Linzer Höhenrausch 2018

Do you know that feeling? I see an announcement for an exhibition or cultural event, think it looks really interesting – and then don't go. That's how I've felt about the Höhenrausch exhibition in Linz for years. But it's actually an exhibition that's right up my street: entertaining, enjoyable and simply fantastic.

This year, I finally did it. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my blog for motivating me to engage with culture. 😉 I took advantage of a wonderfully beautiful summer Friday evening to indulge in the thrill of heights – thanks to the Linzer Pflasterspektabel festival taking place at the same time, attendance was rather low, making it all the more enjoyable.

Höhenrausch 2018: The Other Shore

I knew two things about this year's Höhenrausch: it has something to do with water, and there's a large ship suspended in the air by steel cables at the top of the tower. All right, let's go and have some fun.

I start in a room with sketches by artist Alexander Ponomarev, who is also responsible for the flying ship later in the tour. The fantastic drawings are a relaxed introduction to an exhibition that will offer much tougher fare later on.

I follow a corridor and climb a staircase, where I am surprised by an oversized, winding barrier fence. ‘New Wave’ by Didier Fiúza Faustino hovers above me like something light and weightless, instead of serving its usual purpose: to keep people away from something.

Right between the black columns, a film awaits me, the scenes of which are warned about at the entrance. It's not that bad; we watch the images for a few minutes and see no scenes of violence or anything similar. Nevertheless, I take with me the sombre feeling and heaviness that surrounds the film called ‘The Leopard’ by Isaac Julien. The refugee drama in the Mediterranean, which we read about every day in the newspapers, hangs in the air.

I continue on to installations and pictures and enter a room dedicated to the American artist Mary Mattingly, whose artworks draw attention to the vulnerability of our environment and, at the same time, to future opportunities.

In the next exhibition room, among the many pictures and objects on display, I am particularly impressed by the plans for Pier 55 in Manhattan, which are to be implemented by 2022: an artificial island made of concrete troughs is being created in the sea off southern Manhattan to support a park (visible in the lower left of the display cases in the picture below).

Next, Mischa Kuball's ‘Untiefen’ (Shallow Waters) leads me out through a corridor.

Now it's time to climb the first staircase – the thrill of heights begins! Before I climb the roof truss and the steeple of the Ursuline Church, I spend a few minutes watching the relaxing images of the sea in the film ‘Two Skies’ by Lukas Marxt.

Finally, the Höhenrausch lives up to its name! From the steeple of the Ursuline Church, I have a wonderful view over the whole of Linz and enjoy the view of St. Mary's Cathedral and down to the Pflasterspektakel. The crowds of people make it easy to see where a street performer is showing off their skills. And finally, I can see the tower and the Flying Ship!

I walk across footbridges over the rooftops. I'm afraid of heights, but I'm still doing fine here. The close-up view of Kcho's statue ‘El Pensador’ is really impressive!

I approach the tower via another footbridge. It slowly dawns on me that the climb could be difficult. You can see down between the wooden steps. After climbing each staircase, I take a deep breath and consider climbing back down. But then I press on. Finally at the top, I enjoy the wonderful view – and can even look down from the railing into the depths!

‘The stairway of death’... at least for me. Going down was no problem at all – you can't see that the stairway is open at the back!

I skip the open deck with the water features and go back down into the museum. There, I am once again captivated by the spiral ‘New Wave,’ the twisted barriers hanging above me. And finally, we come to the absolute highlight of the exhibition: the installation ‘Uncertain Journey’ by Japanese artist Chiharu Shiota. It is not without reason that an exhibition employee stands here, making sure that no one touches the web of red wool threads – it is really tempting.

I leave Höhenrausch 2018 ‘Das andere Ufer’ feeling very enthusiastic and listen to the rousing drum rhythms of the artist group performing here at OK-Platz as part of the Pflasterspektakel festival.

All information about the artists and all details about the Höhenrausch exhibition can be found on the Höhenrausch website. Höhenrausch is also an experience for children, especially because of the views over Linz and the tower with the Flying Ship.

Have you been to Höhenrausch 2018 yet? How did you like it?

Unfortunately, Höhenrausch 2024 was probably the last time it took place.