It was founded on 3 April 1897 by artists Gustav Klimt, Koloman Moser, Josef Hoffmann, Joseph Maria Olbrich, Max Kurzweil, and others. Although the architect Otto Wagner is one of the most important members he was not a founding member. The first exhibition was held in 1898. In 1898, the group's exhibition house was built near Karlsplatz. It was designed by Joseph Maria Olbrich, the exhibition building soon became known simply as "the Secession" (die Sezession). Their work was also published in a magazin called "Ver sacrum".