REAKTOR is a private art institution in Vienna, opened in February 2018 in the building of the former Grand Etablissement Gschwandner. On 1.200m², all possible and impossible arts are made accessible to the public in various halls. REAKTOR is a presentation space, workshop, initiator and producer. Authentic contemporary works on the event horizon of personal existence and society are presented to the public unadulterated and without accompanying text.
ORGANIZATION
Founded by Bernhard Kammel, author, designer and filmmaker, et cetera, as an autonomous institution for art, the house enjoys economic and content-related independence. In order to maintain its autonomy, the house is also rented out for selected commercial uses. Kammel is perfectly supported by the producers, Anastasia Maltseva and Crăița Niga.
LOCATION
The late classicist-historical building of the REAKTOR is characterized by its century-old first use as the Grand Etablissement Gschwandner. From 1960 to 1980, the building was used to assemble Ingelen radios, then as a prop store. In 2017, the building was renovated by Bernhard Kammel in such a way that the ruin-like idyll takes priority over newness, and the most modern infrastructure was integrated into the historic building fabric in a way that can beremoved without causing any scar. In the former Strauss-Lanner Hall, a movie theater with state-of-the-art technology was installed.
The REAKTOR essentially consists of three halls, which were built in successive architectural periods. The variable playability of the old floor plans for an entertainment establishment still offers a high degree of flexibility for presenting art in all shapes and dimensions. The entire appearance of the REAKTOR was designed and staged by Bernhard Kammel in a radically authentic way with illusionary applications and ageing. For the patination of newly created surfaces and for the timeless frescoes, Kammel engaged the art director of his last film, Rudi Czettel.
