Nervous and Angry. “Filth and Trash” from the collection of the Museum der Moderne Salzburg

The rise of mass culture at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries was accompanied by the fight against “filth and trash” in the popular media. So-called dime novels were deemed “trash,” while allegedly pornographic materials were reviled as “filth.” Acts of violence, and the vice of the big city, monsters and demons are not only preferred contents of these cheaply made publications; but also proven motifs in visual arts. The exhibition brings together paintings and graphics by around 30 artists, including George Grosz, William Hogarth, Alfred Hrdlicka, Oskar Kokoschka, Käthe Kollwitz and Walter Navratil. Obviously many artists found inspiration in the deeds of real-world villains, securing a place in art history for serial killers like the “Werewolf of Hannover” and the “Lonely Hearts Killers.”

The Second Glance is a project of the museum education department and highlights current topics within the exhibition.