What's the money for? Austria's most expensive work of art

A razor-sharp analysis of the mechanisms of the art market and the value of artistic work

Date26.09.2026
Time14:00 – 15:00
VenueSt. Bartlmä / Halle 5
Fö N_talksTalk

What the Money Is For II—Richard Schwarz (islandrabe)

1.8 × 2.3 × 0.04 cm. That’s all there is to it.

On display is a price tag bearing the retail price of the artwork itself. The piece was created by Tyrolean artist Richard Schwarz as part of his body of work under the label islandrabe.

The purchase by Kunstgenuss GesbR in January 2026 confirmed this price—and placed it in a context that raises questions: What determines the value of art? And what happens when that value refers to itself?

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Richard Schwarz

, born March 1, 1984, in Wörgl, Austria.

Studied European Ethnology at the University of Innsbruck, 2003–2011

Studied Art and Science at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna, 2009–2011

Works in the genres of conceptual art and cultural studies.

Lives and works in Kufstein, Tyrol.