摘要：In September 2003 a large crowd gathered along the banks of the Mur river in the Austrian city of Graz to witness the opening of the city’s new contemporary art centre. Much like the opening of other large cultural institutions, the city threw a lavish ‘Open House Party’ to greet its newest occupant; creating a carnival-like atmosphere in the area surrounding the building. The scheduling of this opening party had been carefully planned by the cities authorities, as it represented the pinnacle of Graz’s year-long ‘European Capital of Culture’ celebrations; a year-long cultural festival that had immersed the city and its inhabitants in a mixture of lights, colour, music and spectacle.
