WILL-O’-THE-WISP

Will-o’-the-wisp refers to a soft, flickering light appearing in swamps or wetlands, historically interpreted as an illusion, omen, or wonder. The phenomenon is commonly explained by the escape of swamp gases such as methane or phosphine, which occur only under highly specific conditions.

Although science has replaced many mythical readings, the unsettled feeling and fascination associated with the unknown persist. Swamps themselves embody this tension. Often framed as hostile or uninhabitable, they shelter a complex and thriving life that often emerges only at night.

Within the exhibition, the will-o’-the-wisp becomes a metaphor for this concealed vitality, pointing to fleeing ecosystems that are often overlooked. Nature and the environment become a central symbolic field: perceived both as a strong force resisting control and as something vulnerable, in need of protection or defence.

Through various artistic media such as painting, sculpture, collage, and installation, the participating artists examine how ideas of fragility and strength are culturally and historically produced through form, material, and imagery. What counts as weak or strong, and how this ambiguity is grounded in our society. Inspired by natural forms, the exhibition explores how fragility and strength do not stand in opposition but emerge as deeply entangled conditions.

About the curator:

As an independent curator, Julia Harrauer’s practice centers on interdisciplinary contemporary art and is shaped by her specialization in cultural philosophy and media aesthetics. Her research engages with philosophical, phenomenological, and contextual dimensions of social structures. She holds a degree in art history from the University of Vienna and a diploma in graphic and communication design. In recent years, she started own projects and in 2021 co-founded the Young Curators Club Vienna (YCC). In 2025, she has curated several independent exhibitions, including a year-long program at the University of Applied Arts Vienna, exhibitions for the non-profit initiative Back to Athens, and shows featuring emerging artists at Viennese galleries. Her professional background further includes operations management at viennacontemporary, tutoring at the University of Vienna, and functioning as curatorial assistant at the art fair Parallel Vienna.