Austrian sculptor Michael Kienzer has transformed the park surrounding the Linz Castle Museum into an open-air gallery, installing twelve distinctive aluminum and steel sculptures that create an engaging walking experience for visitors. The exhibition, titled "Outside, twelve Pieces," runs through October 26 and features modern sculptural works strategically placed throughout the castle grounds, offering both artistic contemplation and trendy photo opportunities with panoramic views of the Upper Austrian capital.
The outdoor sculpture trail begins at the castle's entrance gate, where Kienzer has positioned three historical busts on what appears to be a double seesaw structure. Moving into the castle courtyard, visitors encounter a striking vertical installation featuring an iron barrel base topped with an unreachable well pulley, creating a sense of aspiration and unattainability. These pieces demonstrate Kienzer's thoughtful integration of contemporary art within the historic parkland setting.
Across the castle's lawn area, industrial materials take on new life as artistic elements. Kienzer has crafted sculptures using rings, rails, rods, and metal sheets, transforming these utilitarian components into playful combinations that lose their original industrial function and gain fresh meaning within the artistic context. This transformation of everyday materials represents a core principle in Kienzer's sculptural approach, where common objects are reimagined as poetic elements.
One particularly notable piece consists of a voluminous tangle of aluminum wire positioned among roses with a view toward Linz's New Cathedral. With characteristic humor, Kienzer has titled this work "Parasites," creating an intriguing juxtaposition between the organic beauty of the garden setting and the industrial nature of his materials. The artist, originally from Steyr and now based in Vienna, is recognized as one of Austria's most important representatives of contemporary sculpture.
The exhibition challenges the notion that sculpture as an art form has become obsolete or been replaced by installation art. Instead, Kienzer's work demonstrates that sculpture remains very much alive and relevant in contemporary artistic practice. His pieces prove that traditional sculptural approaches can be successfully combined with modern materials and concepts to create engaging public art experiences.
Beyond their artistic merit, the sculptures serve as attractive photography points throughout the park, encouraging visitors to capture not only selfies but also panoramic shots that frame views of the city in trendy new ways. The strategic placement of each piece ensures that a simple walk through the castle grounds becomes an exciting artistic journey, where each turn reveals new sculptural surprises integrated seamlessly into the historic landscape.
