Künstlerhaus Graz

The Halle für Kunst Steiermark stands in Graz’s Stadtpark beside the Burgtor. Built in 1951 from war rubble, it is a free-standing exhibition hall designed by Robert Haueisen in the style of the Wiener Secession. The eight interior columns support a high, single hall with an apsidal end for larger installations. The building matters because it carries a 1948 deed dedicating it in perpetuity to visual artists of Graz and Styria. Since 2013 Sandro Droschl has led the house, expanding its international programme after years of local focus. Important shows such as the Trigon Biennale from 1963 to 1995 brought artists from Austria, Italy and Yugoslavia to its walls. Inside, a broad east staircase leads from the foyer to two basement galleries of the same plan but lower ceilings. A flat ramp beside the main door gives step-free access to the main hall, which now offers 670 square metres of exhibition space. The apsidal north end and the attached east wing provide varied settings for contemporary works.