Future of Melancholia
Gallery-Legacy of Milica Zorić & Rodoljub Čolaković, Museum of Contemporary Art, Belgrade (MoCAB)

Slide show

18.4.2025

*Future of Melancholia*, 2025
Exhibition view, Gallery-Legacy of Milica Zorić & Rodoljub Čolaković, Museum of Contemporary Art, Belgrade (MoCAB)
Susanne Wenger, *Icons of great sadness*
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

Susanne Wenger, *Icons of Great Sadness: Cinetic Performance*, 1994
Oil painting, plywood; metal frame by Ajibike Ogunniyi
62 × 44 cm (76 × 62 × 4,5 cm framed)
Courtesy Susanne Wenger Foundation, Krems
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

Susanne Wenger, *Icons of Great Sadness: Walt Whitmans song for the Highway*, 1994
Oil painting, plywood; metal frame by Ajibike Ogunniyi
62 × 36 cm (78 × 52 × 4,5 cm framed)
Courtesy Susanne Wenger Foundation, Krems
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

Susanne Wenger, *Icons of Great Sadness: The little hunn princess*, 1993
Oil painting, plywood; metal frame by Ajibike Ogunniyi
45 × 46 cm (65 × 65 × 4,5 cm framed)
Courtesy Susanne Wenger Foundation, Krems
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

Susanne Wenger, *Icons of Great Sadness: Totemic Convergence*, 1994
Oil painting, plywood; metal frame by Ajibike Ogunniyi
51 × 60 cm (72 × 77 × 4,5 cm framed)
Courtesy Susanne Wenger Foundation, Krems
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

Susanne Wenger, *Icons of Great Sadness: Totemic Convergence* (Detail), 1994
Oil painting, plywood; metal frame by Ajibike Ogunniyi
51 × 60 cm (72 × 77 × 4,5 cm framed)
Courtesy Susanne Wenger Foundation, Krems
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

Susanne Wenger, *Icons of Great Sadness: Drowned and drunk in Homers red wine sea* (Detail), 1994
Oil painting, plywood; metal frame by Ajibike Ogunniyi
33 × 61,5 cm (62 × 77 × 4,5 cm framed)
Courtesy Susanne Wenger Foundation, Krems
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

Susanne Wenger, *Traumgesichte: Der Wilde Stier* (Dream Visions: Wild Bull), 1943 – 44
Colored pencil on paper
31 × 22 cm (51,5 × 41,5 × 5 cm framed)
Courtesy Susanne Wenger Foundation, Krems
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

*Future of Melancholia*, 2025
Exhibition view, Gallery-Legacy of Milica Zorić & Rodoljub Čolaković, Museum of Contemporary Art, Belgrade (MoCAB)
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

Maruša Sagadin, *Schlechte Laune ohne Kiosk und Küche (Juliana)* (Bad Mood Without a Kiosk and Kitchen (Juliana), 2020
Concrete, wood, pigment, paint
68 × 170 × 65 cm
Courtesy the artist and Christine König Galerie, Vienna
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

Maruša Sagadin, *Schlechte Laune ohne Kiosk und Küche (Juliana)* (Bad Mood Without a Kiosk and Kitchen (Juliana) (Detail), 2020
Concrete, wood, pigment, paint
68 × 170 × 65 cm
Courtesy the artist and Christine König Galerie, Vienna
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

Katharina Höglinger, *The tree in front of my house wears a baby doll*, 2023
Oil on canvas
100 × 80 cm
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

*Future of Melancholia*, 2025
Exhibition view, Gallery-Legacy of Milica Zorić & Rodoljub Čolaković, Museum of Contemporary Art, Belgrade (MoCAB)
Katharina Höglinger
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

Katharina Höglinger, *Self-portrait with ear sound*, 2022
Oil on canvas
24 × 18 cm
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

Klaus Schuster, *O.T.* (Untitled), 2020
Oil on canvas
50 × 70 cm
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

*Future of Melancholia*, 2025
Exhibition view, Gallery-Legacy of Milica Zorić & Rodoljub Čolaković, Museum of Contemporary Art, Belgrade (MoCAB)
Klaus Schuster
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

Klaus Schuster, *O.T.* (Untitled), 2024
Oil and oil pastels on canvas
31 × 41 cm
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

Klaus Schuster, *O.T.* (Untitled) (Detail), 2024
Oil and oil pastels on canvas
31 × 41 cm
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

Klaus Schuster, *O.T.* (Untitled), 2023
Oil on canvas
41 × 51 cm
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

Klaus Schuster, *O.T.* (Untitled), 2020
Oil on canvas
30 × 42 cm
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

*Future of Melancholia*, 2025
Exhibition view, Gallery-Legacy of Milica Zorić & Rodoljub Čolaković, Museum of Contemporary Art, Belgrade (MoCAB)
Anna Schachinger
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

Anna Schachinger, *Halterinnen* (Holders), 2022
Oil on linen
180 × 150 cm
Courtesy the artist and SOPHIE TAPPEINER, Vienna
Photo: kunst-dokumentation.com

