Image: KunstHausWien, Vienna ; Basak Senova
Başak Şenova took up the position of chief curator on 1 August 2026, succeeding Sophie Haslinger, who is moving to the Fotomuseum Winterthur as director. She was selected through an international process from around 100 applicants representing more than 30 countries.
Working with director Gerlinde Riedl, Şenova will further develop KunstHausWien’s curatorial direction and sharpen its profile as an internationally networked museum for contemporary art addressing the relationship between humans and the environment.
At the centre of her programme is a long-term concept that begins with KunstHausWien’s distinct identity and Friedensreich Hundertwasser’s legacy, unfolding through connected thematic cycles. Within that concept, exhibitions, screenings, residencies, institutional partnerships and public programmes are intended to interlock.
The exhibition ‘Seeds. Reclaiming Roots, Sowing Futures’ explores the many meanings of seeds and seed stock as a reflection of humanity’s relationship with the earth and with one another, presenting works by 14 international artists about disappearance and preservation, loss and regeneration, and the potential of care and collective growth.
Participants discuss seeds as a commons and the important function of seed archives.
