Bakerhouse Gallery was founded in 2017 by gallerist Klaus Billinger and internationally acclaimed artist Tom Lohner. With the later arrival of art collector Christof Schell and the move into its current premises, a bold idea evolved into one of Austria’s most exciting platforms for Urban and Contemporary Art.
It all began in a 120 m² attic above Edegger, Graz’s historic Imperial and Royal Court Bakery, which dates back more than 450 years. What started as an unconventional setting for contemporary art quickly became a meeting place for artists, collectors, creatives and people who wanted not only to look at art, but to experience it.
Today, Bakerhouse Gallery spans more than 1,200 m² in Graz’s former slaughterhouse district. Its raw industrial architecture provides the setting for large-scale works, photography, sculpture, Urban Art and Contemporary Art – and for exhibitions that deliberately move beyond the traditional white-cube model.
We do not simply curate exhibitions. We create situations in which people can truly encounter art. Our programme brings together emerging artists and established international positions, with a focus on distinctive artistic voices, strong quality and works that carry a story beyond pure decoration.
Our work also extends far beyond the gallery walls. Art Advisory, Private Sales and the international sourcing of artworks are an important part of what we do. Through our network, we can research and source works for collectors even by artists who are not currently represented in our gallery programme or available through our online offering.
A central part of our identity is what we call “The Art of Gathering” – the art of bringing people together. Art can be the starting point for conversations, encounters and relationships that might otherwise never happen. Through exhibition openings, exclusive dinners, cultural salons and special collaborations, we bring together people from the worlds of art, business, media, politics and society. Not as an accessory to the art, but as part of what a gallery can be today.
This philosophy also defines the work of Klaus Billinger. His particular strength lies in connecting artists, collectors, companies, institutions and people from very different worlds, creating projects that go far beyond the format of a conventional exhibition. Many Bakerhouse Gallery collaborations begin with a personal conversation, an unexpected idea or a connection between people who, at first glance, may have little in common. Again and again, these encounters lead to new exhibitions, partnerships and opportunities for both artists and collectors.
For us, a gallery is therefore not simply a place where art is sold. It is a place of discovery, exchange and connection. A place where new collectors can find their very first work and experienced collectors feel equally at home. A place where artists are given space, ideas become reality and art becomes part of life.
This is Bakerhouse Gallery.