Anna Schachinger, *Party mit Hexe* (Party with witch), 2022
Oil on linen
180 × 150 cm
Courtesy the artist and SOPHIE TAPPEINER, Vienna
Photo: kunst-dokumentation.com

*Future of Melancholia*, 2025
Exhibition view, Gallery-Legacy of Milica Zorić & Rodoljub Čolaković, Museum of Contemporary Art, Belgrade (MoCAB)
Ernst Yohji Jaeger
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

Ernst Yohji Jaeger, *Nigredo*, 2024
Oil on canvas
48 × 30 cm
Courtesy the artist and Croy Nielsen, Vienna
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

Ernst Yohji Jaeger, *Untitled 1917, Study for an Angel / Tear through Time*, 2024
Oil on canvas
80 × 70 cm (82 x 72 x 3,5 cm framed)
Courtesy Mohamed Oeuida
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

Ernst Yohji Jaeger, *Rebis / 彼岸花*, 2024
Oil on canvas
45 × 35 cm (47 x 37 x 3,5 cm framed)
Courtesy private collection, Asia
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

*Future of Melancholia*, 2025
Exhibition view, Gallery-Legacy of Milica Zorić & Rodoljub Čolaković, Museum of Contemporary Art, Belgrade (MoCAB)
Nanna Kaiser
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

Nanna Kaiser, *Killing of a sacred deer (Porsche 911)*, 2023
Car interior, silkscreen, oil
90 × 100 cm
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

Nanna Kaiser, *Killing of a sacred deer (Porsche 911)* (Detail), 2023
Car interior, silkscreen, oil
90 × 100 cm
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

Nanna Kaiser, *Skinned sky utopian try (Bmw 230i Coupé)*, 2023
Oil on car interior
250 × 150 cm
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

Nanna Kaiser, *Skinned sky utopian try (Bmw 230i Coupé)* (Detail), 2023
Oil on car interior
250 × 150 cm
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

Kamilla Bischof, *Lambretta*, 2020
Oil and spray paint on canvas
150 × 100 cm
Courtesy Meyer*Kainer, Vienna
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

*Future of Melancholia*, 2025
Exhibition view, Gallery-Legacy of Milica Zorić & Rodoljub Čolaković, Museum of Contemporary Art, Belgrade (MoCAB)
Lisa Slawitz
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

Lisa Slawitz, *Februar Portrait Inverse*, 2023
Oil on high-density fiberboard
100 × 110 cm
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

Lisa Slawitz, *Engel* (Angel), 2023
Oil on canvas
140 × 160 cm
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

Maruša Sagadin, *Summer*, 2020
Wooden surface green/orange, concrete, wood, pigment, paint
57 × 200 × 30 cm
Courtesy the artist and Christine König Galerie, Vienna
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

Maruša Sagadin, *Summer* (Detail), 2020
Wooden surface green/orange, concrete, wood, pigment, paint
57 × 200 × 30 cm
Courtesy the artist and Christine König Galerie, Vienna
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

Matthias Noggler, *Formation (Heads)*, 2023
Gouache on linen
81 × 90 cm
Courtesy private collection, Wolfgang Renner, Vienna
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

Matthias Noggler, *Not Window, Not Wall*, 2024
Gouache and colored pencil on linen
161 × 165,5 cm
Courtesy private collection, Clemens Leopold, Berlin
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

*Future of Melancholia*, 2025
Exhibition view, Gallery-Legacy of Milica Zorić & Rodoljub Čolaković, Museum of Contemporary Art, Belgrade (MoCAB)
Flora Hauser
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

Flora Hauser, *ChuChu-Moon*, 2024
Acrylic fiber and cotton yarn sewn on canvas
42 × 42 cm
Courtesy Meyer*Kainer, Vienna
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

Flora Hauser, *Wrenkh1 – Schlürfen werden wir wohl dürfen* (Wrenkh1 – We’ll be able to slurp), 2023
Acrylic fiber and cotton yarn sewn on canvas
25 × 20 cm
Courtesy Meyer*Kainer, Vienna
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

Flora Hauser, *Geburt der Sonne* (Birth of the sun), 2024
Acrylic fiber and cotton yarn sewn on canvas
210 × 100 cm
Courtesy Meyer*Kainer, Vienna
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

Flora Hauser, *Geburt der Sonne* (Birth of the sun) (Detail), 2024
Acrylic fiber and cotton yarn sewn on canvas
210 × 100 cm
Courtesy Meyer*Kainer, Vienna
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

Lisa Slawitz, *Signing Reality, flat* (Detail), 2022
Mixed media on unprimed fabric
590 × 400 cm
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

Maruša Sagadin, *Schlechter Witz (II)* (Bad joke (II)) (Detail), 2024
Cardboard, styrofoam, acrylic resin, pigments, metal
107 × 30 × 40 cm
Courtesy the artist and Christine König Galerie, Vienna
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

Maruša Sagadin, *Schlechter Witz (II)* (Bad joke (II)), 2024
Cardboard, styrofoam, acrylic resin, pigments, metal
107 × 30 × 40 cm
Courtesy the artist and Christine König Galerie, Vienna
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

