Haus der Völker - Museum of Art and Ethnography

Haus der Völker was set up in 1995 on the initiative of Tirol’s Africa expert and photographer Gert Chesi. Cult objects of animistic religions, which extend to the modern Voodoo movement are the main features of the Africa collection. From the oldest grave finds of the Nok- and Katsina cultures, right the way through to the ritual objects of the Ogboni association are among the exhibits in Haus der Völker, which reveals a representative cross-section of African art on an area covering 1000 m2. The second, smaller section of the museum exhibits Buddhist art from south east Asia.

The magic of Asian and African spirits and Gods, and the kingdom of human creative power materialise in ‘Haus der Völker’, the Museum of Art and Ethnography in Schwaz, which has over 1000 exhibits and regular special exhibits.

The initiator of the museum, Gert Chesi, was born a collector. Even as a child at the age of eight he kept up a small museum in his parent’s shed with natural history objects he found himself. Then when at the age of 19, on a motorbike of the same age, his grandfather’s BMW R5, he spent six months as a travel journalist in Africa, he succumbed to the modern beauty of African art and soon opened up two cultural centres under the name ‘Eremitage’ – a gallery for modern art and a Jazz Club.

However Africa remained a fascinating travel destination for him and it was here that he also got to know Albert Schweitzer, working with him and taking photographs. A year later the quality of these photos was extolled when he made an impact in the notable and sought-after photographer category, and for many years this became his second professional focus. The unaltered number one in his life however was and remains collecting and photography. This enthusiasm was manifest in 1995 with the founding of the museum.

In the ‘Asien Saal’ there are millennia old cultural writings.  This reveals the fine line of free artistic expression, with their fascination in the high level of mastery of handicrafts and in the temporal range of the objects. Some of the exhibits are more than 2000 years old.

‘Das Alte Afrika’ is the fore-father of modern art, from which Europeans also took inspiration. This unique dynamic of unwritten cultures doggedly challenges the artist to find a form for every new proclaimed God, every new ancestral spirit.           

The ‘Voodoo Tempel’ with its objects, which are an expression of a complex and highly mobile religion, are constantly being re-discovered through dreams and trance media and meet with an especially wide-ranging public reaction.

The splendid ‘Egungun Kunst’ masks represent the collective power of forefathers and decedents in ritual dances. Everyday objects, jewellery and weapons are found in the ‘Schatzkammer’.

Every year three special exhibitions, which convey a holistic cultural understanding and provide a bridge between yesterday and today, yet also between the cultures and people of this world, are set up.

Guided tours: every Sunday at 3 p.m. (for groups of 5 or more people) and on request by telephoning Tel.  +43.5242.66090 or e-mail info@hausdervoelker.com

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