An Awakening in Austria

Introducing the local community to works by famed early twentieth century Austrian artists Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele, An Awakening in Austria was a traveling exhibition of prints and watercolours on loan from the collection of the Austrian Cultural Institute in New York. Presenting thirteen Klimt and twenty-one Schiele prints, the featured artworks represented a smaller selection from a wider collection of prints by both artists, collectively serving to highlight the aesthetic sensibilities of two key figures from the Vienna Secession art movement.

While considered provocative and controversial in the context of the early 1900s—notably for their prevalent representation of taboo subject matter—both artists took divergent paths from the artistic and societal norms that were then predominant, particularly through their depictions of elongated, distorted figures and at times unflattering erotic nudes. Now universally acknowledged for their ground-breaking style that was instrumental to the emergence of modernism within twentieth century art history, founding Director Leslie Bigelman commented that Klimt and Schiele “were instrumental in sparking debate about what was considered art and the role of art in society” during their respective lifetimes – a point of discussion the Gallery sought to encourage through this exhibit.

An Awakening in Austria was curated by Nancy Barnard and was on view at the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands’ Alexander Place location from 5 April – 24 May 2001.