VIENNA, AUSTRIA.- "The continuously growing number of numerous different art shows makes it necessary to develop a special and unique event for both the galleries and the visitors. I am thus very pleased that, in the third year the >VIENNAFAIR< takes place, we could once again not only meet the objectives we had set for ourselves but even surpass our own expectations" summarises Edek Bartz, exhibition director of the >VIENNAFAIR<, the intensive preparations which have once again led to an exciting selection of galleries and a top-flight side program for the >VIENNAFAIR< 2007. App. 100 international galleries, 26 of which are from the region that forms the fair’s focus, the Central, Eastern and South-Eastern European countries (CEE and SEE countries), will be presenting their selection of contemporary art in Vienna’s trade fair center MessezentrumWienNeu from 26 to 29 April 2007. The corner pillars of the exhibition will be the Austrian galleries with their internationally renowned programs.

Being part of the beginning – the >VIENNAFAIR< as an international springboard Matthias Limbeck, CEO in charge of marketing, business and CEE/SEE at the fair organizer Reed Exhibitions Messe Wien, is pleased with the impressive list of participating galleries: “With the >VIENNAFAIR<, as with the other trade fairs we organize, it is our prior aim to support the positive market trend in our neighboring countries of the CEE and SEE regions. We at Reed Exhibitions Messe Wien offer the emerging gallery world in the CEE and SEE countries a platform which enables them to find their entry into the booming Western art market, and we offer those interested in art visiting the fair an excellent mixture of internationally renowned galleries and interesting newcomers.” And Matthias Limbeck emphasizes the significance of the event’s sponsors and partners for the success of the >VIENNAFAIR<: “Many international art collectors have already confirmed their attendance at the fair – they will make a discovery tour around the >VIENNAFAIR 2007<. Our main sponsor, ERSTE BANK supports 15 Eastern European galleries and thus enables their participation in the fair – an immensely important contribution for which we thank ERSTE BANK.” The galleries included in this support program of ERSTE BANK are: Aidan Gallery (Moscow), acb gallery (Budapest), Bast´Art Gallery (Bratislava), hunt kastner artworks (Prague), lokal_30 (Warsaw), Andreiana Mihail Gallery (Bucharest), Galeria Noua (Bucharest), Plan B (Clui), Galeria Piekary (Posen), Program Gallery (Warsaw), Regina Gallery (Moscow), Remont Gallery (Belgrade), SPACE/Galéria Priestor for Contemporary Arts (Bratislava), Zvono Gallery (Belgrade), XL Gallery (Moscow). Reed Exhibitions Messe Wien also appreciates that the UNIQUA Insurance Group is prepared once again to function as sponsor of the >VIENNAFAIR<. With its art insurances, UNIQUA has made a name for itself especially amongst the collectors.

Petra Eibel, head of the art insurance division at UNIQUA, states: “The >VIENNAFAIR< is the link between the collectors’ tradition, which has been growing in Vienna for centuries, and the lively contemporary art scene. These are also the main basic elements which determine and form the partnerships with our cooperation partners. And the focus of the >VIENNAFAIR< on the CEE and SEE countries also clearly shows that this exhibition matches our company and our self-image of the UNIQUA Insurance Group as a European enterprise with Austrian roots perfectly”.

From the exhibition into the museum – Young positions are given a special opportunity Young positions are at the center of attention in the newly created “ZONE 1” which offers the opportunity to present installation art works and enlarged presentations at a reduced stand fee and away from the sales pressure which is ever present at a traditional fair stand. The new cooperation between the >VIENNAFAIR< and the museum of modern art MUMOK (Museum Moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig, Vienna) is here especially noteworthy. One artist will be able to move directly from the >VIENNAFAIR< into the museum: a jury headed by Edelbert Köb, director or the MUMOK, will select a position from all the eagerly awaited presentations – the winning presentation will be awarded with a special exhibition in the MUMOK. Candidates for this exhibition are, amongst others, the Swiss artist Shahryar Nashat, (gallery Elisabeth Kaufmann, Zurich), whose works have already been presented at the Venice Biennale 2005, the German artist Thorsten Brinkmann (gallery Artfinder, Hamburg, Germany) and the Berlin resident Bettina Pousttchi (Buchmann gallery, Berlin). Gallery Cristina Guerra from Lisbon presents Rui Toscano, the Dogenhaus gallery from Leipzig has nominated Tilo Schulz to participate in ZONE1. I-20 gallery from New York brings Timothy Hutchings to Vienna, and gallery Steinle from Munich presents the Austrian, in Los Angeles resident, artist Kasper Kovitz; it will also be possible to admire his art works at the MAK-Galerie, the gallery at Vienna’s Museum of Applied Arts and Contemporary Art (Notice: the complete list of the ZONE1 exhibitors will be available from the exhibition’s home page shortly before the event begins). Daniela Hinterhölzl, fair manager of the >VIENNAFAIR<, explains the motifs for this new initiative: “For us it is important to create more space at the >VIENNAFAIR< for individual presentations and installations – this ensures that we are able to present our visitors a broad range of artistic modes of practice. The fact that with this we are able to show the important link between galleries and museums is a lucky incident and a novelty at the same time”.

Intensifying co-operations with Austrian art institutions- And not only for the ZONE1, but also concerning the information about the >VIENNAFAIR<, the co-operations with museums and art institutions have been intensified. The aim of these co-operations is that, together with Austrian museums and private collections, a clear signal is set with contemporary art in Austria and beyond the borders. In their marketing material, the institutions will additionally draw the attention of their audiences to the >VIENNAFAIR<, and will also enclose a voucher for reduced admission to the >VIENNAFAIR<. At present, the following institutions participate in this co-operation: Albertina, Vienna; Austrian Cultural Forum New York, the art forum of the bank BA-CA – BA-CA Kunstforum, Vienna; lower austria contemporary (art in the public space Lower Austria, KUNSTRAUM NOE, collection of contemporary art Kunsthalle Krems/Lower Austria, the Lower Austrian museum NÖ Landesmuseum, Art/Brut Center Gugging, Hermann Nitsch Museum in the museum centre Mistelbach/Lower Austria); gallery Galerie im Taxispalais, Innsbruck/Tyrol; collection of contemporary art KUB Kunsthaus Bregenz/Vorarlberg; collection of contemporary art KUNSTHALLE Wien; museum of art history Kunsthistorisches Museum, Wien; collection of contemporary art Kunsthaus Graz at the Styrian museum Landesmuseum Joanneum, Graz; collection of contemporary art KunstHausWien; gallery of contemporary international art KUNSTRAUM INNSBRUCK/Tyrol; collection of modern art Lentos Kunstmuseum Linz/Upper Austria; MAK Austrian Museum of Applied Art and Contemporary Arts/Vienna; museum of modern art MUMOK Museum moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig Wien; gallery Neue Galerie Graz at the Styrian museum Landesmuseum Joanneum, Graz; Austrian gallery Österreichische Galerie Belvedere/Vienna; collection SAMMLUNG ESSL, Klosterneuburg/Lower Austria; WIEN MUSEUM. Numerous invitations to the museums and private collections for guests and exhibitors of the >VIENNAFAIR< further intensify this cooperation.

Art institutions from Eastern and South-Eastern Europe at the >VIENNAFAIR 2007<
As in the past two years, in 2007 art institu