Åndas

Åndas is a beer brewed in the Salzkammergut that transforms local tradition into a site of cultural exchange. Made with regional ingredients and flavors inspired by West Africa, the beer brings together distinct culinary lineages to produce a shared, hybrid taste.

Presented through billboards across the Salzkammergut, the project features young Austrians of African descent wearing dirndls and lederhosen—an unexpected and striking image within this region. These representations expand questions of visibility, belonging, and identity, challenging conventional notions of who is seen as part of Austrian cultural heritage.

The project extends into the short film Der Zeit ihr Kleid. Dem Kleid seine Freiheit, conceived in the visual language of a television commercial but presented here as video art. Close-up views of traditional garments reveal intricate stitching, patterns, and textures, with the camera moving across fabric as if traversing a landscape. As the frame slowly widens, dark-skinned bodies come into view. Set to an Afrobeat soundtrack and referencing attire from Altaussee, the film bridges past and present, continuity and transformation.