Viennacontemporary fair, held September 11–14 in Vienna, featured 97 exhibitors from 24 countries with a strong focus on Eastern Europe. Galleries from Ukraine, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Lithuania, Latvia, Hungary, Croatia, and Austria participated, many expressing solidarity with Ukraine amid the ongoing war. Artist Kateryna Lysovenko, who fled Ukraine three years ago, won the Münze Österreich Prize for her figurative paintings. Sales were slow, with many galleries reporting no or low-price sales by the second day, reflecting Austria's economic downturn. The fair included a Zone1 section for emerging artists curated by Aliaksei Barysionak and a Context section for historical works, including a booth dedicated to Hermann Nitsch.
The fair matters because it underscores the continued centrality of the Ukraine-Russia war to Central and Eastern European cultural life, with exhibitors using the event to amplify voices from the region and resist political pressure. Despite weak sales and a shaky market, the fair's commitment to Eastern European artists highlights Vienna's role as a cultural bridge between East and West. The event also demonstrates how art fairs can serve as platforms for political expression and regional identity, even in challenging economic times.