It’s my first visit to Phoenix West, a former steelworks site in the western German city of Dortmund. The disused blast furnace has been renovated and transformed into a venue for immersive digital art exhibitions. I’m here to visit the Phoenix des Lumieres exhibition that opened earlier this year and will run until December 31, 2023.
The exhibition showcases the works of two popular yet very different Viennese artists: Gustav Klimt and Friedensreich Hundertwasser. Klimt was a leading figure in the Vienna Secession movement and was known for his golden Art Nouveau works and sensual female figures. Hundertwasser was a visual artist, architect, and environmental activist known for his colorful paintings.
A whirlwind of colors
I start with the Hundertwasser exhibition. The artist’s famous houses are displayed on the walls one after another, accompanied by atmospheric music. The buildings have colorful facades, the windows have irregular shapes, and plants…