Opening of MAK's new Permanent Collection of Textiles and Carpets

On 24 March 2026, the Museum of Applied Arts (MAK) in Vienna presented a new installation of its Permanent Collection of Textiles and Carpets.

Jozan Magazine attended the press preview in the morning and spoke briefly with MAK general director Lilli Hollein and later viewed the exhibition together with curator Lara Steinhäußer. The official opening took place in the evening.

IMG 4165 valgt — MAK Director Lilli Hollein speaking during the pressconference at 10.00. On the left the curator Lara Steinhäußer and on the right Simone Farresin from Formafantasma.

The collection spans from late antiquity to the present and the highlight of the exhibition is a silk Mamluk carpet from the 16th century. In the previous display, carpets were largely presented on their own. In the new installation, they are shown together with other textiles, allowing for direct comparison of materials, techniques, and design.

In the front: Silk Mamluk carpet, Cairo, 1st quarter 16th c. © Marco Cappelletti e Giuseppe Miotto

The new installation was developed in collaboration with the design studio Formafantasma. The presentation moves away from a strictly object-based display toward a more structured arrangement, where works are grouped by theme and relationship. Hollein pointed to the collaboration as a key factor in the result: “They have a deep interest in heritage, in knowledge, and in the stories behind objects. That made them the right partner for this project.”

The curator Lara Steinhäußer points out details in the impressive Mamluk carpet

Large carpets are now shown alongside smaller textile fragments, making it possible to see connections between pattern, structure, and use across different types of objects.

Detail: Tapestry fragment depicting a banquet of “wild men” and the siege of a Castle of Love, Strasbourg, c. 1420 © Marco Cappelletti e Giuseppe Miotto

5 Millefleurs Nischenteppich — Detail: Tapestry fragment depicting a banquet of “wild men” and the siege of a Castle of Love, Strasbourg, c. 1420 © Marco Cappelletti e Giuseppe Miotto

Textiles require low light levels and careful handling, and the gallery has been adapted to a darker and more controlled environment. As Hollein noted, the space itself had to be reworked to function for textile display: “The room was a challenge, but it now works for what textiles require.”

The installation accommodates objects of very different sizes, from small fragments to large carpets, which affects both layout and viewing conditions.

Official opening in the evening

The official opening took place at 19.00 where MAK’s general director Lilli Hollein welcomed the visitors and Alice Rawsthorn, design critic and author, held the keynote speech.