Salzburger Nachrichten, 12. April 2022
German original: https://www.sn.at/kultur/allgemein/fluechtling-und-sammler-stefan-edlis-im-juedischen-museum-wien-119808934
From National Socialist refugee to successful collector of contemporary art: this story will be told by the Jewish Museum of Vienna starting tomorrow, Wednesday [April 13] under the title "An (un)enjoyable Journey: Stefan Edlis' Life according to Him." In addition to memories of the art collector Edlis, the focus is on the figure "Him" by the Italian Maurizio Cattelan: the figure looks like an innocent boy from behind, but from the front you recognize Adolf Hitler. The exhibition is on view until October 2.
In 1941, at the age of 16, Edlis was forced to flee with his mother and siblings from his home in Vienna-Meidling to the USA. But even after their escape, Edlis' life was not a quiet one: he enlisted in the Navy and was deployed to Iwo Jimo, narrowly missing the battle for the Japanese island. He returned to the U.S. after World War II; he initially worked for a tool company before turning to somewhat eccentric hobbies such as drawing, racing, and folk dancing. Upon successfully figuring out how to construct tools out of plastic, he founded the "Apollo Plastics" plastics factory, which made him a fortune.
Later, Edlis collected and supported contemporary art and, together with his wife Gael Neeson, built up a spectacular collection—including provocative works of art, according to a Jewish Museum release. He also shared a special friendship with "Him" creator Cattelan. The figure, of which three pieces were made, will be shown for the first time in Austria as part of the exhibition.
Another Edlis' possession on display is his passport from the National Socialist era. His desire that the document, stamped "J" for Jew, be kept at the Jewish Museum was one of Edlis' last wishes before he died in October 2019 at the age of 94.
Exhibition designer Itai Margula turned Edlis' library into an abstract backdrop in which the story of his expulsion is “told in an impressive manner with reference to his apartment at 138 Schönbrunnerstrasse," according to the release. Cattelan's Hitler sculpture plays an important role: in an Old Viennese window alcove and at the figure's eye level is a passport display case—a reference to a scene from the documentary "The Price of Everything," in which Edlis takes the passport out of a drawer and asks "Him" to apologize to it.
(S E R V I C E - Exhibition "An (Un)Pleasant Journey. Stefan Edlis' Life After Him" from April 13 to October 2 at the Jewish Museum Vienna, Dorotheergasse 11, Vienna 1. Open Sunday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. www.jmw.at)