Slow Art Gallery

For 14 years, Lydia Schuster and Anton Atzenhofer have run their art gallery. They have moved three times but stayed true to their neighborhood: From the Weißgerbergasse to Maxplatz to the Wine Market. The couple has been located here five years. “All of the locations were nice, but none as perfect as our gallery at the Wine Market. Great display windows, the best location for walk-in customers, great stores all around us – What more could you want?” At the beginning, Lydia and Anton were not sure if they could be successful with a gallery which focused only on art. During the early days, they often hosted events and concerts and operated a café within the space. Today, they are dedicated to art and art alone. And both are happy about that. This is reflected in the name and concept of the gallery: The name change from the Gallery Atzenhofer to the Slow Art Gallery followed the move to the Wine Market. The point came for Lydia to let everything be a bit more relaxed. Do much less; have more time for art. Customers should let themselves be fully engaged with the art and let it speak to them. The idea for the name came while eating lunch in a slow food restaurant. Everything that the couple exhibits is chosen personally. “There are so many good people creating art, but not everything works for us,” says Lydia. At their gallery, one finds mostly realistic art rather than abstract paintings. For both it is important that what they exhibit pleases them and the artists are friendly. There is a group of painters whose pictures can regularly be seen in the gallery; Lydia and Anton find many new artists at art fairs. “The best sellers are still the pictures from my husband!” Lydia proudly explains. The exhibits in the Slow Art Gallery are mostly thematic and are supported by an opening and a catalogue. An email newsletter informs interested customers about the current program. “There are always new topics and current events which inspire us to create an exhibit – It’s never dull!”