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Heimo Zobernig

Since the 1980s, Heimo Zobernig has explored modernist ideas like Minimalism, the grid, and color theory. He is best known for his grid and diamond paintings, which reference Piet Mondrian and Blinky Palermo, as well as monochromes that recall the work of Wassily Kandinsky and Josef Albers. Recent works combine monochromes with language to suggest how the written word affects our vision. The artist's sculptures, videos, and installations similarly show a playful use of space and color.

Heimo Zobernig (b. 1958, Mauthen) lives and works in Vienna. His work is regularly shown by leading galleries around the world and he was also the subject of institutional solo exhibitions at Kunstraum St. Virgil, Salzburg (2023); mumok, Vienna (2021); Albertinum, Dresden (2019); Sharjah Art Museum, UAE (2018); Museum Ludwig, Cologne (2016); Kunsthaus Bregenz, Bregenz (2015); Mudam, Luxembourg (2014); Museo Reina Sofia, Madrid (2012); Centre Pompidou, Paris (2009); Tate St. Ives, Cornwall (2008); K21 Kunstsammlung, Düsseldorf (2003); Kunsthalle, Basel (2003); mumok, Vienna (2002); Kunstverein Munich, Munich (1999) and many others. His work has been collected by prestigious public and private collections worldwide.

Heimo Zobernig, Untitled (HZ 2008-061), 2008, acrylic on canvas, 100 x 100 cm

My paintings are to be understood as a continuation of the painting traditions of romanticism and modernism.

Heimo Zobernig

Biography

Education

  • 1977 - 1980

    Akademie der Bildenden Künste, Vienna, Austria

  • 1980 - 1983

    Hochschule für Angewandte Kunst, Vienna, Austria

Awards

  • 2016

    16th Roswitha Haftmann Prize

  • 2010

    7th Prize for Architecture and the Arts, Austrian Frederick and Lilian Kiesler Private Foundation

Solo Exhibitions

  • 2024

    Galerie Meyer Kainer, Vienna, Austria

    Galerie Nagel Draxler Crypto Kiosk, Berlin, Germany (with László Moholy-Nagy)

    Galerija Manuš, Split, Croatia

    Meliksetian / Briggs, West Hollywood, CA, USA (with Richard Hoeck)

    Centre d'édition contemporaine Genève, Geneva, Switzerland

  • 2023

    Galerie Johann Widauer, Inssbruck, Austria

    Kunstraum St. Virgil, Salzburg, Austria

    Galerie Nagel Draxler, Cologne, Germany

    Galerie Chantal Crousel, Paris, France

    Galerie Meyer Kainer, Vienna, Austria

    Bischofshof, Linz, Austria

  • 2022

    Petzel Gallery, New York, NY, USA

    Nicolas Krupp, Basel, Switzerland

    Haubrook Foundation, Berlin, Germany

    Galería Juana de Aizpuru, Madrid, Spain

    Galerie Bärbel Grässlin, Frankfurt, Germany

    Generali Foundation Studienzentrum, Salzburg, Austria

    Museum der Moderne Salzburg, Rupertinum, Salzburg, Austria

  • 2021

    mumok, Museum moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig Wien, Vienna, Austria

    De Brock, Knokke, Belgium

    David Pestorius Projects, Brisbane, Australia

    Negative Press, Melbourne, Australia

    Galerie Nagel Draxler, Berlin, Germany

    MARe - Museum of Recent Art, Bukarest, Romania

    Galerie Christine Mayer, Munich, Germany

  • 2020

    Galerie Micheline Szwajcer, Antwerp, Belgium

    Galerie Nagel Draxler, Berlin, Germany

    Galerie Meyer Kainer, Vienna, Austria

  • 2019

    Simon Lee Gallery, Hong Kong

    Galerie Bärbel Grässlin, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

    Galería Juana de Aizpuru, Madrid, Spain

    Muzeja suvremene umjetnosti Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia

    Cultural Institution Galerija Kula, Split, Croatia

    Galerie Johann Widauer, Innsbruck, Austria

    Wilhelm-Hack-Museum, Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Germany

    Albertinum, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, Dresden, Germany

  • 2018

    Sharjah Art Museum, Sharjah, UAE

    Galerie Meyer Kainer, Vienna, Austria

    Nagel Draxler at Kunsthaus Lempertz, Brussels, Belgium

    Petzel Gallery, New York, NY, USA

  • 2017

    Galerie Chantal Crousel, Paris, France

    MIT List Visual Arts Center, Cambridge, MA, USA

    Galerie Nagel Draxler, Berlin, Germany

    De Brock, Knokke, Belgium

  • 2016

    David Pestorius Projects/Pestorius Sweeney House, Brisbane, Australia

    Generali Foundation Studienzentrum am Museum der Moderne im Rupertinum, Museum der Moderne, Salzburg, Austria

