Almost

One subject, two photographic forms of mass media, 150 years in between. The Wien Museum’s “Almost“ exhibition combines two photo series that fall into the genre of “imaginary journeys.” The point of departure for these journeys is a project launched by the architecture journalist Wojciech Czaja in the spring 2020. Czaja explored the wide world within Vienna’s city limits on his Vespa, photographing buildings, architectural details, and urban atmospheres that reminded him of foreign places and distant metropolises — almost Paris, almost New York City, almost the New Territories of Hong Kong. For months he posted his snapshots on Facebook, triggering a storm of enthusiasm.

The Covid measures of 2020 made travel difficult. 1873 posed difficulties as well: Exploring the world was, in principle, still prohibitively expensive for most people. The World's Fair in the Prater thus offered people the opportunity not only to learn about the latest industrial and cultural achievements of the participating countries, but also to embark on a “world tour in miniature”. Spread across the 230-hectare exhibition grounds, roughly 200 mainly temporary buildings invited visitors to do just that. Viennese Photographers’ Association offered souvenir photos of these journeys in what was then a new mass medium. The Wien Museum holds hundreds of these photos in its collection.

Spaces of thought open up in this dialogue between the two photo series, spaces that encompass questions of authenticity and similarity, image-formation and cliché, memory and imagination. “Almost“ is both a world tour and a journey through time along the construction fence on Karlsplatz.

Photos „Almost": Wojciech Czaja
Photos „Weltausstellung 1873": Wien Museum
Curator: Peter Stuiber
Exhibition Design: Robert Rüf
Graphic Design: solo ohne - Studio für Gestaltung

Instagram-Challenge #AlmostWeltreise

Almost a global tour! Who knows of areas, places, or buildings in Vienna that can remind us of places all over the world? Inspired by the new exhibit "Almost: Viennese World Tours, 1873/2020" with photos by Wojciech Czaja @philopolist, we invited the public– to help us discover further imaginary destinations in Vienna. Posted suggestions with #almostweltreise – the ten most exciting discoveries will be rewarded with signed copies of Wojciech Czaja’s book Almost as well as a tour of Vienna with the author and photographer!

Instagram challenge winners:

Almost Paris in 1030 @caroline_christina
Almost London im Margaretenhof @melamieja
Almost New York Central Park in Kagran @koeniglaurin
Almost Seoul in der Donaustadt @v.for.vertigo
Almost Moskauer Metro im Hotel Regina @dzerzi
Almost Copacabana in der Messe Wien @annacorena
Almost Beijing im Donaupark) @wienfotografin
Almost Bhutan in Liesing @so_vienna
Almost Orient in Simmering @zvitlo
Almost Edward Hoppers USA in Hietzing @franzhammerbacher
Almost Milano in 1010 @in.wien.mit.wien
Almost Hogwarts im Rathaus @depixtion
Almost Park Guell (Barcelona) in Penzing @justpenzing
Almost Miramare in Ottakring @ronnydevienne
Almost Schweiz im Prater @georgherder