BLESS in Vienna
Phileas, Opernring 17, 1010 Vienna
Opening 15 May, 7pm
Opening in May 2025, Phileas will present a site-specific intervention by the duo BLESS. Ines Kaag and Desiree Heiss, who describe themselves as situational designers, have been working together on transdisciplinary projects since 1997, merging fashion, art, design, architecture, business and social practice. Their interventions typically respond to specific locations and situations, as they create products that not only furnish and comment on our daily lives but also offer alternative options to rethink our approach to life and work, both mentally and physically.
The situational design developed for Phileas engages with the organization’s role as a mediator and reimagines the space as a place for encounter and exchange. Through interventions in the office environment and its furnishings, the concept of proximity is taken literally. It explores how much closeness is possible without overstepping the boundaries of personal comfort. The title refers to the Sozius—the passenger seated behind the driver—who looks over the driver’s shoulder and occupies a nuanced position between observation and participation, between being a spectator and a fellow traveller.
In 2022, Phileas supported the project A Year with… BLESS N° 72 BLESSlet at KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin.
Opening hours at Opernring 17, Vienna
Tuesday - Friday 11am - 5pm
Saturday 11am - 3pm
& by appointment
