Perceptions of the Belvedere (2024) is a short film that examines how the spaces of the Belvedere Museum are experienced and perceived by individuals from marginalized communities in Vienna, Austria. The film was created during my time as a Kultur Gemma Fellow at Belvedere 21. Since Empress Maria Theresa opened the Belvedere Palace’s gallery to the public in 1781, the museum has played a key role as a public art institution. The film presses the necessity for institutions like the Belvedere to engage in conversations around diversity, equity, inclusion, anti-racism, and decolonization, and to change their structures accordingly.

The film asks the question: Who has the right to the museum? Using the Belvedere as both a historical and contemporary site, it explores how institutional spaces can reflect, reinforce, or challenge social hierarchies. Perceptions of the Belvedere has been screened as part of the exhibition Moving Spaces at SOHO Studios.

If you are interested in screening or watching the film, please reach out to me directly: taylakmyree@gmail.com

Credits:

Camera Work by Susana Ojeda

Editing and Production by Tayla Myree