THE MIRROR OF PEACE is a spatial work of art that invites the viewer to have their personal experience with peace: The viewers see themselves full size reflected and read a text saying: “This is what people living in peace look like.” It becomes instantly clear that a life lived in peace cannot be taken for granted, and that we must act consciously—every day—to preserve this peace.
THE MIRROR OF PEACE is an interactive work of art and it invites you to a moment of self-reflection. Because you see yourself in the work, you know a part of the work and you immediately connect with it. This brings the theme of peace very close and establishes a direct connection with your own life.
THE MIRROR OF PEACE is communicative work of art: people who face each other in front of THE MIRROR OF PEACE, get into dialogue with each other.
THE MIRROR OF PEACE sheds light on a difficult and urgent subject in an accessible and positive way.
All these qualities make THE MIRROR OF PEACE accessible to a broad audience and connect the society in all its diversity, regardless of borders, gender, origin, religion, social backgrounds and age.
THE MIRROR OF PEACE – MuseumsQuartier Vienna, Austria
22 July 2026 – 30 June 2027
Prominently positioned in the main courtyard of the MuseumsQuartier in Vienna, THE MIRROR OF PEACE invites visitors to reflect on peace and our place in the world. Rather than approaching the question of peace as an abstract concept, the artwork offers viewers a deeply personal experience of reflection on one of the most pressing issues of our time.
The official opening will take place on 21 July 2026 at 18:00 in the main courtyard of the MuseumsQuartier, Vienna. Opening remarks will be given by Bettina Leidl, Director of MuseumsQuartier Wien, and the artist Renee van Bavel.
THE MIRROR OF PEACE – Ljubljana Slovenia, Global Hearth Summit 2025
Summer 2025, THE MIRROR OF PEACE was presented at the Global Hearth Summit in Ljubljana, Slovenia.
The artwork was exhibited in the heart of the city, in Sveta Evrope Park, situated between the Cankarjev Dom and the Presidential Palace, offering a moment of reflection in a public space dedicated to peace.
THE MIRROR OF PEACE at the Global Hearth Summit in Ljubljana was presented by the Draiflessen Collection. The Global Hearth Summit, organized by The Wellbeing Project, is a transformative gathering of global leaders committed to fostering wellbeing, collaboration, and collective action in response to the world’s most pressing challenges.
THE MIRROR OF PEACE – Venice Italy, Biennale ARTE 2022
THE MIRROR OF PEACE was presented during the Biennale Arte 2022 in Venice, Italy.
The artwork was exhibited in the beautiful serene monastery garden of the Abbazia di San Giorgio Maggiore, on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore in Venice, Italy.
At the same time, the exhibition La Commedia Umana – Memento Mori by artist Ai Weiwei was on view inside the monastery, directly adjacent to THE MIRROR OF PEACE.
The presentation of THE MIRROR OF PEACE on the occasion of the Biennale Arte 2022 in Venice was a project of The Draiflessen Collection in collaboration with Abbazia di San Giorgio Maggiore – Benedicti Claustra Onlus.
Photo: Carmelo Grasso
THE MIRROR OF PEACE – Mettingen Germany, Draiflessen Collection 2023
After its presentation at the Biennale Arte in 2022, a permanent version of THE MIRROR OF PEACE was acquired by the Draiflessen Collection and added to their art collection. This artwork is now permanently installed in the museum’s garden in Mettingen, Germany, where it is freely accessible to visitors and invites people to reflect on the theme of peace.
Visitors can now view THE MIRROR OF PEACE at The Draiflessen Collection Museumsgarden, during the museum’s opening hours. For more information, please visit :www.draiflessen.com
THE MIRROR OF PEACE – National Field of Honour in The Netherlands
The first version of THE MIRROR OF PEACE was inaugurated by the Dutch King Willem-Alexander in 2021 and was presented on the National Field of Honour in Loenen in the Netherlands.
“Through my curiosity about the world, my international practice and my work at various memorial sites, I have met many people for whom the words “war” and “peace” carry a living, deeply personal meaning. Encountering these people, listening to their stories and perspectives, has made me profoundly aware that I was born and raised in peace – and that this peace, so easily taken for granted, is fragile. The more I came to understand what it truly means to live in peace, the stronger my sense of urgency became: to share this awareness and to create an artwork that does not explain peace, but allows people to experience it for themselves. This is THE MIRROR OF PEACE.”
“It is my intention to bring further versions of THE MIRROR OF PEACE to different sites around the world, raising awareness that peace must never be taken for granted, and that we must choose consciously, every day, to preserve it.” Renee van Bavel
RENEE VAN BAVEL
