MAK, Vienna, 24 June – 5 October 2014

Text: György Szegő
Photos: MAK

Dream and reality exhibition, Vienna, Künstlerhaus, 1984-1985, © Georg Riha, Hans Hollein Archive

So far, Hans Hollein is the sole Austrian architect who has been awarded the Pritzker Prize. Besides, he was also a designer, an autonomous artist, a curator, a researcher of the future, a culture anthropologist and a teacher. A genuine polyhistor, whose works have been associated with the high-brow culture of Central Europe preceding globalisation. In one is his most influential and lasting work as an exhibition curator (Dream and Reality, 1985) he referred to the climaxes of science and arts of the Monarchy that defined the 20th century. His archives include numerous documents, sketches, models and photos unknown before. He was not yet 30 years old when he wrote as follows: „Form does not follow function. And does not come from itself either. Form is a great decision meant by human beings.” (Architektur, 1963). This was actually a „last warning” addressing the outdated axioms of Modernism.