City Life

Illustration & text: Linda Wolfsgruber
City Life
Book design: Christiane Dunkel-Koberg

A completely new part of the city is being built, so young it still seems surreal…Except for the people of all ages and sizes that make the pavement, the facades, and the cranes come alive. We meet them everywhere, sometimes only in passing. But each of them has their own story, complete with questions and dreams. One of them is Jonas, the boy with the enchanting smile. Kathy, who commutes to the city for work every day. Enhamullak who hopes to be a forklift operator one day. And Alma who takes her blue cow for a walk.

Inspired by a walk exploring the newly built Vienna district of Seestadt, Linda Wolfsgruber has created impressive paintings: views of high rise buildings, residential areas, construction sites, and parks capture the almost futuristic atmosphere of the new part of the city throughout the seasons. And every single painting features people: people who live, work, and spend their time in this city, portrayed by the author in short vignettes. In this way, she brings intimacy into the infamous anonymity of city life, telling us about the life and dreams of those she encounters in the city without judging them.

Linda Wolfsgruber: »I was taking a walk through this new part of the city in November when, for the first time ever, I felt inspired to paint. At first, I took a lot of photographs and, over many years, kept returning there with friends to capture the mood of every season. Later, at the studio, I transferred the motifs to canvas with pencil. To transform them into a real city, I printed out my photographs in black and white, so I could choose my own colors. Painting with acrylics felt very relaxing because having created very precise drawings before, I was now able to focus completely on the details. In some places, you can see the original pencil drawings shining through, which I actually love. «

• City Life is on the ORF KIDS best list in January 2025

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