Am Sonntag, 21st of June 2020

Passauer Neue Presse, 22nd of June 2020

Passauer Neue Presse, 20th of June 2020

A SENSATIONAL NEW MUSEUM

SCHÜTZ FINE ART

A PRIVATE MUSEUM BY JOSEF & IRENE SCHÜTZ, PROJECTED IN ENGELHARTSZELL, PROMOTES CULTURE AND REPRESENTS AN IMPORTANT IMPULSE FOR THE ECONOMY, CLIMATE PROTECTION AND TOURISM IN UPPER AUSTRIA

VIENNA / BEIJING / ENGELHARTSZELL

Did you know where the young Empress Elisabeth was first solemnly received and revered in Austria, long before she met the regent of the Habsburg Monarchy Franz-Joseph? No? The answer to this (admittedly difficult) question is "Engelhartszell", in Upper Austria. Today, this enchanting village made it into the news again, because of the private museum that is opening its doors in town. There, precious exhibits - including the ornate piano of the abovementioned Sissi - will be made publicly accessible in a modern light-flooded exhibition space.

INTERNATIONAL ART IN DIALOGUE WITH THE REGION
Upper Austria, which is famous for its unspoiled nature, rich heritage, and as a center for innovation, industry, and education, will be soon enriched with yet another facet. In the picturesque proximities of the Marktgemeinde Engelhartszell on the Danube, the art expert and curator Josef Schütz plans to create a new attraction in close cooperation with its community:
a museum which will present international art in dialogue with Upper Austria. This institution will be outstanding from multiple perspectives. The positioning is programmatic in itself. The museum has been planned as a solitaire piece in nature, surrounded by trees, water, air, and light. The metaphorical dialogue between the new landmark and its historical counterpart - Engelszell Monastery - will thus constitute a gripping visual juxtaposition. Together with the monastery, the modern cube will also serve as a lighthouse in the truest sense of the word, being visible both from the river and the surrounding heights.

A KALEIDOSCOPE OF SENSORY ARTISTIC ENJOYMENT
In Engelhartszell the visitors will admire excellent exhibits by the masters of Classical Modernism, contemporary artists, an extraordinary collection of musical instruments, scores, furniture, and various other rarities. The Museum is built around the "Irene and Josef Schütz Privatsammlung", a collection comprising several hundred exquisite pieces. Through this project, Professor Schütz plans to showcase and illustrate art and culture, inviting art lovers from all over the world to his home region. In contrast to usual practices, the divulgation of art in this institution won't be passive. At least three special exhibitions each year will supplement the permanent exhibition. Those will deliberately focus on ever different themes, granting the visitor a dynamic and multidimensional offer. Moreover, international contemporary artists will be invited to live in Engelhartszell for one month periods. Within the framework of the project "artist in residence", they are going to be guests of this fresh institution, transparently creating public art in a private studio. This is the continuation of the transcontinental dialogue that Josef Schütz has proactively pursued since the foundation of the "Chinese-Austrian-Academy of Fine Arts" in 2013.

INTERNATIONAL ACCLAIMED COLLECTION
The "Irene und Josef Schütz Privatsammlung" will constitute the foundation of the permanent exhibition, which will be open to the public throughout the year. This collection encompasses numerous exhibits ranging from the 19th century to Art Nouveau and Classical Modernism, from avant-garde and expressionism to contemporary art, produced by some of the brightest stars of the artistic firmament, such as Klimt, Schiele, Kokoschka, Waldmüller, Schindler, Wisinger-Florian, Moll, Eisenschitz, Moser, Dobrowsky, Walde, Egger-Lienz, Pauser, Kubin, Oppenheimer, Kolig, Hundertwasser, Blau, von Zülow, Boeckl, and Birkle. These pieces are highly regarded as world-class examples of trendsetting art and have already been showcased on the international stage, attracting the attention of experts and art lovers alike. For instance, the retrospective "Austrian Art 1860 -1960" was shown in the four largest museums of the People's Republic of China and has been admired by five million visitors. Furthermore, the Ministry of Culture awarded it the State Prize and the City of Beijing gave it the Creativity Prize. In addition to the permanent collection, special exhibitions will enrich the offer with rarities by international collectors and artists' estates. Guest performances by contemporary artists will also be crucial: an apartment and studio for selected artists are being planned in the Baroque town center. Austria's Parade-Kultur-Export completes the artistic offer: the "Sound Worlds from Mozart to Johann Strauss" invites to a virtual but virtuoso insight into the life of the artists. One can then relax in the comfortable interior behind the glass facade or on the terrace of the café, admiring the charming location: power and energy in an oasis of artistic enjoyment.

ZERO ENERGY MUSEUM
A further aspect should be noticed: the Schütz Museum in Engelhartszell will be the first "net-zero" energy museum in the world. The museum will be a sensation alone for its futuristic and sustainable design, materiality, and flexibility. Thus, a photovoltaic system with a water heat pump will provide the total energy need of the three-story building. The museum will be also energetically charged in a symbolic way: the edifice has been designed according to the Asian principles of Feng Shui. The Tai Ji (an open staircase) will serve both as the functional center of the house and as the center of gravity, collecting its essence in the core - representing openness and clarity. Openness and clarity will be also reflected through the internationality of the collection exhibited and the regular presence of established artists and young talents as part of the "artists in residence" program. Being situated directly on the picturesque Danube promenade, the "Schütz-Museum" will gently bring new life to the placid Engelhartszell. The modern institution, together with the Monastery as its historical-traditional counterpart, will bring new light to the region. Even if saying so might sound ambitious, Engelhartszell will attract the attention it deserves in the international cultural scene. Better said, Engelhartszell will end up in the calendar of every aesthete seeking for an authentic cultural experience.

INNSIDE/28th Year/Edition 8/October 2019

LI HUAS INTELLECTUAL ART

SIGNING CEREMONY

Beijing, April 8, 2018

between director Deng (Chongqing Art Museum) and Prof. Josef Schütz concerning the exhibition "Li Huas intellectual art in the context of naive African folk art" in the presence of members of the Austrian Federal Government.