Art without borders: Sophie Goltz

Ms Goltz, how did you discover your love for art?

I wouldn't call it love so much as what art can be in a person's life – the sense of enrichment and relevance. I discovered this approach during the transformative years after the fall of the Berlin Wall. From one day to the next, a radical process of social transformation was initiated. It was precisely my involvement with artistic photography during this time that opened up a public space that I had not previously experienced. I learned to see things differently, to change perspectives. Through photography, I was able to think and talk differently with friends about issues that affected us socially and politically. Art became a constant companion.

You have been running the International Summer Academy since 2020. Every year, 300 participants from over 50 different countries come here to pursue their studies at the Hohensalzburg Fortress and the Untersberg Quarry in Fürstenbrunn. What is it like to work in the "world's most beautiful art studio" and what challenges does this special location bring with it?

Running the academy is a privilege. Particularly because of its long tradition and history. On the one hand, the challenge is to take the school through the change of times. That means returning to teaching on site after the pandemic, financial uncertainties, supporting particularly younger students. On the other hand, the historical walls of Hohensalzburg Fortress also present challenges – for instance, with regard to the materials we are allowed to work with in the fortress or indeed not, because of fire safety. But these are comparatively minor restrictions considering the fact that I am allowed to work in such a wonderful place. Just going up there is almost like a sort of passage. And then coming back down and plunging into urban life.

Can you sketch out your students for us? Who comes to the Summer Academy?

There is no such thing as the one typical student. We appeal to all people and are a safe space for many, you might say. That also corresponds with the history of the academy: there are a lot of young students, but also quite a few older ones, some of whom have already retired and keep coming back. What is also special about the Summer Academy is that people with no previous artistic training apply as well. That is perhaps an added value for academy graduates – here they can connect with a less academic kind of reality, have other conversations, see other works. In this context, international exchange is very important to us, very much in the spirit of Kokoschka. This can sometimes also lead to tensions, but ultimately it is quite beneficial: students discuss current events in the studio and also reflect on them in their artwork.

Do you still feel the spirit, the intention of Oskar Kokoschka? Do young artists today still know him?

On the occasion of our anniversary, we have a cooperation with the University of Applied Arts in Vienna. They are currently working on Kokoschka, among other things with the School of Vision. In spring 2023, a major Kokoschka retrospective was shown at the Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris, and is currently on show at the Guggenheim in Bilbao. I believe that it is precisely in his contradictions that he is relevant for young artists today. Kokoschka's School of Vision, which was strongly intervening, has become more dialogue based. This has changed. Today it is less the master-pupil model and more a mutual speaking and acting.

INSIDER TIPS

As a visitor to the city, what is the best way to immerse myself in the flair of the Summer Academy?

We invite you to four Open Studios throughout the summer: at the fortress and in the quarry. The studios are open and visitors can get a first-hand impression of what the artists are working on. On display are artworks that have been created, performances, readings and other artistic articulations. The Open Studios are the conclusion of an intensive phase of work and therefore a very special moment full of creative energy. An important concluding ritual for the students. In the city, the Summer Academy shows exhibitions by teaching artists and invites you to attend discursive events and electronic music - in cooperation with the Galerie Kunst im Traklhaus or the Stadtgalerien in the Mirabell Gardens. Admission to the Art Education programme is free of charge.

Which work of art in Salzburg is the most interesting for you?

I would like to highlight two works that change our perception of the city: There is the light installation Beyond Recall (2011) by Austrian artist Brigitte Kowanz, which is centrally located above the bridgeheads of the Staatsbrücke. The work commemorates the forced labourers during World War II who were involved in building the bridge. Here, culture of remembrance is combined with contemporary art - a subtle and effective intervention in the urban fabric - especially in the evening when the lettering is illuminated. In a moment of the most picturesque appropriation by the beautiful old town, history becomes visible and reminds passers-by of the everyday work of democracy. The other urban intervention was created as an art-in-building project: Andreas Fogarasi, Vorplatz/Archiv (2022.) in the National Archives. The office of the Summer Academy is directly opposite. I see this work every day. It is a conceptual work of art, quite in the sense of Kokoschka: making the visible visible. Fogarasi names existing things, such as the Landesarchiv itself, and brings out the surroundings.

Which museum do you most enjoy visiting in Salzburg and why?

For professional reasons, the Museum der Moderne is a very important place of engagement for me. As well as the Kunstverein or Galerie 5020. As the former artistic director of Stadtkuratorin Hamburg, the Skulpturenpark in Schloss Arenberg is an inspiring public cultural space (museum) in Salzburg. Somewhat off the beaten track, the Marionette Museum at Hohensalzburg Fortress brings theatre history to life - and an ancient craft: puppet-making.