The Thrill of Ruin - Franziska Maderthaner
There’s a whiff of revolution in the air in France. Fearing the mob, the Art Basel Paris art fair ends early, and the haute volée flees to safety.
A large portion of the art scene has been flirting with far-left and Islamist actors in recent years and is now, ironically, being driven apart by precisely those same groups.
The renowned Austrian painter Franziska Maderthaner foreshadowed this situation as early as 2025 with her painting “Nous allons couler,” which we have been exhibiting in our Frankfurt gallery since October 2.
There’s a whiff of revolution in the air in France. Fearing the mob, the Art Basel Paris art fair ends early, and the haute volée flees to safety. A large portion of the art scene has been flirting with far-left and Islamist actors in recent years and is now, ironically, being driven apart by precisely those same groups.
The renowned Austrian painter Franziska Maderthaner foreshadowed this situation as early as 2025 with her painting “Nous allons couler,” which we have been exhibiting in our Frankfurt gallery since October 2.
The phrase “Nous allons couler” (“We are going to sink”) is attributed to Marie Antoinette, who died under the guillotine in 1793 during the revolutionary terror. The magnificently painted female figure wears a dress in the style that was fashionable at the end of the 18th century. Currently, the phrase is being used in the context of the French immigration debate. It also symbolizes rising sea levels and the climate crisis.
Austrian artist Franziska Maderthaner interweaves representational and abstract painting. She is a master of her medium. She skillfully incorporates references to art history into her paintings. At the same time, she addresses contemporary themes with Baroque opulence and Rococo-style refinement.
After graduating from the Akademisches Gymnasium, Franziska Maderthaner studied art education under Herbert Tasquil at the University of Applied Arts Vienna from 1980 to 1985. She met Joseph Beuys and wrote her thesis on his “Free International University: An Attempt to Objectify the Organ for Social Sculpture by Joseph Beuys.”
From 1985 to 1986, she studied graphic design under Oswald Oberhuber. From June 1984 to March 1985, she served as an assistant to Martin Kippenberger. Franziska Maderthaner has been participating in exhibitions since 1984. After completing her studies, the artist collaborated on various film projects and theatre productions. Since 2000, she has been an associate professor of painting and graphic arts at the University of Applied Arts Vienna. From 2004 to 2006, she served as chair of the IG Bildende Kunst (Association of Visual Artists) in Austria. In 2026, she was elected the new vice president of the Künstlerhaus in Vienna.
We wish you a wonderful, revolutionary weekend!
October 2 until November 21, 2026
Galerie Rothamel Frankfurt am Main
Reuterweg 71, 60323 Frankfurt am Main
+49 177 599 84 45
Mi-Fr 13-18 Uhr
Sa 12-16 Uhr
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