Animal Human: Exploring the Ambivalent Bond at Dom Museum Wien

The Tierisch Menschlich exhibition opens at Dom Museum Wien on October 2, 2026, exploring the complex relationship between humans and animals from the Middle Ages to the present day. Museum director Johanna Schwanberg noted the everyday ambivalence of this dynamic, stating in source material that visitors might feed a cat, eat a schnitzel for lunch, and swat a moth by afternoon. Co-curator Vanessa Joan Müller pointed to Werner Feiersinger’s photographs in the stairwell, which display a complete zoo ranging from hippos to penguins.

Exhibition Design and Historical Scope Through August 2027

Running until August 22, 2027, at Stephansplatz 6, the exhibition spans daily hours from 10:00 to 18:00. Dom Museum Wien unites historical artifacts with contemporary installations across five distinct chapters designed to reflect the equivalence of all life. According to dommuseum.at, the display features works by a broad array of international and historical artists, including Herbert Boeckl, James Ensor, Chaïm Soutine, Maria Lassnig, and Francisco de Goya y Lucientes. The curatorial team is led by director Johanna Schwanberg alongside co-curator Vanessa Joan Müller, with curatorial assistance from Nina Schermann and Anke Wiedmann.

Contrasting Artistic Perspectives Across Five Chapters

The first section, Ambivalent Touchpoints, includes a photograph from VALIE EXPORT’s Mappe der Hundigkeit showing the artist leading Peter Weibel on a leash at Stephansplatz. Additional highlights include Alois Mosbacher’s dog paintings, a 350-kilogram stone gargoyle from Stephansdom, and Aneta Grzeszykowska’s photographs placing human masks on dogs.

Galleries Highlight Shifting Societal Views on Animals

Historical context runs throughout the galleries, highlighting shifting societal views on animals over the centuries. Meanwhile, Luzia Hürzeler’s video Self-Portrait for the Cat features the artist’s cat licking a bust made of cat food, slowly and steadily reshaping the sculpture.

Additional Works and Exhibition Features

The exhibition poster features a photograph by Graciela Iturbide showing a Mexican market woman with live iguanas on her head. The artist list features numerous additional creators, including Hiva Alizadeh, Farah Al Qasimi, Thierry Boutonnier, Norbertine Bresslern-Roth, Josef Danhauser, Carola Dertnig, Kingmeata Etidlooie, Otto Friedrich, Franz Fyt, Robert Gabris, Flora N.