New Iron Curtain for the Vienna State Opera

The Iron Curtain of the Vienna State Opera is redesigned each year by a different artist. Swiss artist Pipilotti Rist was responsible for the design during the current season. El Anatsui has been commissioned for the 2025/26 season. The Ghanaian artist, who was awarded a Golden Lion at the Biennale in 2015, is responsible for redesigning the 179-square-metre surface. The 81-year-old creates installations, sculptures and wall works that are ‘characterised by a special aesthetic use of materials and a profound examination of history, memory and global interconnections,’ according to a press release. We are excited to see how he will present the 176-square-metre space in the Haus am Ring at the end of September. El Anatsui's work will be on display until the end of June 2026 after its unveiling.