4 June 2008 – 7 September 2008

Flight of the Modernists / Les modernes s’enfuient. Austrian artists in France 1938-1945

Since the end of the 19th century Austrian artists have always looked to France and Paris in particular and from 1938 at the latest they became a place of refuge. When Austria followed Germany’s example and started persecuting Jewish artists, some of them emigrated to France, where they could live in safety, at least until 1940. After the Nazi occupation of France, most of these artists managed to survive in France or left for other countries.
During the Nazi regime, France therefore played an important role in Austrian art. Artists persecuted in Austria could escape to France or through it to other havens. Part of the Austrian avant-garde survived in France after Austria, like the Nazis in Germany beforehand, turned art into a propaganda instrument.
In three acts – prologue, drama and epilogue – the exhibition “Flight of the Modernist / Les modernes s’enfuient” describes the journey of Austrian artists to France and their fate there, their relations with other émigrés and with the French art scene, and the influence that the French exile had on their artistic work.

Address

Jüdisches Museum - Wien
Dorotheergasse 11
1010 Wien
phone +43 1 535 04 31
http://www.jmw.at

Opening Hours

Sunday-Friday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Thursday till 8 p.m., closed on Saturday.

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