CLEMENS WOLF
Clemens Wolf, born 1981, lives and works in Vienna, Austria. Since his graduation at the University of Arts Linz, he is fascinated by dilapidated material like fences in front of dumps, abandoned warehouses and unfinished buildings.
In his latest works, he sets his main focus on the process of transformation haunted by his own history. Old discarded parachutes (he is a passionate parachutist) are transformed into sensual objects. After they are immersed in epoxide resin they are layed out in tondi, hung or stand up as sculpture or stretched on frames as paintings, every crease being arranged meticulously and finally left to dry.
When we examine Clemens Wolf’s obsessive and mysterious work, it’s obvious that the frontier between painting, sculpture and drawing places a great importance. The surface of the pieces with its powerfully vivid palette, reveals a world that is almost organic. While the artist sees the fabric’s contractions as a stylized representation of decomposition and decay, the resin he uses to hold the folds in place gives the works a distinctive glossy aspect and an intensity that is brought out by the delicacy of the coiled up parachute cords. The choice of such a lightweight and an aerial object as the parachute conjures up the fundamental notion of gravity.
Biography
1981 born in Vienna, lives and works in Vienna, AUT
2002 University of Art and Design Linz, Fine Arts, AUT
2005 Erasmus scholarship, ABK Maastricht, NL
2006 Artist in residence, Hildesheim, GER
2006 Diesel New Art Award
2007 Graduation University of Art and Design Linz, Fine Arts, AUT
2009 Strabag Art Award
2010 Georg Eisler Preis (nomminee)
2011 Anton Faistauerpreis
2013 SommerFrische Kunst, Artist in residence, Bad Gastein, AUT
PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
Albertina, Vienna
STRABAG Art Collection
Artothek des Bundes (Austria)
Artothek des Landes (Vienna)
Essl Collection (Private Museum)
Ringturm Collection (Wiener Städtische Insurance Group)
National Bank of Austria Collection
REPRESENTATIONS
GALERIE STEINEK
Vienna, AUT
GALERIE NIKOLAUS RUZICSKA
Salzburg, AUT
SANATORIUM GALLERY
Istanbul, TR
PUBLICATIONS
- CLEMENS WOLF #3
Verlag für moderne Kunst, 2021 - CLEMENS WOLF #2
Verlag für moderne Kunst, 2019 - AUTODUCK
Distanz Verlag, 2014 - GOLD
Hirmer 2012 - CLEMENS WOLF #1
Verlag für moderne Kunst, 2012
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
- 2024
FREEFALL
Palais Festecits
Vienna, Austria - 2023
REMIX – MATERIAL ARCHEOLOGY
Sanatorium Gallery
Istanbul, Turkey - UNSEEN
Artworld
Vienna, Austria - 2022
LETS PLAY – FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION
Galerie Silvia Steinek
Vienna, Austria - 2021
NO ONE KNOWS
Artworld
Vienna, Austria
- 2020
