MAK vienna's annual exhibition showcases the work of two eminent viennese designers

this year’s annual exhibition josef hoffmann—koloman moser (30 may – 28 october 2018) in josef hoffman museum in brtnice, a joint branch of the moravian gallery in brno and MAK vienna, is dedicated to relations between two artist friends and pre-eminent designers of viennese modernism. the works of koloman moser (1868–1918) are considered the artistic antithesis of josef hoffmann’s (1870–1956) when it comes to the architecture of their designs: while hoffmann remained a tectonically austere creator, koloman moser always incorporated a decorative, painterly element. designs and objects from the areas of graphics, glass, and ceramics are displayed in the exhibition so as to place these exceptional artists’ works in dialogue with one another and render their individual characteristics visible.

koloman moser, poster for the 5th art exhibition of the union of austrian artists secession

the display at MAK vienna‘s josef hoffman museum in czech republic highlights how the careers and works of both creators are closely linked. both were founding members of the vienna secession and, from 1899 onwards, both taught at the vienna school of arts and crafts (today’s university for applied arts vienna). together with the industrialist fritz waerndorfer, they founded the wiener werkstätte in 1903, thus having a crucial influence on the applied arts in vienna at the turn of the twentieth century. their viennese style became a synonym for clarity of design, geometry, and stylized decoration.

josef hoffmann, design drawing for a poster for the cabaret fledermaus

moser did not only partake in vienna’s artistic emergence around 1900 but helped shape the process from the beginning. this is reflected in a speech entitled ‘my work’ that hoffmann delivered in 1911, where he already praised moser’s talent as an organizer, a talent from which the secession, the school of arts and crafts and the wiener werkstätte all benefitted. according to hoffmann, ‘it was the painter moser who, thanks to his illustrative works, knew more about the outside world and henceforth exercised the greatest influence over us. it seemed to us that he had a fabulous talent for handling surfaces and inventing all manner of things in the applied arts. he considered it his duty to provide support and stimulation at every opportunity.’

koloman moser, wall decoration sylla, plate 5 from ‘die quelle. iii. flächenschmuck von koloman moser’

for his villa on the hohe warte — conceptualized by hoffmann, once a student of otto wagner — moser designed the interior (1901) himself. up until leaving the wiener werkstätte in 1907, moser, a designer with a decorative approach, provided an important counterpart to hoffmann’s linear austerity. together, they developed a style of interior design founded upon basic geometric forms, as seen in their interiors at the wiener werkstätte in neustiftgasse (1903) as well as the fashion house of the flöge sisters (1904).

josef hoffmann, designs for three chairs

in contrast to hoffmann, color and surface remained important elements of the creative process for moser, who principally focused on painting after 1907. particularly famous among the works that they created together are the furnishings for the westend sanatorium in purkersdorf (1904/05), where moser’s white concave furniture and the touch of color in the textiles contrast with hoffmann’s strict style in blue and white.

emil orlik, portrait of josef hoffmann

in 1907, josef hoffmann refurbished the baroque house in brtnice where he was born. he did so in accordance with the principles of the wiener werkstätte. the MAK has enjoyed a presence in brtnice since 1992, when the exhibition der barocke hoffmann (hoffmann as a baroque artist) opened. since 2006, the josef hoffmann museum has been run as a joint branch by the moravian gallery in brno and the MAK in vienna. it is in the context of this partnership that an annual exhibition is held.

emil orlik, portrait of koloman moser

josef hoffmann in koloman moser’s atelier

portrait of koloman moser

the josef hoffmann museum is run as a joint branch by the moravian gallery in brno and the MAK in vienna