Viennese art scene mourns: gallery owner Ernst Hilger died at the age of 75

Viennese art scene mourns: gallery owner Ernst Hilger died at the age of 75

Wien, Österreich - The death of the Viennese gallery owner Ernst Hilger shaked the art scene in Austria. Hilger died surprisingly at the age of 75, as his wife Karoline Hilger-Bartosch confirmed. The loss is particularly painful because Hilger was active until the end; On Sunday he visited an art fair and an artist studio. He leaves a large legacy in the Austrian art landscape.

born in Vienna in 1950, Hilger began his professional career with studying business administration after he originally made the dream of becoming a singer or poet. In 1971 he founded the first Gallery Academia in Salzburg, followed by the opening of the Spectrum gallery in Vienna 1972. In 1976 he opened his own gallery in Vienna, in which over 500 exhibitions took place. At times he also operated locations in Frankfurt and Paris. Hilger was not only a talented gallery owner, but also as a concert organizer and operator of the folk restaurant "Atlantis".

a pioneer of art mediation

Hilger was known for his endeavor to make art accessible to the broad population. He set himself the task of offering high -quality art at relatively affordable prices. He was a pioneer in particular in the print graphics and also enabled international artists such as the US pop artist Mel Ramos and the British pop artist Allen Jones to present their works in Austria. His close cooperation with renowned artists such as Alfred Hrdlicka, Adolf Frohner and Hans Staudacher significantly shaped his career.

Hilger also worked as President of the Association of the Austrian Galleries and as a member of the advisory board of Art Basel. From 2002 to 2007 he held the office of President of the European Gallery List Association and actively campaigned for the interests of galleries and artists. He was also given a number of awards that his services recognize for the art scene, including the professor title in 2000 and the Golden Honor of the City of Vienna in 2008.

legacy and collection foundation

Ernst Hilger's art collection included between 400 and 500 works that he gave the Musa. Part of his collection was exhibited in the Angerlehner Museum in Upper Austria in 2018, which demonstrated the great variety of his collection. Hilger's commitment to young and aspiring artists is an essential part of his heritage, which will have a lasting impact on the art scene in Austria.

The death of Ernst Hilger falls into a time when the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Public Service and Sport (BMKÖS) starts a funding offensive for the visual arts in Austria to support galleries and artists. This shows the persistent importance of the galleries for the art scene and the promotion of artists: inside. Hilger's vision of making art at low threshold will remain relevant.