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Grünangergasse 1 and Domgasse 1, 1010 Vienna
The historic building that houses the Vienna Art Gallery went through many transformations before becoming the St. Stephen’s Gallery we know today. Originally, art historian and publisher Otto Kallir-Nirenstein opened his new gallery here in 1923. During the Nazi era, when Carril immigrated to the United States, the building changed hands several times and the space was used for various purposes until 1954, when Roman Catholic priest and art patron Otto Mauer reopened it as the “St. Stephen’s Gallery”. In 1964, the gallery changed its name again to Galerie nächst St. Stephan. Since 1978, the company has been led by Rosemarie Schwarzwälder, who has largely defined its identity. Galerie nächst St. Stephan has become a cornerstone of Vienna’s post-war avant-garde, focusing on abstraction, minimalism and conceptual art. Over the decades, the gallery has maintained a consistent curatorial theme—art that “stands the test of time,” is experimental, transnational, and intellectually charged. Its main focus is on painting, sculpture, installation, photography and video, all within a clear conceptual context, ranging from the New Geographical Movement and Post-Minimalism to Modern Vision.
Galerie nächst St. Stephan holds exhibitions in two spaces. The main and most famous venue is located on the second floor of a historic building near St. Stephen’s Cathedral (hence the name). The site consists of a series of interconnected white-walled rooms with even light, ideal for large canvases, precise installations and works on paper. A second space is located around the corner at Domgasse 1, where the curatorial team can organize further exhibitions and more experimental projects. The gallery’s roster is filled with notable names, including Heimo Zobernig, a giant of the Austrian conceptual minimalist movement; “light” artist Brigitte Kowanz, known for her use of neon, lights, fluorescent tubes, and mirrors; Lawrence Weiner, a key figure in the 1960s conceptual art movement; and abstract artist Imi Knoebel.