CAN’T TOUCH THIS
Backslashgallery
Paris, FR - CAN TOUCH THIS
Galerie Silvia Steinek
Vienna, AUT
- 2019
OUT OF THE BLUE
McNamara Projects
Hongkong, CHN
- 2017
SURFACEBLUES
Galerie Nikolaus Ruzicska
Salzburg, AUT - SOMETIMES YOU LIVE TWICE
Backslashgallery
Paris, FR
- 2016
GROUNDED
Galerie Steinek
Vienna, AUT - WHAT GOES UP
MUST COME DOWN
Grenzkunsthalle
Jennersdorf, AUT
- 2015
GREYSCALE
Galerie Clemens Gunzer
Zürich, CH - THE OTHER SIDE
OF THE RAINBOW
Backslashgallery
Paris, FR
- 2014
HEAVY DUTY
Galerie Clemens Gunzer
Zürich, CH
- 2013
TIME TO BREAK OUT
Galerie Hunchentoot
Berlin, GER - UNTITLED, DIE THEATRALIK DER BEDEUTUNGSLOSIGKEIT
Galerie Steinek
Vienna, AUT - INES
Galerie Nikolaus Ruzicska
Salzburg, AUT
- 2011
HOLES N’GRIDS
Galerie Steinek
Vienna, AUT - DEFORESTOFENCES
Pratersauna Artspace
Vienna, AUT
- 2010
OPENED SPACE
Open Space
Art Cologne, GER - CLEMENS WOLF
Galerie Ruzicska
Salzburg, AUT
- 2009
CLEMENS WOLF
AKNÖ
Vienna, AUT - THE GREAT MESS
Strabag Artlounge
Vienna, AUT - HINTER DER FREIHEIT / BEHIND FREEDOM
Galerie Steinek
Vienna, AUT
- 2008
A TOUCH OF RED
Phantom Galleries
Pasadena, USA - THE GREAT MESS IN LA
The Continental Gallery
Los Angeles, USA
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
- 2022
ALWAYS ON MY MIND
Galerie Silvia Steinek,
Vienna, AUT - RENDEZVOUS MIT DER SAMMLUNG
Landesgalerie Lower Austria
Krems, AUT
- 2020
I HOLD THE WHEEL TO LET IT GO
Collectors Depot,
Pörtschach, AUT
- 2019
CORRESPONDENCE
Sanatorium Gallery
Istanbul, TR - I WISH I WERE LIKE YOU;
EASILY AMUSED
Galerie Clemens Gunzer
Kitzbühel, AUT - TBD WWS
Collectors Depot
Pörtschach, AUT - SOMMERFRISCHE KUNST
Bad Gastein, AUT - GROUP SHOW
Galerie Gölles
Fürstenfeld, AUT
- 2018
HERE WE ARE NOW ENTERTAIN US
Galerie Clemens Gunzer
Kitzbühel, AUT - FUTURE IS COLLECTIVE
Backslashgallery
Paris, FR - BREAKFAST AT TIFFANYS
Collectors Depot
Pörtschach, AUT - GARTEN DER KÜNSTLER
Minoritenkloster
Tulln, AUT - HOME BY THE SEA
Collectors Depot
Pörtschach, AUT - ACCOURAGE
Galerie Clemens Gunzer
Kitzbühel, AUT - LOUNGE ACT
Galerie Clemens Gunzer
Kitzbühel, AUT
- 2017
GALERIE M
Galerie Z
Hard, AUT - WEIHNNACHTEN
Galerie Propaganda
Warsaw, PL - BLACK IS THE NEW BLACK
Collectors Depot
Pörtschach, AUT - OH! YOU PRETTY THINGS
Galerie Clemens Gunzer
Kitzbühel, AUT
- 2016
SESSION 3 PLANÉITÉ
Backslashgallery
Paris, FR - HÖHENRAUSCH
Eigen+Art Lab
Berlin, GER - GASTRÄUME
Manifesta
Zürich, CH - INTERJEKTION
Galerie Clemens Gunzer
Zürich, CH
- 2015
FIGUR I STRUKTUR
Strabag Art Collection
RLB Kunstbrücke
Innsbruck, AUT - 3. DANUBE BIENNALE
Meulensteen Art Museum
Bratislava, SK - SKULPTURENPARK
Golfclub
Dellach, AUT - SUMMER SHOW
Galerie Clemens Gunzer
Kitzbühel, AUT - LOOK AT ME NOW
Inoperable Gallery
Vienna, AUT - VERORTUNG
