KissatenVienna.exe marks the Austrian premiere of Kissaten Vienna (喫茶店Vienna), an ongoing immersive game project by Rebecca Merlic.

Her interest in kissaten—a Japanese coffeehouse culture inspired by Viennese and Parisian cafés—began during her exchange at Tokyo Geidai. Seeking familiarity, she visited these spaces and, over two years, traveled across Japan to connect with owners and regulars.

Merlic explores the fading traditions of Viennese coffeehouses and Japanese kissaten as social spaces for encounter and exchange. Through interviews, she highlights their rituals and cultural value while reflecting on their persistence in an increasingly digital world. Her work emphasizes the importance of human connection and meaningful pauses.

Merlic’s practice combines personal experience, cultural observation, and long-term research, creating works that are both documentary and playfully experiential.