Operation Figurini was a mobile exhibition project with 800 participants. Together, they built a "social sculpture" according to Joseph Beuys. For Beuyes, a social sculpture is the creation of social associations with the claim of being a piece of art; it lifts the assumption that art can express itself only within the art world, leaving social phenomena to the politicians, and commercial processes to the laws governing capital and markets. One hundred and twelve scientists and artists created multiple texts and artwork for Operation Figurini, which were then sold from stands specially built for the project on Karmelitermarkt in the 2nd district, Meidlinger Markt in the 12th district and Viktor-Adler-Markt in 10th district. The name Operation Figurini comes from "Figurinimann", which were small mass-produced plaster figurines sold on Viennese markets during the Biedermeier period. The project produced an exhibition newspaper, a postcard series and a film (dir.: Erich Wagenhofer).