Meet Sophie Haslinger: working at the intersection of art and ecology
CFC Members Spotlight is a bi-monthly interview series showcasing the work of our members on our blog and social media. Through this feature, we highlight the diverse curatorial practices in our community and encourage new connections and exchange.
Meet CFC Member Sophie Haslinger
Sophie Haslinger is a curator working at the intersection of art and ecology, with a special focus on lens-based-media. Since 2022 she is chief curator at KunstHausWien, where she develops the institution’s general exhibition programming dedicated to ecological topics.
We recently interviewed Sophie Haslinger to learn more about her curatorial journey, inspirations, and insights into the art world.
Image credit: Exhibition view Into the Woods, KunstHausWien 2024, Photo: Joanna Pianka
CFC: What thread or idea ties your work together?
SH: I work at the intersection of contemporary art and ecological topics, with a special focus on lens-based-media. In my curatorial practice I address issues that stretch beyond art and aesthetics, to help us, and by extension the viewer, reflect and understand the world from more complex and nuanced perspectives.
Besides being engaged in environmental responsibility on a content level, it is very important for me to embed sustainable practices in exhibition making and curating.
CFC: Name a project or exhibition that holds special significance for you. What made it stand out?
SH: The exhibition “Into the Woods. Perspectives on Forest Ecosystems”, which was one of the main exhibitions of the first Vienna Climate Biennale in 2024. The assembled art works – ranging from video works and photography to paper works and installations – reflect on the forest as a habitat, its ecological processes, as well as the threats it faces. What made this project so special for me is that I commissioned six new art works and that I worked closely together with the Institute of Forest Ecology and the Institute of Social Ecology at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences in Vienna. The scientists were my sparring partner in the research phase, discussing important topics and supporting artists working on commissions with their expertise. For the actual exhibition the scientists wrote short texts on the scientific status-quo of important topics (e.g. Monocultures, Biodiversity, Mykorrhiza Network etc.), which added a second layer to the exhibition next to the art works and the texts about them. This collaboration was very nourishing for all sides.
Furthermore, at the end of the exhibition, we had a wall asking the visitors two questions on their relation to forests and the future of these ecosystems. They were invited to draw or write their thoughts on sheets of paper (waste from a printing company) and it was beautiful to see how after engaging with the exhibition, the emotional power of art manifested on this wall, which was completely full at the end of the show.
Image credit: Exhibition view CLOSE/D with works by Flavia Mazzanti, KunstHausWien 2023, Photo: Iris Ranzinger
CFC: What’s your favorite part about being a curator? And, if you don’t mind sharing, what’s the most challenging?
SH: My favorite part is the process involved in curating. You have an idea in your mind and months or years later this idea becomes real in the form of an exhibition or publication. I love this whole process, which allows for space to reflect, probe and further refine ideas, ultimately allowing a narrative and inherent logic to emerge. The most rewarding aspect of curating is working closely with artists and giving them space for their ideas to coalesce through the exhibition form. Definitely, the most challenging part is that as a curator you have to wear many many hats: you have to be a manager, a communication expert, a writer, a facilitator, a team leader and a team player at the same time, amongst others. You are constantly trying to fulfill very different needs at once.
CFC: Any hot takes on the current state of the curatorial field or the art world in general? What do we need more or less of?
SH: We need more collaborations, honesty and holisticy.
CFC: What advice would you give to aspiring curators just starting their careers?
SH: Be confident in your visions, look critically at the world wile cultivating a hands-on-mentality, visit as many exhibitions as possible, engage with current debates and try to independently curate in all sorts of venues, organize talks and write texts. It’s all about gaining experience and confronting new scenarios from which we learn the most. If you can, find some kind of mentor, someone senior you can learn from and someone who already has a wide network.
Explore more of Sophie Haslinger’s work on her website or Instagram.
Profile photo credit: Christian-Lendl.
Are you interested in learning more about our CFC membership? Dive into how to become a CFC member here.
