10 November 2024

The difference between the theme of the Wien Museum exhibition 'Winter in Vienna: The Vanishing of a Season' and the accompanying photo competition #LichtundDunkelinWien

Before misunderstandings arise: The image above reflects the theme of the Wien Museum exhibition "Winter in Vienna: The Vanishing of a Season" (November 14, 2024 - March 16, 2025), but does not meet the criteria of capturing a light and dark scenery for the accompanying photo competition #LichtundDunkelinWien.

The image of the Vienna Giant Ferris Wheel reflected in a puddle of water on the street, framed by remnants of snow slush and melted ice, was taken on a cold winter day in Vienna in 2010. Fashion.at found it while searching the magazine's photo archive for a suitable entry for the upcoming photo competition at the Wien Museum entitled LichtundDunkelinWien (Light and Dark in Vienna). Well, the photo doesn't fit the theme of the competition, which is looking for photos that show the beauty and charm of Vienna's winter lighting even "beyond the Christmas markets", as the press release explicitly states. Participants are invited to explore how the city's windows, balconies and gardens light up during the dark season. Submissions using the hashtag #LichtundDunkelinWien with the tag @wienmuseum are possible from the start of the exhibition to December 15, 2024.

Nevertheless, the image fits the theme of the exhibition, to which the competition is merely an addition. Fashion.at is not the only one that does not have classic Viennese winter impressions of recent years in its archive, comparable to the impressions from the past of the once common, beautifully snow-covered streets and sidewalks. Times have changed. Nowadays, Vienna's streets - if snow falls at all - are more likely to be icy, slippery and slushy than covered in a white friendly blanket that crunches nicely underfoot.

The Wien Museum has given this phenomenon the title "Winter in Vienna: The Vanishing of a Season" and has created an exhibition that offers a historical journey through time with documentary photos, artworks and posters, such as those shown in the preview at wienmuseum.at.

According to the press information, Vienna and many other European cities have undergone significant changes due to climate change. Statistics from meteorological records are provided, showing that since 1990, the average January temperature in Vienna has risen from about -1°C to over 1°C, with 10 years in which January temperatures exceeded 15°C. This change has not only affected the appearance of winter, but also the way the city lives and functions during the cold months.

Image: Vienna Giant Ferris Wheel reflected in a puddle of water on the street, framed by remnants of snow slush and melted ice, winter day in Vienna in 2010. Photographed by Fashion.at. Photo: © Fashion.at.