Your Happiness is in Your Own Hands

Moldovan art takes centre stage in Vienna: Pavel Brăila’s Ringturm artwork officially unveiled

Titled "Your Happiness is in Your Own Hands", Vienna's largest public-space art installation was officially presented this morning. The ceremony was attended by Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister Eugeniu Osmochescu and Austria's Minister of the Economy Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer.

With this year's wrapping of its headquarters, Wiener Städtische Versicherungsverein is turning the spotlight on contemporary Moldovan art – masterfully putting it centre stage in the heart of Vienna over the coming weeks. The 4,000m2 Ringturm wrapping was officially unveiled this morning at a special ceremony – Your Happiness is in Your Own Hands was designed by Moldova's Biennale representative Pavel Brăila, whose work has also been shown at the documenta exhibitions. Work on transforming VIG’s headquarters started in early May, and the installation will be on display until the end of September.
 

A long-standing initiative of Wiener Städtische Versicherungsverein, this is the 18th artistic wrapping of the Ringturm. "Now a firmly established tradition, the artistic covering of our headquarters is the Group's flagship cultural project, because it highlights what we stand for as the leading international insurance group in Central, Southern and Eastern Europe: international networking, strong partnerships and a lived sense of togetherness that transcends national borders. Through 'Your Happiness is in Your Own Hands', over the coming weeks we will be artfully creating dialogue between Vienna and Chișinău – and we're absolutely delighted to be doing so," commented Robert Lasshofer, Managing Board Chair at Wiener Städtische Versicherungsverein, the main shareholder of the Vienna Insurance Group (VIG).

“VIG has been operating in Moldova for 12 years through Group company Donaris and recently became market leader through the acquisition of Moldasig. The Moldovan insurance market is currently in the development phase. As a reliable partner for businesses and society, our aim is to drive the evolution of the local market and enhance its resilience. We're delighted that we can provide such a special stage for Moldova in the form of this year's Ringturm wrapping," commented Peter Höfinger, Deputy CEO at VIG and Country Manager for Moldova. The Moldasig acquisition takes VIG's share of the Moldovan market to around 25%.

Happiness in our own hands
Moldovan performance artist Pavel Brăila, who also represented his home country at the 2026 Biennale in Venice, becomes the 10th artist from the CEE region to design the artistic covering of VIG's head office. Made up of 30 printed netting sheets, the 4,000m2 artwork "Your Happiness is in Your Own Hands" will transform the Ringturm into a large-format symbol of memory, identity and cultural ties. It shows a colourful choreography of hand movements that serves as a guide to preparing a traditional Moldovan dish: sarmale. Using a minimalist visual language, Brăila puts the focus not so much on the recipe as on the stories that are connected with the dish. For him, sarmale symbolises experiences of belonging and cultural identity. "Traditions and cultural practices are born out of doing – they are kept alive by the things we pass on and reinterpret. They create connections and identity, and can give us a feeling of home, no matter where we are. The artistic covering of the Ringturm is an invitation to share experiences and put them on show in everyday life. This also encapsulates its subtle message: that belonging, memory and maybe even a little happiness lie in our own hands," said Pavel Brăila.

Pavel Brăila
Pavel Brăila was born in Chişinău (Moldova) in 1971. The internationally acclaimed artist works with a variety of different media – from film, video and photography to installations and performance art. He made his name with works including the film project "Shoes for Europe", which premiered at the documenta11 exhibition in 2002. Brăila's oeuvre examines questions of memory, identity, migration and social transformation. His work has been shown at countless international exhibitions including documenta14 and Manifesta 10, as well as at venues such as the Tate Modern in London. Pavel Brăila lives and works in Chişinău and Berlin.

The artwork
"Your Happiness is in Your Own Hands" by Pavel Brăila is a colourful choreography of hand movements that provides a step-by-step guide to preparing a traditional Moldovan dish: sarmale, stuffed vine leaves shaped into small rolls that are eaten in a host of different variations across Southeast Europe. With its clear contours, the consciously minimalist and schematic visual language creates a compelling contrast with the roll itself – a sensory experience reflected in the recipe, which is often prepared as part of a communal get-together. But on closer inspection it becomes clear that the emphasis is not on passing on a recipe, but more on an individual making it their own. In Brăila's view, sarmale are closely linked to the experience of migration and living abroad. Preparing them is a gesture of belonging and a reminder of home – a kind of "portable home", if you will. "Traditions and cultural practices are born out of doing – they are brought to life and kept alive by the things we pass on and reinterpret. They create connections and identity, and can give us a feeling of home, no matter where we are. I'm absolutely delighted that my work will be on public display covering 4,000m2 on the Ringturm – it's an invitation to share experiences and put them on show in everyday life. This also encapsulates the subtle message that belonging, memory and even a little happiness lie in our own hands," said Pavel Brăila.