Galerie Steinek
Vienna, AUT
- 2014
27/1
Backslashgallery
Paris, FR - WHEN BLACK MEETS WHITE
Inoperable Gallery
Vienna, AUT - REDUX
Inoperable Gallery
Vienna, AUT - HIC ET NUNC
Stift Klosterneuburg, AUT - COLLECTED #4
Bank Austria Kunstforum
Vienna, AUT
- 2013
HEAVY METAL
Galerie Clemens Gunzer
Kitzbühel, AUT - LIKE IT
Essl Museum
Klosterneuburg, AUT - ELEVEN
Hohe Bleichen
Hamburg, GER - SOMMERFRISCHE KUNST
Bad Gastein, AUT - FIRST
Loft 8
Vienna, AUT
- 2012
DER GEMALTE RAUM
Essl Museum
Klosterneuburg, AUT - SESSHAFT
Galerie Steinek
Vienna, AUT - GOLD
Unteres Belvedere
Vienna, AUT - DEMONS AND PEARLS
Dok
St. Pölten, AUT
- 2010
GEORG EILSER PREIS
Bank Austria Kunstforum
Vienna, AUT - RINGTURM
Leopold Museum
Vienna, AUT - 4TH BEIJING BIENNALE
Namoc National Art Museum of China
Bejing, CN - URBAN LOOK
Die Ausstellungsstrasse
Vienna Biennale
Vienna, AUT - HAPPY IN VIENNA
Galerie Steinek
Vienna, AUT - IN BETWEEN
Kadir Has University
Istanbul, TUR - KUNSTTOUR 2010
Galerie Groen Licht
Maastricht, NL - FOCUS DAILY
Continental Galler
Los Angeles, USA - IN BETWEEN
Old Patriotissa Market Hall
Nikosia, CYP - IN BETWEEN
Zentrum für Gegenwartskunst
Podgarica, MNE
- 2011
IN BETWEEN
CAC
Vilnius, LT - IN BETWEEN
Stadtgalerie
St. Pölten, AUT - KUNSTTOUR
Maastricht, NL - FAISTAUERPREIS
Trakelhaus
Salzburg, AUT - NACHBARN, ABGRENZUNG
UND GEMEINSAMKEIT
Eisfabrik
Hannover, GER - ART IN THE CITY
Park d’Egmont
BGArt Brussels
Vienna, BG - ES LEBE DIE MALEREI
Essl Museum
Klosterneuburg, AUT - OPERIA SERIA
Galerie Nikolaus Ruzicska
Salzbug, AUT - MÄRCHEN MYTHOS MAROTTE
Galerie Steinek
Vienna, AUT - TERMINATOR 2
Projekt_LOVE
Vienna, AUT
- 2009
1ST DANUBE BIENNALE
Meulensteen Art Museum
Bratislava, SK - IN BETWEEN
Galerija Umjetnina
Split, CRO - SCHWARZ AUF WEISS
IN SHADES OF GREY
Brick 5
Vienna, AUT - STRABAG INTERNATIONAL ARTAWARD
Strabag Artlounge
Vienna, AUT - KUNSTTOUR
Galerie Groen Licht
Maastricht, NL - KOSCHATZKY AWARD NOMINEES
Mumok Hofstallungen
Vienna, AUT
- 2008
IN BETWEEN
Genia Schreiber University Art Gallery
Tel Aviv, ISR - AUSTRIA conTEMPORARY
Essl Museum
Klosterneuburg, AUT - KUNSTTOUR
Galerie Groen Licht
Maastricht, NL - ICH HABE NICHT GENUG IHR MATTEN AUGEN
Universal Cube
Leipzig, GER - FROM THE STREET ON UP!
VillaNuts
The Hague, NL - ZEICHEN UND WUNDER
California Market Center
Los Angeles, USA
- 2007
LACYSTREET ARTS
Los Angeles, USA - BEST OFF 07
Nordico
Linz, AUT - KUNSTTOUR
Galerie Groen Licht
Maastricht, NL - ARTMART
Viennart Künstlerhaus
Vienna, AUT
- 2006
STEELCITYKIDS
Junglerushstudios
Los Angeles, USA - DIESEL NEW ART AWARD
Betonsalon Museumsquartier
Vienna, AUT - ORTSWECHSEL
Kunstverein Hildesheim
Hildesheim, GER - STREETART, DIE LESBARE STADT
Freiraum Museumsquartier
Vienna, AUT (Curator)