Stephanie Winter: Creating Spaces for Collective Stories and Transformation

The moment I stepped into Stephanie Winter’s studio, I was struck by the bold collision of colours and shapes. Each piece seemed to carry its own distinct identity and visual code. The studio was a mix of past projects and new experiments, an environment that felt both chaotic and intentional. Over green tea, Stephanie spoke about her creative process, her thoughts flowing between completed works and the worlds she is still shaping. I felt fortunate that Stephanie agreed to meet with me during my visit to Vienna on a July morning.

Stephanie’s studio reflects a duality: one side, messy and lively with projects in progress; the other, clean and organised, ready for exhibitions and meetings. She compares it to “two sides of the brain”—the raw, unpredictable nature of creation balanced by the need for order and presentation. Her art practice mirrors these dynamics. Over the years, Stephany Winter worked in temporary spaces—many demolished or altered— and she was constantly adapting. Like her previous studios, this space is a temporary base and a transient home for on-going projects like MOTHERBOARD and SALON HYBRID, which are always evolving, much like the artist herself.

The Power of Temporary Spaces

Stephanie’s use of temporary spaces began out of necessity after completing her studies, when a lack of a permanent studio pushed her to find new locations for each project. This necessity evolved into an integral part of her creative process. She spent months compiling lists of potential sites, from office buildings to unused industrial spaces, making countless phone calls to secure her next workspace. Eventually, she gained access to a vast, unused building—formerly Austria’s central post office, now the central train station.

This large, factory-like space perfectly aligned with her ambitious vision. With the help of friends, artists, and colleagues, she transformed part of the space into a large-scale hotel setting for a film installation. The project became a turning point, solidifying her desire to work beyond the traditional solitude of a studio, instead embracing temporary spaces and the freedom of collaborative environments.

Collaboration and Inner Transformation

Collaboration is central to Stephanie’s practice. With SALON HYBRID she brings together people from various backgrounds—elders with specialised knowledge, musicians, craftsmen, and non-professional performers—emphasising collective experience over individual performance. SALON HYBRID is an office for performative and experimental matters, with the aim of realising transdisciplinary projects in the fields of performance, theatre and the visual arts. One of her notable projects ICH UND MEINE SUMME took place in Vienna’s third district, in Europe’s first juvenile prison. The immersive performance involved 50 performers and turned the audience into active participants, exploring themes of punishment, darkness, and personal transformation through ritualistic practices that encouraged introspection.

In another project, set in an old key factory, Stephanie created M.I.S.S.— MY INTERNAL SPACE STATION, inviting participants to explore their inner worlds. Visitors entered through an old bar, were given a number, and guided backstage to put on space suits. From there, they navigated surreal environments, from a mechanic’s workshop to a cave inside a mountain—journeys designed for both physical and internal exploration.

MOTHERBOARD and Feminist Narratives

Stephanie Winter’s work draws from feminist science fiction and critiques of male-dominated narratives, such as 2001: A Space Odyssey. The film’s iconic opening scene—where early humans use violence to establish dominance—prompts her to question whether conflict and war are truly at the core of human history. In contrast, Winter gravitates toward narratives that emphasise interconnectedness and collective experience over individual heroism.

This philosophy is at the heart of her MOTHERBOARD project. It is an experimental exhibition space and interactive laboratory located in Vienna, fostering encounters between humans and non-human entities, with a focus on care, activism, and interdisciplinary healing. In the exhibition WILDERNESS ALLIANCES, Winter explored humanity’s relationship with plants and other living beings. The project transformed botanical research into performance art, with a seed shrine and sharing sessions that uncovered the post-colonial histories of various plants, inviting reflection on our shared stories with the natural world. Anthropologist Anna L. Tsing refers to how life and survival could continue in precarious conditions, particularly through the lens of ecology and global capitalism. Tsing’s publication The Mushroom at the End of the World narrates on collaborative survival and it mirrors Winter’s focus on community-building and fostering shared experiences.

In collaboration with curator Nora Mayr, Stephanie also developed RADICAL CARE, a project focusing on themes of motherhood, care work, and planetary care. As a mother herself, she defies the stereotype that women must choose between family and career. Her practice has flourished since the birth of her two children. RADICAL CARE extends caregiving beyond motherhood, holding space for differing perspectives, much like a parent mediating between children. This concept has expanded to encompass ecological care, with a focus on the well-being of both the planet and society.

In her first solo exhibition in Budapest, Tentacular Thinking, curated by Veronika Molnár, Stephanie transformed Liget Gallery into a ritual space, inspired by Donna Haraway’s Staying with the Trouble (2016). Hanging tentacles symbolised the interconnectedness between humans and the Earth, and Winter’s feminist speculative approach encouraged visitors to rethink human history and ecological responsibility. The exhibition also marked the launch of her publication The Psyche of the Earth is a Glowing Pudding, which documents her artistic research and includes conversations with experts and visual records of her performances, installations, and films.

WICKED FUTURES: Imagination as a Tool for Change

Looking ahead, Stephanie’s next major exhibition, WICKED FUTURES, will open at MOTHERBOARD in Vienna on November 6, 2024. This immersive installation brings together artists, experts, and visitors to explore the potential of collective imagination. A focal point of the exhibition is the Board of Imagination, an artistic research tool developed by Stephanie with dramaturgical support from Nora Mayr. Inspired by the therapeutic system board, it allows participants to reflect on current challenges—such as climate change—and collaboratively envision future scenarios. Expanding on the traditional “now,” the Board of Imagination becomes a portal for multiple utopias, encouraging dialogue on our relationship with the Earth.

Creating Spaces for Peace and Responsibility

As we conclude our conversation, Stephanie reflects on the ideas that drive her work. A key element of her practice is transforming audiences from passive observers into active participants, engaging people from all walks of life to create shared, collective experiences. “We live in a time where we can’t wait for others to make decisions. We must take responsibility for transforming spaces and holding space for peace,” she says.

Stephanie Winters considers and ponders on creating art spaces that foster meaningful change. For her, being an activist means actively shaping environments that offer hope and peace. It’s not just about making art for exhibitions—it’s about building spaces for collective learning and emotional processing, where people can come together to create a better future.

It was an inspiring meeting with Stephanie. In just over an hour, she not only shared her artistic journey but also created an atmosphere filled with warmth and genuine care.

BIO: Stephanie Winter

Stephanie Winter, born in 1978 in Salzburg, lives and works in Vienna. She studied Painting and Post-Conceptual Art Practices at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna and the Berlin University of Arts from 2001 to 2007. An artist, director, and curator, Stephanie’s works have been shown at international film festivals and exhibitions, earning multiple awards. Her practice spans artistic research, performance, music, immersive installations, and film. She operates through her performative office SALON HYBRID and the MOTHERBOARD Artspace, which she founded in 2021.

Date of Interview 08.08.2024

Website: Stephanie Winter 
Written by: Anna Kudryashova