of the project’s curators.

The exhibition, which opened on May 18, has three rooms: the first dedicated to the elements of nature, a second that explores the figures of the law, symbols historically close to the gods; and a third that shows the ways -like dances and rituals- in which humanity has tried to connect with these “higher powers.”

An atmosphere of reflection

Upon entering, a large suit representing the element of air – designed by Austrian artist Ernst Fuchs – welcomes visitors to a space with high ceilings and soft lighting, which makes the pieces in the collection stand out. In front of him are the oil painting with a stormy landscape by Rubens with Jupiter, Mercury, Philemon and Baucis, which illustrates the force of nature; and a representation of the demon of the storm O’ma, of Brazilian origin, known to transmit plagues to the humans to defend the forests.

Each piece is placed in a “strategic” way to generate an “atmosphere of reflection, but also disturbing”, highlights Claudia Augustat, the third curator of the exhibition.

Teamwork

Gruber was the one who invited the other two curators – Augustat, who works at the Weltmuseum (the Ethnographic Museum) and Risatti, from the Theater Museum – to collaborate on this project, which took nine months to develop. “The most important word in the exhibition is ‘together’, so it would be great if visitors felt part of the same community at the end of the visit,” explains Gruber. The curators agree that in times of crisis “we all need inspiration”, and the museum is an “ideal” place to find it.

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In addition, the exhibition has served as an opportunity to present “incredible” objects and pieces, Risatti said, that had not been exhibited until now.

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Transmedia format

The exhibition takes advantage of current technology to allow the public to explore the history of these “higher powers” in different ways.

It has its own list of songs according to the main theme on Spotify and is present on the social network Instagram, where the Museum, in addition to sharing content through its profile, has created interactive material. A sample of the exhibited pieces is also accessible from its website, accompanied by brief explanatory texts, in consideration of those who cannot move due to the pandemic. “The collection also belongs to the public and can make them see things differently and find inspiration,” says the Museum curator.

Therefore, there is a fourth room at the end of the route with sofas, desks and questions written on the walls that invite the public to reflect and share their opinion.

Respect for the environment

Augustat, who in addition to being a curator is an activist against climate change, wanted the exhibition to also help people see “that our actions can be important to create a sustainable future.” In fact, he says that the project was carried out in the “most sustainable way possible”: large exhibitions generally have many borrowed objects that have to be transported, while on this occasion only pieces that were already in Vienna were used.