    Galerija Vartai, Vilnius, Lithuania

    Galerie Christine Mayer, Munich, Germany

    Galerie Meyer Kainer, Vienna, Austria

    LUMA Foundation, Zurich, Switzerland

    Galeria Juana de Aizpuru, Madrid, Spain

    Sammlung Grässlin, Kunstraum, St. Georgen, Germany

    Malmö Konsthall, Malmö, Sweden

    Museum Ludwig, Cologne, Germany

    Galerie Nagel Draxler, Cologne, Germany

  • 2015

    Simon Lee Gallery, London, UK

    Kunsthaus Bregenz, Bregenz, Austria

    Galerie Bärbel Grässlin, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

    Austrian Pavilion, 56th Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy

    Austrian Cultural Forum, New York, NY, USA

    Galerie Anselm Dreyer, Berlin, Germany

    Galerie Meyer Kainer, Vienna, Austria

    Galerie Chantal Crousel, Paris, France

    Indipendenza, Rome, Italy

    David Pestorius Projects/Pestorius Sweeney House, Brisbane, Australia

    Lumiar Cite, Lisbon, Portugal

  • 2014

    Kestnergesellschaft, Hannover, Germany

    Baloise Art Forum, Baloise Group, Basel, Switzerland

    VIENNA COMPLEX, The Austrian Cultural Forum, New York, NY, USA

    Petzel Gallery, New York, NY

    Galerie Nicolas Krupp, Basel, Switzerland

    Mudam Luxembourg, Musée d'Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean, Luxembourg

  • 2013

    Office World Exhibition, Büro Weltausstellung, Vienna, Austria

    Galerie Meyer Kainer, Vienna, Austria

    Editionen, Artelier Contemporary, Graz, Austria

    Galerie Christian Nagel, Berlin, Germany

    Galerie Bärbel Grässlin, Frankfurt, Germany

  • 2012

    Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, Madrid, Spain

    Kunsthaus Graz, Graz, Austria

    Simon Lee Gallery, London, UK

    Galerie Chantal Crousel, Paris, France

  • 2011

    Galleria Gentili, Prato, Italy

    Galerie Micheline Szwajcer, Antwerp, Belgium

    Galerie Meyer Kainer, Vienna, Austria

    Kunsthalle Zurich offsite, Museum Barengasse Zurich, Switzerland

    Friedrich Petzel Gallery, New York, NY, USA

    Essl Museum, Vienna, Austria

  • 2010

    Galerie Juana de Aizpuru, Madrid, Spain

    Galerie Christian Nagel, Berlin, Germany

    Galerie Nicolas Krupp, Basel, Switzerland

    The Drama of Display, Österreichische Friedrich und Lillian Kiesler Privatstiftung, Vienna, Austria

  • 2009

    Simon Lee Gallery, London, UK

    Pestorius Sweeney House, Brisbane, Australia

    Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisbon, Portugal

    Centre Pompidou, Paris, France

    CAPC, Musée d’Art Contemporain, Bordeaux, France

  • 2008

    VIDEO, Haubrokshows, Berlin, Germany

    Tate St. Ives, Cornwall, UK

    Galerie Chantal Crousel, Paris, France

    Galerie Micheline Szwajcer, Antwerp, Belgium

    Galleria Civica di Modena, Modena, Italy

    Friedrich Petzel Gallery, New York, NY, USA

    Galerie Christian Nagel, Cologne, Germany

    Total Design, MAK, Vienna, Austria

    Galerie Christine Mayer, Munich, Germany

    deSingel International Arts Centre, Antwerp, Belgium

  • 2007

    Galerie Christian Nagel, Vienna, Austria

    On Escape #3, Kunstraum Galerie Amer Abbas, Vienna, Austria

    Galerie 422, Gmunden, Austria

  • 2006

    Ausstellungsraum Ursula Werz, Tübingen, Germany

    Galerie Nicolas Krupp, Basel, Switzerland

    Artspace, Sydney, Australia

    Bei Johann Widauer, Innsbruck, Austria

    Galería Juana de Aizpuru, Madrid, Spain

    Anselm Dreher, Berlin, Germany

  • 2005

    Pestorius Sweeney House, Brisbane, Australia

    Power Studio, Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris, France

  • 2004

    Galerie Anselm Dreher, Berlin, Germany

    Prestorius Sweeny House, Brisbane, Australia

    Galerie Christian Nagel, Berlin, Germany

    Bei Johann Widauer, Innsbruck, Austria

  • 2003

    Galerie Meyer Kainer, Vienna, Austria

    Galerie Christine Mayer, Munich, Germany

    Galerie Nicolas Krupp, Basel, Switzerland

    Galerie im Schloß Porcia, Spittal an der Drau, Austria

    Blackbox, Burgtheater im Casino am Schwarzenbergplatz, Vienna, Austria

    Kunst am Bau, Provincie Vlaams Brabant, Leuven, Belgium

    K21 Kunstsammlung Nordrhein Westfalen, Düsseldorf, Germany

    Kunstverein Ruhr, Düsseldorf, Germany

    Kunsthalle Basel, Switzerland

    Franz West/Heimo Zobernig, Der Nagel, Galerie Christian Nagel, Cologne, Germany

  • 2002

    Museum Moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig, Vienna, Austria

