The Käppl Collection: Artworks, Catalogs, and Artists' Signatures

04.09. – 19.10.2025 | eSeL Rezeption | MQ Schauräume
Free entry

Opening: Wed 03.09.2025, 18h

The following openings and events will take place on 03.09 as well:
MQ Artist-in-Residence Šimon Chovan: Leeching States | MQ Pop-Up Schauraum, MQ Schauräume

Stefan Voglsinger & Jakob Schauer: Endless Body | ASIFAKEIL, MQ Schauräume

Martin Markeli: Open Atelier | THE STASH beyond collectables, MQ Schauräume

MQ Tunes: Multitudes | MQ Summer Stage

Juliana Herrero: — U – Turn [I] | monochrom, MQ Schauräme

“Are you the one who gets everything signed?” (Friedl Kubelka) 
“He has the largest collection of signed artists' books and invitation cards—incredible!” (Ursula Krinzinger)
“...the one with the books!” (VALIE EXPORT)
“He knows what he wants” (Hermann Nitsch)
“He has everything!” (Hubert Schmalix)

Dr. Volkmar Käppl (born 1961) is a fixture on the Viennese art scene—and at the same time probably its best-known unknown. He is present at almost all openings and art events: always politely reserved, but tirelessly pursuing his specific goal of having invitation cards, art books, and catalogs signed personally. Over decades, he has built up an extraordinary collection.

The foundation of the Käppl Collection consists of tens of thousands of invitation cards, around 40,000 of which are signed – a comprehensive historical document of recent art history. In addition, there are over 20,000 catalogs and artist books (most of which are signed, around 5,000 of which are specially designed with drawings by the artists). They bring together the most important positions in Austrian art history and also serve as a reference work for the meticulous collector.
However, the “tip of the pyramid” is formed by thousands of works of art: from paintings, watercolors, drawings, and prints to sculptures, Volkmar Käppl condenses his individual observations of all art practices and actors into his personal art canon. The “Käppl Collection” is characterized by its remarkable density. Its focus is on Austrian art after 1945, but it equally encompasses well-known positions as well as lesser-known artists whose quality is sometimes underappreciated in the official art canon.

At the eSeL Rezeption, Volkmar Käppl is presenting a fraction of his collection to the public for the first time. Selected works, varying in style and approach, are complemented by drawings from artists' books and selected invitation cards, each signed on the picture side. Along the three display walls, a deeply subjective first presentation of the collection—and its collector—is created. At the same time, the view of Volkmar Käppl's individual art canon allows for a broader view of aspects and actors beyond conventional role models in the art world. Accordingly, eSeL is delighted to contribute to the “Käppl Collection” with his photographic portrait of Volkmar Käppl. The collector's portrait, created in the course of preparations for the exhibition, will also be shown in the exhibition and – in keeping with Käppl and eSeL's shared preference for all forms and formats circulating in the art world – will serve as the motif for the invitation card.

Further information:
www.esel.at
www.mqw.at

* For conservation reasons, drawings from the artists' books are presented as reproductions. The selected artworks and numerous signed invitation cards can be viewed in their original form.