MQ Anniversary Campaign
Elfie Semotan x Beda Achermann
To mark the “25 Years of MQ” anniversary, renowned Austrian photographer Elfie Semotan is portraying 25 individuals whose stories, perspectives, and influence are closely intertwined with the development, revitalization, and programming of the MuseumsQuartier. The MQ anniversary campaign, which has been artistically expanded by Swiss creative director Beda Achermann, will be on display across Vienna’s urban landscape starting in April 2026 and in the Oval Hall of the MQ from April 24 to 26. A campaign publication—the magazine “Generation MQ”—will be released to accompany the campaign.
With this campaign, the MQ puts the “MQ Generation” in the spotlight, highlighting the ongoing, open narrative of a community of people who view the MQ itself as a living work of art. The 25 individuals—ranging from the architects Ortner & Ortner to cultural policy pioneers such as Ursula Pasterk, to artists like Doris Uhlich, Heimo Zobernig, and Anna Jermolaewa, as well as directors of art and cultural institutions—exemplify the diversity and multitude of these voices.
"Generation MQ" Portrait Series
Through Semotan’s visual language, the individual attitudes of those portrayed and their personal connection to the MQ become apparent. The MQ reveals itself as a shared space for creativity and life. Beda Achermann’s graphic design continues this narrative by staging the memories shared by the protagonists—sometimes private, sometimes drawn from a professional context. Always evoking that place where stories, encounters, and thoughts have been accumulating for 25 years. Achermann also expands upon the photographs with works from the Leopold Museum and the mumok.
The exhibition is complemented by the Enzi, the MQ’s iconic seating, which serves both as a consistent stylistic element and subtly carries forward the cultural heritage: with every Enzi that finds its way out into the world, a piece of the MuseumsQuartier is carried along with it. Always positioned differently, the Enzi also serves as an architectural element, sometimes staged as a bench, a desk, or even a soccer goal. In this way, the Enzi once again underscores its cult status.
This paints a picture of a community—the “MQ Generation”—that embodies the diversity of voices which have shaped and enlivened this arts and culture district, transforming it into a gathering place and a space for reflection. It is defined by a shared mindset: openness, curiosity, optimism, and a desire for creative dialogue.
"Generation MQ" Magazine
To accompany the anniversary campaign, the publication “Generation MQ” is being released. Designed by Beda Achermann / Studio Achermann, the magazine brings together all 25 portraits by Elfie Semotan and features numerous anecdotes and memories of the MQ.
The anniversary campaign will be on display across Vienna starting in April. The complete series, featuring all 25 protagonists, will be presented in the Ovalhalle at the MuseumsQuartier from April 24 to 26.
