Taxispalais – Kunsthalle Tirol

The Taxispalais Kunsthalle Tirol, formerly known as the gallery at the Taxispalais, is a renowned art institution in Innsbruck, Austria. It is dedicated to exhibiting and promoting contemporary art in the state of Tyrol and beyond. The Taxispalais Kunsthalle Tirol is located in the historic Palais Fugger Taxis, a baroque building that dates back to the 17th century.

The Origins of the Taxispalais

The Palais Fugger Taxis was originally built as a residence for the noble Fugger family, who were influential bankers and merchants in Europe. The palace was later acquired by the Taxis family, who were the imperial postmasters of the Holy Roman Empire. The palace served as their headquarters and postal station until the 19th century.

In 1911, the Tyrolean Trade Association rented the ground floor of the palace for displaying their products, mainly arts and crafts. This was the first time that the palace was used as a public exhibition space. The Tyrolean artists, who had few opportunities to showcase their work at the time, also took advantage of the palace to present their art to a wider audience. The exhibition venue was named Taxishof, meaning the courtyard of the Taxis.

The Taxishof hosted several individual and group shows of local and national artists from 1913 to 1939. The exhibitions were documented by newspaper articles and catalogues. During the Second World War, the palace was occupied by the French forces, who used it as a library and a documentation center. After the war, the palace was returned to the Austrian authorities, who converted the library into a youth library and used the rest of the space for offices and shops.

The Birth of the Taxispalais Gallery

In 1963, the Austrian government decided to allocate the ground floor of the palace to the cultural department of the Tyrolean state government. The space was intended to be used in collaboration with the Tiroler Künstlerschaft, an association of Tyrolean artists, for exhibition purposes. In 1964, two rooms of the palace were merged to create a larger gallery area for the first time. The gallery was inaugurated with an exhibition of the designs and models for the new Tyrolean State Theater.

The Taxispalais gallery was founded in 1964 by four prominent Tyrolean artists: Paul Flora, Wilfried Kirschl, Oswald Oberhuber, and Magdalena Hörmann. They envisioned the gallery as an information center with a national program, which would introduce the latest trends and developments in the art world to the Tyrolean public. The gallery was managed by a board of trustees, composed of artists, critics, and curators, until 1998. Each member of the board was allowed to propose exhibition ideas, resulting in a diverse and dynamic program at the Taxispalais. The gallery hosted the first Gerhard Richter exhibition in Austria in 1973, among many other notable shows.

The Transformation of the Taxispalais Kunsthalle Tirol

In 1998, the Taxispalais gallery underwent a major renovation, which expanded and modernized the exhibition space. The renovation also marked a change in the organizational and conceptual structure of the gallery. The board of trustees was replaced by a director position, and the program was focused on contemporary art. The gallery aimed to present cutting-edge and experimental art from Austria and abroad, as well as to foster dialogue and exchange among artists, curators, and audiences.

The first director of the Taxispalais gallery was Silvia Eiblmayr, who held the position from 1999 to 2008. She concentrated on Eastern European art, gender issues, and conceptual approaches. She was succeeded by Beate Ermacora in 2009, who had interests in monographic exhibitions of internationally and nationally renowned artists, as well as young and emerging artists in group exhibitions related to social and art historical topics. Ermacora became ill in 2016 and passed away later that year. The director position was re-advertised, and Jürgen Tabor served as the interim manager of the gallery until the vacancy was filled.

Nina Tabassomi took over as the director of the Taxispalais gallery on January 1, 2017. Her main interests are postcolonial and feminist perspectives. She also advocated for the renaming of the gallery in the Taxispalais, arguing that the term Kunsthalle was more suitable for the non-profit institution than Galerie. The Tyrolean state government agreed to her request, and the Taxispalais was officially renamed as the Taxispalais Kunsthalle Tirol by a government order on April 25, 2017.

The Taxispalais Kunsthalle Tirol Today

The Taxispalais Kunsthalle Tirol is one of the most prestigious and influential art institutions in Tyrol and Austria. It is the official institution for contemporary art in the state of Tyrol and is funded by the Tyrolean state government and the city of Innsbruck. The Taxispalais Kunsthalle Tirol organizes three to four temporary exhibitions every year, featuring local, national, and international artists from various disciplines and backgrounds. The exhibitions are accompanied by a rich program of events, such as lectures, workshops, guided tours, and publications. The Taxispalais Kunsthalle Tirol also collaborates with other cultural institutions and initiatives, both within and outside Tyrol, to create networks and partnerships in the art scene.

The Taxispalais Kunsthalle Tirol is not only a place for displaying and appreciating art, but also a place for learning and engaging with art. The Taxispalais Kunsthalle Tirol offers educational programs for children, teenagers, adults, and seniors, as well as for schools and groups. The programs aim to stimulate curiosity and creativity, as well as to foster critical thinking and dialogue. The Taxispalais Kunsthalle Tirol also hosts residencies and grants for artists and curators, as well as awards and competitions for young and emerging artists.

Innsbruck, Austria