    Frafica 2, Herbert Fuchs (Räume), Heimo Zobernig (Schwarz), Café Corso, Innsbruck, Austria

    Heimo Zobernig/Pauhof Architekten, Galerie Anselm Dreher, Berlin, Germany

    Weißer Kubus, Museum Moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig, Vienna, Austria

    Galerie Meyer Kainer, Vienna, Austria

    Zürich Kosmos Laser Art, Vienna, Austria

    Galerie Meyer Kainer, Felsenvilla Baden, Vienna, Austria

  • 2001

    Bei Johann Widauer, Innsbruck, Austria

    Raumwechsel Archiv, Basisarchiv: Kunst, Vienna, Austria

    Farbenlehre, Klangforum Vienna, Vienna, Austria

  • 2000

    Galerie Meyer Kainer, Vienna, Austria

    Galerie Christian Nagel, Cologne, Germany

    Galerie Kunstbüro, Vienna, Austria

    Galerie & Edition Artelier, Graz, Austria

    CCB Projectroom, Centro Cultural de Belém, Lisbon, Portugal

    Workshop: Art for Art’s Sake, Goethe-Institute, Lisbon, Portugal

  • 1999

    Katalog (with Ernst Strouhal), Portikus, Frankfurt, Germany; travelled to Westfälisches Landesmuseum, Münster, Germany; Kunsthaus Bregenz, Bregenz, Austria; and MAK, Vienna, Austria

    Kunstverein Munich, Munich, Germany

    BASE Progetti per l’Arte, Florence, Italy

    Galerie Anselm Dreher, Berlin, Germany

    Box, Oberösterreichische Landesausstellung, Galerie Pohlhammer, Schloßpark, Steyr, Austria

  • 1998

    Galerie für Zeitgenössische Kunst, Leipzig, Germany

    Cafe, Galerie Karin Sachs, Munich, Germany

    Galerie Meyer Kainer, Vienna, Austria

    Init, Kunst-Halle Berlin, Berlin, Germany

    Bonner Kunstverein, Bonn, Germany

  • 1997

    Bei Johann Widauer, Innsbruck, Austria

    Centre for Contemporary Art, Ujazdowski Castle, Warsaw, Poland

    Blue Box Video, Raum Aktueller Kunst, Vienna, Austria

    Galerie Anselm Dreher, Berlin, Germany

    Video 1997, Steirischer Herbst 97, Galerie & Edition Artelier, Graz, Austria

    Utopie und Weltschmerz, Schömer Haus, Klosterneuburg, Austria

    Ein Fernsehstudio für UTV, Galerie Christian Nagel, Cologne, Germany

    Villa Merkel, Esslingen, Germany

    Galleria Gianluca Collica, Catania, Italy

    Galerie Lisa Ungar, Munich, Germany

  • 1996

    Galeria Potocka, Krakow, Poland

    Centre Genevois de Gravure Contemporaine, Ghent, Belgium

    Magazin 4, Vorarlberger Kunstverein, Bregenz, Austria

    The Museum of Modern Art Syros, Syros-Cyclades, Greece

    Galerie Stadtpark, Krems, Austria

    Jörg Schlick/Heimo Zobernig: Schuhe, Forum Stadtpark, Graz, Austria

    The Renaissance Society at the University of Chicago, Chicago, US

    Hall Hall 6060, Stiftsplatz Hall, Tirol, Austria

  • 1995

    Portfolio Kunst AG, Vienna, Austria

    Medien: Kunst, Tirol & Institut für Kunstgeschichte der Universität, Innsbruck, Austria

