Welt Talk: Letters to those who were once here

Artist Talk with Tayla Myree and guests

What does it mean to remember those whose histories have been erased? How do we confront the silences of the archive, and what role can art, collective memory, and community action play in reclaiming forgotten narratives?

In letters to those who were once here (2026), multidisciplinary artist and historian Tayla Myree traces the often-overlooked presence of Black people in Vienna during the 17th and 18th centuries. Through handwritten letters, historical research, and explorations of the city’s public spaces, Myree engages with individuals whose lives have been reduced to fragments within institutional archives. The work challenges dominant narratives of Austrian history while questioning whose stories are preserved, whose are forgotten, and who has the power to determine what is remembered.

This artist talk invites audiences to reflect on the intersections of artistic practice, historical research, and the politics of remembrance. Myree will discuss their approach to working with archival absences, the possibilities and limitations of reconstructing marginalized histories, and the role of artistic interventions in challenging institutional narratives.

The conversation will expand into a panel discussion featuring artists, cultural workers, and community organizers from Vienna’s Black community, who will share their perspectives on memory, representation, belonging, and community action. Moving beyond historical reflection, the discussion will consider how Black communities in Vienna are actively shaping their own narratives, creating spaces for collective remembrance, and challenging structures of exclusion within cultural institutions and public life.

Together, the artist talk and panel ask how remembering the past can become a collective practice of resistance, solidarity, and imagining more inclusive futures.

Die Teilnahme an der Veranstaltung ist frei.