Chromotopia Austria: Light, Freedom, and Democracy

Lichtblicke Österreichs — Chromotopia Austria (Austria’s Rays of Hope – Chromotopia Austria) is a large-scale light art installation by renowned artist Victoria Coeln set up at the Neue Burg (New Castle) and on Heldenplatz (Heroes’ Square) in Vienna, Austria. The work commemorates three decisive years that shaped Austria’s path to democracy and the European community: 1945 (Second Republic), 1955 (State Treaty), and 1995 (EU membership). Created using etched Rosco Permacolor Dichroic Glass Filters and Custom Gobos, Chromotopia light intervention transforms historic landmarks into a monumental artwork of remembrance, cultural memory, and democracy. 

The broken chains (left), the balcony of the Belvedere (centre), and the European stars (right) form part of a light and shadow grid projected across the Neue Burg. 

The Neue Burg at Heldenplatz is the newest wing of Vienna’s Hofburg Palace, situated in the political heart of Austria. The installation envelops the building façade in grids of light and shadow, embedding imagery that invites reflection on freedom, sovereignty, and Europe. Central to the installation are three powerful symbols:

1945 – The Broken Chains

On the left side of the Neue Burg, the broken chains — featured on Austria’s coat of arms — symbolise the end of World War II and liberation from National Socialism. They mark the collapse of dictatorship and war, and the beginning of freedom and democracy: the birth of Austria’s Second Republic.

1955 – The Balcony of the Upper Belvedere

In Chromotopia Austria, Coeln weaves Austria’s historic spaces together through light. She photographed the Upper Belvedere balcony — a symbol of freedom since the 1955 State Treaty — in a precise grid of light, then projected the image to cover the centre of the Neue Burg, a site tied to authoritarian history. This projection becomes a palimpsest where past and present coexist: the bright Belvedere balcony overwrites the dark Neue Burg balcony, uniting both places into one. This image represents the end of the occupation and Austria’s regained sovereignty.

 1995 – The Twelve Stars of the European Union 

On the right side of the Neue Burg, twelve stars represent 1995, the year Austria joined the EU. They symbolise Austria’s integration into a shared European project of peace, values, and prosperity, as well as its commitment to a common future within a supranational community.

 Light graphics: Victoria Coeln and Francesca Centonze. Diachrome Vienna 2025 

The light art installation runs until 12 January  2026 — if you’re in the area, don’t miss the opportunity to experience this compelling dialogue of history, identity, culture and democracy.

To learn more about Lichtblicke Österreichs — Chromotopia Austria, visit wienerlichtblicke.at. You can explore Victoria Coeln’s unique work at coeln.at and on Instagram @victoriacoeln. 

For more information about the products Victoria Coeln used to create her Chromotopia Austria light art installation, visit the Permacolor and Gobos product pages on the Rosco website.

Photo credits: Victoria Coeln | Lichtblicke Österreichs — Chromotopia Austria | Photo: H. Prochart