Exhibition coming soon: MENTAL LOAD

Mar 7
3 min read

Updated: Mar 17

Waste Art Mistkübel — Poster: Artworks by Markus Moser, Robert Cambrinus

SAVE THE DATE

"MENTAL LOAD" Invisible Work: A Contemporary Art Exhibition in Austria & Italy

From May 6 to May 16, 2026, the town of Bad Ischl in Austria will host the exhibition “MENTAL LOAD – Invisible Work.”

Presented across three cultural venues in Bad Ischl — Trinkhalle Bad Ischl, Sudhaus Bad Ischl and Galerie Am Fluss Bad Ischl, and furthermore at an international venue, the Palazzo Mora, at the ECC Venice Biennial 2026 — the exhibition brings together international artists exploring one of the most pervasive yet often overlooked aspects of everyday life.

Through a wide range of artistic approaches, the exhibition examines the invisible responsibilities that shape how individuals organize, care, plan, and maintain the structures of daily life.

An International Artistic Dialogue

The works presented in the exhibition were selected through an international open call that invited artists from all disciplines to submit projects engaging with the themes of mental load and invisible work. The response was remarkable, with submissions from across the contemporary art landscape.

On January 19, 2026, a jury consisting of Daniela Auerbach, Ruth Mateus-Berr, Anita Kern, Christina Carli, Tanja Prušnik, Jakob Reitinger, and Günther Oberhollenzer selected 34 works that offer diverse perspectives on the topic.

The resulting exhibition brings together artistic voices that transform abstract social experiences into visual, spatial, and conceptual forms.

Making the Invisible Visible

The concept of mental load refers to the often unseen responsibility of organizing and managing the countless details that allow everyday life to function. Planning schedules, remembering obligations, coordinating care, and maintaining relationships all require continuous cognitive and emotional effort.

Despite being essential, this form of work frequently remains unrecognized, unseen, and unpaid. It disproportionately affects women and marginalized groups, highlighting broader questions about social structures, labor distribution, and recognition.

The exhibition asks important questions:

How does the invisible burden of organizing and caring shape our lives and relationships?
Which stories remain untold within the routines of everyday life?
How can artistic practices make hidden labor visible?

Through installations, visual works, and interdisciplinary projects, artists translate these questions into tangible experiences that invite reflection and discussion.

Four Venues, One Theme

By spreading the exhibition across three locations in Bad Ischl and one location in Venice, Italy as part of the ECC Biennial, visitors are encouraged to explore the city while encountering different artistic interpretations of the theme.

Trinkhalle Bad Ischl
Sudhaus Bad Ischl
Galerie Am Fluss Bad Ischl
Palazzo Mora, Venice, Italy (ECC Biennial)

Each venue offers its own atmosphere and spatial context, creating a multi-layered exhibition experience that unfolds across the town.

Opening a Space for Reflection and Dialogue

Beyond presenting artworks, “MENTAL LOAD – Invisible Work” aims to raise awareness and foster conversation. By bringing invisible forms of labor into public view, the exhibition creates space for dialogue about care, responsibility, and the structures that shape our daily lives.

In a time when the boundaries between work, home, and emotional labor are increasingly blurred, this exhibition invites visitors to pause and reflect on the unseen efforts that sustain individuals, families, and communities.

Exhibition: MENTAL LOAD – Invisible Work

Dates: May 6–16, 2026

Location: Bad Ischl, Austria and at Palazzo Mora, ECC Venice Biennial 2026, Italy

Venues: Trinkhalle Bad Ischl · Sudhaus Bad Ischl · Galerie Am Fluss Bad Ischl · Palazzo Mora, Venice, Italy