Why aren't you laughing? 14 stories about domestic violence

Austrian artist Robert Fleischanderl is realising an art project in public space on the MQ forecourt and along the Burgring. In "Why don't you laugh? 14 Stories about Domestic Violence", Fleischanderl deals with this sensitive and highly topical subject in a penetrating way. Based on the fates of real victims, various aspects of domestic violence are highlighted. Photographic works are presented together with text elements.

The project was initiated by Michaela Egger, then Managing Director of the Lower Austria Violence Protection Centre, and realised in cooperation with the Federal Association of Austrian Violence Protection Centres and the MQ. The exhibition is being shown to mark the "16 days against violence" campaign.

According to Statistics Austria, one in three women* in Austria has already experienced physical or sexualised violence. There were 26 femicides and 41 attempted murders in Austria in 2023. 15,115 bans on entering and approaching women were imposed. - Statistics Austria, press release, 12 943-241/22

For "Why don't you laugh?", 14 female clients allowed Robert Fleischanderl an insight into the files of their experiences of violence and access to their homes. Fleischanderl was inevitably faced with some fundamental questions: How can art talk about violence? How can the dignity, protection and anonymity of those affected be preserved? What can photography depict? What can a blank space tell? How can an art project pursue a social agenda? How political and activist must art be?Special thanks go to the clients of the Violence Protection Centre who agreed to take part in this project.

Pairs of photographs and texts document the various aspects of domestic violence against women and children. The photographs focus on the apartments where these violent crimes took place. They are often crime scenes, yet—with one exception—they are no longer recognizable as such, since all traces of the crimes have been removed. At first glance, the photos therefore appear almost unspectacular and ordinary. However, the texts accompanying each photo—in which Fleischanderl gives a voice to the victims themselves—imbued the images with powerful meaning, making the dynamics of violent relationships visibly apparent in a deeply unsettling way. In addition to quotes from the victims’ court records, medical reports and police reports are also presented, always while preserving the anonymity of those affected. The stories of violence are supplemented by glossary entries on terms related to structural violence. This photographic art project aims to honor the stories of all those affected, making their voices heard and visible. It seeks to raise awareness of the socially highly charged issue of domestic violence and, through an artistic approach, facilitate an accessible and nuanced exploration of the topic. Special thanks go to the clients of the Violence Protection Center who agreed to participate in this project.

Installation at MQ Forecort, Heldenplatz and Burgring.

The artist and photographer Robert Fleischanderl was born in Tyrol in 1967. His projects often operate at the interface between art and socio-political issues such as cultural identity, ageing, the Holocaust and hereditary illness. His work has been published internationally and has received a number of awards, including the Austrian State Scholarship for Artistic Photography.