How do we perceive ourselves through nature? What can landscapes, water, light, changing seasons and living ecosystems reveal about us — and how do we, in turn, reflect them?

From 12 to 18 October 2026, the international exhibition “A Human Through the Prism of Nature / Der Mensch im Spiegel der Natur” will bring together five artists from Ukraine, Austria, Slovakia, France and Japan at the Setagaya Park Pavilion in Vienna.

The project approaches nature not merely as the environment surrounding us, but as a mirror through which we can reconsider the human body, vulnerability, transformation and the cycles of life.

The exhibition brings together a variety of artistic media and practices, including photography, installation, textile art, painting, poetry and live performance.

Featuring:

Kristina Viera Wolf (SK/FR/AT)
Alina Araslanova (UA/AT)
Maria Pylypenko (UA/AT)
Manami Okazaki (JP/AT)
Lina Solovei (UA/AT)

The exhibition is curated by Yana Gryniv, with project management by Olena Dvoretska.

The location itself is an integral part of the concept. “A Human Through the Prism of Nature” takes contemporary art beyond the conventional gallery environment and into a public park.

The works will be presented in the traditional Japanese tea house in Setagaya Park, allowing visitors to encounter contemporary art in direct proximity to trees, plants, changing natural light and Vienna’s autumn landscape. Nature therefore becomes more than a backdrop: it becomes an active part of the exhibition experience.

The exhibition is organised by Art Contact Ukraine and supported by Döbling, Vienna. The Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the International Organizations in Vienna is a project partner.

🇺🇦🇦🇹 We are delighted that Ukraine Office Austria, together with the Embassy of Ukraine in the Republic of Austria, joins the initiative as a media partner, helping to strengthen the visibility of contemporary Ukrainian art and international cultural connections in Vienna.

We warmly invite you to experience art in direct dialogue with nature — and perhaps to reconsider both the landscape around us and our own place within it.

The finissage will take place on 18 October at 2:00 PM.