Maruša Sagadin, *Hoop (Green)*, 2023
Cardboard, styrofoam, acrylic polymer, pigments, metal, wood
100 × 35 × 65 cm
Courtesy the artist and Christine König Galerie, Vienna
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

Maruša Sagadin, *Hoop (Green)* (Detail), 2023
Cardboard, styrofoam, acrylic polymer, pigments, metal, wood
100 × 35 × 65 cm
Courtesy the artist and Christine König Galerie, Vienna
Photo: Bojana Janjić / MoCAB

The exhibition Future of Melancholia at the Gallery-Legacy of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Belgrade presents a selection of contemporary Austrian artists alongside Susanne Wenger, the Graz-born pioneer of Surrealism, who also took part in the 60th Venice Biennale in 2023. The works of the contemporary artists reflect on the emotion of melancholy, and are shown in dialog works by Susanne Wenger. The exhibition takes place in a 1930s Yugo-modernist building, which today serves as part of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Belgrade and is located in a residential area on the outskirts of the city. While Wenger’s works on the first floor reflect various creative phases from her career, the artists on the upper floors explore melancholy, nostalgia and introspective themes that, can be understood as a response to regional and global developments, as well as certain art-historical interests. The exhibition encompasses a wide range of artistic forms of expression, from painting and sculpture to installation works that move between fantasy, emotional introspection, depictions of dream worlds, but also reflections of social realities.

Future of Melancholia is a cooperation between the Museum of Contemporary Art Belgrade and the HALLE FÜR KUNST Steiermark, supported by Austrian and Serbian cultural institutions, and contributes to artistic and inter-communicative understanding between the countries.

Exhibition Page

More contributions

Eva Ursprung
The Art of Surfacing

Slide show

6.2.2026

With the exhibition The Art of Surfacing, HALLE FÜR KUNST Steiermark presents the multifaceted work of Austrian artist, musician, and curator Eva Ursprung, who was awarded the Honorary Prize of the Province of Styria in 2024. Her cross-media, feminist, and socially critical approaches revolve around the element of water as a metaphor for change and political and ecological processes.

Slide show Eva Ursprung

Susanne Wenger
Àdùnní Olórìṣà

Slide show

6.2.2026

Susanne Wenger gilt als eine zentrale Künstlerin Österreichs nach 1945 und als frühe Wegbereiterin des Surrealismus. Ihr Œuvre, das Skulpturen, Gemälde, Zeichnungen, Drucke und Batiken umfasst, überschreitet ästhetische Kategorien und verbindet Kunst, Spiritualität und Mythos.

Slide Show Susanne Wenger

Exhibition Tour
Diego Bianchi: Errores Irreales

Video

4.12.2025

Diego Bianchi’s immersive sculptural installations reinterpret the concepts of sculpture and of the torso, taking seriously the sensitivity and distress of the human body as subjected to manifold pressures, and expanding and updating its forms of expression.

Exhibition Tour Diego Bianchi

Exhibition Tour
Celina Eceiza: Ofrenda

Video

4.12.2025

A metabolic force governs the growth of Celina Eceiza’s work, which involves textile collages, sculptures, paintings and drawings — both tiny and colossal in scale — as laborious as they are elementary. The artist combines handcrafted textile techniques and processes such as patchwork, found object collages and, more recently, chalk pastels, which give her images a new sense of fluidity.

Ausstellungsrundgang Celina Eceiza

Annemarie Arzberger
dreamed awake

Slide show

3.12.2025

For HALLE FÜR KUNST Steiermark the artist has developed her first own performative presentation, with a setting for her puppets with three scenes set in an imaginary spaceship, an exhibition, and the spaces that the scenes depict: the Schlouflaboar, the Houloudecks, and the Space Grotto Disco. The piece is a combination of physical theater and puppetry, performed by the artist together with her sister Katharina Arzberger and accompanied by musical interludes arranged by Manuel Obriejtan.

Slide Show Annemarie Arzberger

Diego Bianchi
Errores Irreales

Slide show

19.11.2025

Diego Bianchi (*1969 Buenos Aires, lives in Buenos Aires) is considered one of Argentina’s leading artists and has, in particular, updated the concept of sculpture. For his installative and performative exhibition Errores Irreales at HALLE FÜR KUNST Steiermark, Bianchi has assembled a selection of his sculptures that play with the concept of the body.

Slide show Diego Bianchi

Diego Bianchi
Errores Irreales
Performance

Slide show

19.11.2025

Errores Irreales is only truly activated by the performance staged by Diego Bianchi himself in order to complete his theatrical installation, which takes physicality and its limits to a new level.

Diego Bianchi, Performance

Celina Eceiza
Ofrenda

Slide show

18.11.2025

Ofrenda [Offering] presents a way of inhabiting a space as if the architecture were a body, breathing erratically, changing states as you pass from one room to the next. The rigidity of the building collapses as the walls are draped in thousands of metres of fabric joined together through the collective and timeless action of sewing, until they form a single smooth surface, sensitive to the slightest change.

Slide show Celina Eceiza