Abaseh Mirvali — HALLE FÜR KUNST Steiermark

Talk

This year, Abaseh Mirvali took on the role of artistic director at viennacontemporary. With her international experience, charm, and vision, she has swiftly established herself within Vienna’s cultural landscape — itself known for being both sophisticated and at times challenging — introducing a number of fresh and promising changes to the fair. Having undergone a dynamic evolution in recent years, viennacontemporary is now entering a new phase of growth under Mirvali’s leadership. She brings with her a distinguished track record, having previously served as director of the Fundación/Collección Jumex Arte Contemporáneo in Mexico City, CEO and chief curator of the Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara, and director of the Biennial of the Americas.

Mirvali also brings a longstanding connection to the work of Diego Bianchi, whose work she first showcased at arteBA in Buenos Aires in 2012. Since then, they have maintained an active and their dialogue and in 2021, she invited Bianchi to curate the Performance Section at arteBA, highlighting his deep expertise in the field. Against this backdrop, Mirvali will speak about Bianchi’s exhibition Errores Irreales at HALLE FÜR KUNST Steiermark, reflecting not only on his artistic trajectory but also on his position within the Argentinian and broader international contexts. As a specialist in modern and contemporary art across Central, South, and North America, Mirvali is also deeply engaged with the work of Celina Eceiza, whose exhibition Ofrenda has caught her particular interest, and she will present both Eceiza’s and Bianchi’s practices as important Argentinian contributions to contemporary art in the Americas.

In conversation with Sandro Droschl, Mirvali will reflect on the current exhibitions of Bianchi and Eceiza, while also discussing their broader dialogues with Latin American art. Additionally, Mirvali will share insights into her own professional journey — from Mexico City and Los Angeles to Vienna — a path that has played a pivotal role in repositioning viennacontemporary as a leading platform for Austrian, regional, and, increasingly, international galleries.

Artists

Participating artists

is a curator and cultural project producer with a career-long commitment to civic engagement and public service through innovative collaborations between contemporary art initiatives and the community at large. Mirvali is currently the Artistic Director at viennacontemporary. For the 2025 viennacontemporary edition, she created a bold program for the fair, which included the participation of 97 galleries and 5 institutions from 23 countries. Between 2018 and 2020, Mirvali served as executive director and chief curator at Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara (MCASB), in California, presenting artists like artist Lara Favaretto and Ari Benjamin Meyers. Mirvali is the author of the concept and program development of the 2013 edition of The Biennial of the Americas, where she served executive director and comisaria from 2011 to 2013. Between 2005 and 2009, Mirvali was the executive director of the Colección/Fundación Jumex Arte Contemporáneo in Mexico City.