    APP.BXL, Brussels, Belgium

    Richard Foncke Gallery, Ghent, Belgium

    Das Fassadenprojekt des CCW, Secession, Vienna, Austria

    Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York, NY, USA

  • 1994

    Galerie Trabant, Vienna, Austria

    Kunsthalle Bern, Bern, Switzerland

    Staubnetz, EA-Generali Foundation, Vienna, Austria

    Klaster sv. Anezky Ceske, Narodni Galerie v Praze, Prague, Switzerland

    Burgkapelle, Karntner Landesgalerie, Klagenfurt, Austria

  • 1993

    Galerie A4, Wels, Austria

    Galerie Christian Nagel, Cologne, Germany

    Galerie Peter Pakesch, Vienna, Austria

    Institut für Kunstgeschichte der Universität, Innsbruck, Austria

    Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York, NY, USA

    Salzburger Kunstverein, Salzburg, Austria

    Neue Galerie, Graz, Austria

    Galerie Walcheturm, Zurich, Switzerland

    Kunsthalle Luzern, Luzern, Switzerland

  • 1992

    Galerie Anselm Dreher, Kunstmesse Cologne, Cologne, Germany

    Amerikaner, Sterirscher Herbst 92, Forum Stadtpark, Graz, Austria

    Galerie & Edition Artelier, Frankfurter Buchmesse, Frankfurt, Germany

    Museum Robert Walser; Hotel Krone, Gais, Switzerland

    Jänner Galerie, Ballgasse, Vienna, Austria

    Galerie Achim Kubinski, Cologne, Germany

    Amraser Straße 28, Innsbruck, Austria

  • 1991

    Moderna Galerija, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Architektur Forum, Denkraum Museum, Zurich, Switzerland

    Fettstraße 7A, Zurich, Switzerland

    Hotel des Arts, Foundation Nationale des Arts, Paris, France

    Galerie Peter Pakesch, Vienna, Austria

    EA-Generali Foundation, Vienna, Austria

    Galerie Holzer, Villach, Austria

    Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York, NY, USA

    Billboard, Houston Street, New York, NY, USA

    Kunstraum Daxer, Munich, Germany

    Galerie Sylvana Lorenz, Paris, France

    Villa Arson, Nice, France

  • 1990

    Galerie Christian Nagel, Cologne, Germany

    Robbin Lockett Gallery, Chicago, IL, USA

    Richard Kuhlenschmidt Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Janner Galerie, Vienna, Austria

    Forum Stadtpark, Graz, Austria

    Galerie Varisella, Frankfurt, Germany

    Portfolio 1, 1989; Janner Galerie, Vienna, Austria

    Galerie Hlavniho Mesta, Prague, Czech Republic

    Galerie Peter Pakesch, Kunstmesse Chicago, IL, USA

    Galerie Achim Kubinski, Cologne, Germany

  • 1989

    Galerie Peter Pakesch, Ballgasse, Vienna, Austria

    Galerie Christoph Durr, Munich, Germany

    Galerie Sylvana Lorenz, Paris, France

    Galeria Juana de Aizpuru, Seville, Spain

  • 1988

    Galerie Peter Pakesch, Vienna, Austria

    Galería Juana de Aizpuru, Madrid, Spain

    Galerie Achim Kubinski, Stuttgart, Germany

    Galerie Christoph Dürr, Munich, Germany

    Galerie Borgmann-Capitain, Cologne, Germany

  • 1987

    Galerie Ralf Wernicke, Stuttgart, Germany

    Galerie Peter Pakesch, Vienna, Austria

  • 1986

    Galerie Christoph Dürr, Munich, Germany

    Galerie CC, Graz, Austria

    Ausstellungsraum Fettstraße 7a, Hamburg, Germany

    Galerie Borgmann-Capitain, Cologne, Germany

  • 1985

    Galerie Peter Pakesch, Vienna, Austria

  • 1983

    Junge Musikgalerie, Villach, Austria

Public Collections

  • Austria

    Augarten Contemporary, Vienna

    Generali Foundation, Vienna

    Kunsthaus Bregenz, Bregenz

    Museum für Angewandte Kunst (MAK), Vienna

    Museum Liaunig, Neuhaus

    Museum Moderner Kunst Kärnten, Klagenfurt

    Museum der Moderne Salzburg, Salzburg

    Neue Galerie Graz am Landesmuseum Joanneum, Graz

    Österreichische Galerie Belvedere, Vienna

    Österreichischer Skulpturenpark, Unterpremstätten

    Sammlung Essl - Kunsthaus, Klosterneuburg

    Volpinum Kunstsammlung, Vienna

  • Belgium

    Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst (SMAK), Gent

  • France

    FRAC - Nord-Pas de Calais, Dunkerque

  • Germany

    Daimler Contemporary, Berlin

    Galerie für Zeitgenössische Kunst (GfZK), Leipzig

    H2 - Zentrum für Gegenwartskunst im Glaspalast, Augsburg

    Kunstraum Grässlin, St. Georgen

    Montblanc Cutting Edge Art Collection, Hamburg

    Städtisches Museum Abteiberg, Mönchengladbach

    ZKM | Zentrum für Kunst und Medientechnologie Karlsruhe, Karlsruhe

  • Italy

    MUSEION - Museum für Moderne und Zeitgenössische Kunst, Bolzano

  • Switzerland

    Mamco - Musée d´Art Moderne et Contemporain, Geneva

    Schaulager, Munichstein / Basel

Selected images

Exhibitions