iWien MuseumWieden
People with Down syndrome tell their own stories about everyday life, school and work, friendships, hobbies and dreams.
At the entrance, trisomy 21 is drawn as three socks. The wall text beside it, in easy German, puts it plainly: every chromosome comes in twos, except the 21st, which comes in threes. Then workshop participants explain it themselves, on camera, for co-curator and photographer Philipp Horak.
The show fills the museum's Community Gallery and was made together with people with Down syndrome. It runs in four chapters: education, work, housing and leisure. In the work chapter you watch Franziska at the konzept:greisslerei, Florian on reception at SK Rapid's training centre, Flora at Ikea and Holly at a Montessori school. The museum promises no clichés, no pity and no sugar-coating, and the wall texts say what is still missing, such as long waiting lists for supported housing.
It is small, colourful and multimedia, and entry is free. The museum stays open until 21:00 on Thursdays. The community talks with participants are booked out, but a talk on what comes next runs on 19 January at 18:30 (registration needed).
The three socks
Look for trisomy 21 drawn as three socks at the start of the show; the museum shop sells a real textile version.
The work films
Videos follow Franziska at the konzept:greisslerei, Florian on reception at the SK Rapid training centre, Flora at Ikea and Holly at an inclusive Montessori school.
The parents' audio station
In the education chapter, parents describe the hurdles of getting a child with Down syndrome through Austria's kindergartens and schools.