PROSIT what has been and what will come

My first year back in Austria is now coming to an end and I must say it has been truly amazing. I absolutely love my studio, such a great place for working, and have made lots of new work. I also was made welcome by the Viennese art community and have made many new friends. With one word, I am settling in nicely in my new life.

Whilst waiting for my removal stuff from the UK I produced a small publication titled ‘Ordinary Objects’. It shows a small selection of a series of work that I started during my residency in Gmünd in Kärnten where I explored what might distinguish art and non art object. I am afraid with no real conclusion once the premises that art is essential to life was set.

My exhibition ‘On Borrowed Time’ at the showcase space NeverTheSameRiver in Vienna was great. Being part of Foto Wien 2025 was amazing and if you happen to have the catalogue, my work is listed on page 27. I had many interesting conversations and on top of that I even sold several piece. After 25 years in the UK this feels truly novel!

About ‘Borrowed Time’: Inspired by Johannes N. Bayer's study "Praterflora" (1869), I develop works using plants collected in the Prater that address the interfaces between nature, science, and art. To this end, I use the alternative photographic process "phytography," which actively incorporates plants into the image creation process. The phytogram, an analogue technique developed by Karel Doing in 2016 as part of his doctoral thesis in England, brings together various elements: cameraless photography through the direct contact of the plant with the paper, the plant's inherent process of photosynthesis, and environmentally friendly chemistry. The questions I aim to pose with this work are diverse and concern the fragility of biodiversity and the threat to human habitats posed by accelerating climate change, the position of analog processes in an energy-hungry, hyper-digitalized environment, and, last but not least, the value of photography as a scientific and artistic process.

Below is a peep of the installation at ‘NeverTheSameRiver’.

One of the absolute highlights of 2025 was my residency in Linz. The Salzamt Atelierhaus is situated in the centre of the city with a view on the Danube and the Pöstlingsberg. I developed a body of work engaging with the question of how the everyday relates to the practice of the artist. My focal point was the life of the artist Adalbert Stifter. I got specifically interested in his work ‘Der Nachsommer’ and how his botanical interests are reflected in this book. Using both analogue and digital media I have started a body of work called ‘when a rose is a rose’. I expanded my ideas and the outcome will be shown in Linz in the latter half of next year. I will share as soon as dates are confirmed.

I have also lined up several other events for next year. In March I will participate in the ‘Ironisch, Lakonisch, Düster’ show at artP in Perchtoldsdorf. In July I have a solo show with title ‘UN/KRAUT’ at Kunst und Co in Millstatt. Absolutely delighted to show work again in Carinthia! Then for September I will curate the group show ‘The Weight of the World’ that will bring together critical positions by artists from Austria, UK and Spain. More details nearer the time.