Viennese gallery owner Ernst Hilger: A life for art is coming to an end

Viennese gallery owner Ernst Hilger: A life for art is coming to an end

Ernst Hilger, the influential Viennese gallery owner, has died at the age of 75. Hilger was born on February 28, 1950 in Vienna and is considered a defining figure on the Austrian art scene. After studying business administration, which he began in 1968, he not only worked as an art dealer, but also as an art collector and publisher.

Hilger, who originally wanted to be a singer or poet, founded his first gallery, the Galerie Academia, in Salzburg in 1971. Just a year later, the Spectrum Gallery was founded in Vienna. Over the course of his career he expanded his involvement with additional galleries in Salzburg, Vienna, Frankfurt and Paris. He was active in supporting young artists, including through projects such as “Siemens_artLab”.

Influential positions and awards

Hilger was president of the European Gallery Association from 2002 to 2007 and took on long-standing leadership roles, including president of the Association of Austrian Galleries and advisory board member of Art Basel. His services to art have been honored several times, including the Golden Medal of Honor of the City of Vienna and as Officier des Arts et Lettres in 2000.

Hilger was also active as an editor and published the first Austrian art newspaper, the “Gallerienspiegel”, in 1974. His gallery hilger contemporary, which he opened in 2003, and the HilgerBROTKunsthalle in the Ankerbrotfabrik, which was launched in 2009, are further highlights of his career.

Commitment to the art scene

Hilger's commitment to art was groundbreaking in many ways. He was co-founder of the internet newspaper “www.artmagazine.cc” in 2000 and further expanded the opportunities for modern art in Austria with the opening of “Hilger NEXT” in 2013. His most important exhibitions included works by internationally renowned artists such as Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso and Jean Dubuffet.

His donation of a bust of the composer Robert Schumann by Alfred Hrdlicka to the city of Vienna in 2005 reflects his personal commitment and appreciation for art and culture.

Future of Austrian art funding

The Austrian art scene is currently facing new challenges, but also opportunities. The Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Public Service and Sport (BMKÖS) has launched a funding offensive to support the visual arts in Austria. The funding will be increased by a total of 350,000 euros and will, among other things, support the participation of Austrian galleries in international art fairs.

Foreign trade fair funding will be increased by 150,000 euros to a total of 550,000 euros in 2024, which is important for over 40 galleries annually (including Hilgers Galleries). These developments could help continue the legacy of gallerists like Ernst Hilger in the contemporary art scene. oe24 reports, that Hilger played a central role in this dynamic art landscape, while History Wiki gives detailed insights into his career. Current information on art funding can also be found at diegalerien.at.