Mathias Poledna
Mathias Poledna was born in 1965 in Vienna and has lived in Los Angeles since 2000. His work often takes the form of highly sophisticated films that betray a tension between the visuals presented and their cultural and political implications. Entertainment and its production are key subjects for Poledna as he focuses on the forms and materials that capture the imagination and illustrate societies to themselves. In all of his works the detail and precision of the images are seductive as they, in a sense, explore artifice through artifice. Although invariably newly produced, they often create the impression of having been found as they are, seemingly extricated from present-day or historical collective memories.
Poledna studied at the University of Applied Arts and at the University of Vienna. He has participated internationally in numerous major and group exhibitions, including the 2004 Berlin Biennial, the 2006 Whitney Biennial, the 2008 Yokohama Trienniale, the 2013 Sydney Biennial, the 2018 Liverpool Biennial, and Made in L.A. 2020. In 2013 Poledna represented Austria at the 55th Venice Biennial. Other solo exhibitions include the Grazer Kunstverein, Graz, Austria, in 2001; Museum of Modern Art Foundation Ludwig Vienna, in 2003; Witte de With Center for Contemporary Art, Rotterdam, Netherlands, in 2006; Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, USA, in 2007; Bonner Kunstverein, Bonn, Germany (with Christopher Williams), in 2009; New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York City, USA, in 2010; Portikus, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, in 2013; and the Vienna Secession, Austria; The Renaissance Society, Chicago, in 2014; Halle für Kunst, Graz, Austria, in 2024; Central Museum, Utrecht, in 2026, amongst others. In 2009, the artist was awarded the City of Vienna Prize for Visual Arts, and in 2023 the Austrian State Prize for Art.
EDUCATION
University of Applied Arts
Vienna, Austria
JURY
Veit Goerner
Isabelle Graw
Peter Kogler
Peter Noever
Carl Pruscha
