Versuchsfeld1+2
Anita Fuchs
Since March 2023, artist Anita Fuchs has been working on a long-term artistic project on the MQ forecourt, as part of an invitation from the MQ, that explores nature in both urban and rural areas.
The 250-square-meter “Test Field 1” was originally a non-ecological turf lawn, which was removed as part of artistic and scientific research. Since then, the field has developed into a biodiverse wildflower meadow. Since then, the development of the wildflower meadow has been accompanied by workshops, discussion events, and artistic interventions and installations. In March 2026, a directly adjacent area was established as “Test Field 2” and seeded with wildflower seeds collected by hand from the Vienna area.
“When the meadow blooms in May and June, it feels like a piece of unspoiled nature in the midst of all this urbanity. It evokes memories—of plants and scents.”
“A flowering meadow is not only an aesthetic delight for us humans, but also creates valuable habitat for insects. Within a very short time, the meadow created by Anita Fuchs became home to numerous species. While flying insects such as honeybees, wild bees, and flies were among the first visitors to benefit from the abundance of nectar and pollen on offer, a small ecosystem has since established itself. Compared to the adjacent mowed meadows, where insects can find hardly any food or habitat, this area is home to a much greater diversity of species. Insects and arachnids are an important part of our ecosystem, and a healthy ecosystem is the foundation of our own well-being.”
Seed mixture at Test Field 1
Achillea millefolium - Common yarrow / Agrostemma githago - Corn cockle / Anthemis arvensis - Corn chamomile / Anthemis tinctoria - Golden marguerite / Anthoxanthum odoratum - Sweet vernal grass / Anthyllis vulneraria - Common kidney vetch / Betonica officinalis - Common hedgenettle / Briza media - Quaking grass / Buphthalmum salicifolium - Ox-eye / Campanula patula - Spreading bellflower / Carum carvi – Caraway / Centaurea jacea - Brown knapweed / Centaurea scabiosa - Greater knapweed / Cichorium intybus - Common chicory / Crepis biennis - Rough hawksbeard / Cynosurus cristatus - Crested dog’s-tail / Daucus carota - Wild carrot / Dianthus carthusianorum - Carthusian pink / Dianthus deltoides - Maiden pink / Dipsacus follunum - Wild teasel / Echium vulgare - Viper’s bugloss / Festuca rupicola - Furrowed fescue / Galium album - White bedstraw / Galium verum - Lady’s bedstraw / Geum urbanum - Wood avens / Heracleum sphondylium – Hogweed / Hypericum perforatum - St. John’s wort / Knautia arvensis - Field scabious / Leontodon hispidus - Bristly hawkbit / Leucanthemum vulgare - Ox-eye daisy / Lychnis flos-cuculi - Ragged-robin / Lycnis viscaria - Clammy campion / Malva moschata - Musk mallow / Matricaria chamomilla – Chamomile / Medicago falcata - Sickle alfalfa / Myosotis arvensis - Field forget-me-not / Onobrychis viciifolia - Common sainfoin / Pastinaca sativa – Parsnip / Petrorhagia saxifraga - Tunic flower / Plantago lanceolata - Ribwort plantain / Plantago media - Hoary plantain / Prunella grandiflora - Large-flowered selfheal / Prunelle vulgaris - Common selfheal / Salvia pratensis - Meadow clary / Sanguisorba minor - Salad burnet / Scabiosa columbaria - Small scabious / Silene dioica - Red campion / Silene vulgaris - Bladder campion / Stellaria graminea - Common starwort / Tragopogon pratensis ssp. orientalis - Meadow salsify / Verbascum chaixii -Nettle-leaved mullein
MQ Showroom
In one of the MQ showrooms (entrance across the street), the artist has set up the “Field Station,” where she documents the process using objects, videos, photographs, and texts.
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