MARTIN WALDE
born 1957 in Innsbruck, Austria

(…)” Martin Walde on his project HALUCIGENIA:

"The first sketch of Hallucigenia was made by me at the Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC. There are almost all fossils of these strange animals housed. I showed the drawing to an English colleague, who promptly laughed loudly. But I was not in the slightest offended because I myself thought the fossils looked strange. Back in Cambridge, I spent a long time looking for a suitable name with a friend, finally we named them Hallucigenia. As I know, my original reconstruction had a major flaw: the animal was upside down. If science is a refinement of perceptible facts in the real universe, then its way must be paved with partial truths - in the ditch on both sides are errors like rusting wrecks. The reversal of a fossil appeals to our sense of the absurd, the upside-down. But even as a reconstruction Hallucigenia still looks very strange. But what exactly is their strangeness based on? Not in the mists of the Cambrian, I believe, where she inhabited a mud that has long since turned to stone. It is a strange irony that despite the booming nature films, safaris and underwater expeditions, the strangeness of life seems to be escaping all around. In the forests, in the soil and in the oceans there are animals that are just as strange as Hallucigena. These wonders go unnoticed.  (…)

Martin Walde

1957, born in Innsbruck (Austria)
Lives and works in Vienna (Austria)
 
With a pronounced joy of discovery, Martin Walde experiments with liquids, colors, smells and textures, creating his works from a rich spectrum of unusual materials such as silicone, Styrofoam, plasma, latex, acrylic, carbon or gelatinous substances. He does not limit himself to any singular medium, but repeatedly works with photography, drawing, and graphic design in addition to objects and installations. A recurring theme in Walde's oeuvre is movement and the constant transformation and mutability of materials, as well as their affective, symbolic, and aesthetic potentials. In doing so, in his processual works he also explores the connection of the multiple stages of movement of the materials to the viewers.
 
Martin Walde studied at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, in the classes of Wolfgang Hollegha, Max Weiler and Arnulf Rainer. In 2017, he received the Austrian Art Award for Visual Arts.
 
His work has been the subject of several solo exhibitions, including Neue Galerie Graz, Austria (2021), Museum Stadtgalerie Saarbrücken, Germany (2015), Kunsthalle Rot, Burgrieden, Germany (2015), Kunstraum Dornbirn, Austria (2014) and others. Martin Walde's works have been shown in important international exhibitions such as documenta X (1997) and the Biennale di Venezia (1986 and 2001). Other group exhibitions in which he has participated include ZKM, Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe, Germany (2019), Neue Galerie Graz, Austria (2019), Museum der Moderne Salzburg, Austria (2018), Haus Konstruktiv, Zurich, Switzerland (2016), Tiroler Landesmuseum Ferdinandeum, Innsbruck, Austria (2015), Leopold Museum, Vienna, Austria (2010), Kunsthallen Brandts, Odense, Denmark (2006). Since 1982, numerous solo exhibitions of Martin Walde's work have taken place at Galerie Krinzinger; most recently, in 2014, the exhibition "ABOUT“. 

GROUP EXHIBITIONS / GRUPPENAUSSTELLUNGEN (SELECTION)

2020 "Glass and Concrete. Manifestations of the Impossible2, Marta Herford, Herford, Germany.

2019 "Negativer Raum", ZKM, Zentrum für Kunst und Medientechnologie Karlsruhe, Germany / "Play Art! Kunst für Alle. Art for All", Museum Stift Admont, Admont, Austria / They Are Uttered and Unfinished", All the Loves in the World II, Borusan Contemporary, Emirgan, Istanbul, Turkey / "Too much is not enough! The Donation "Artelier Collection"", Neue Galerie Graz, Universalmuseum Joanneum, Graz, Austria

2018 "Sinnesrausch: Alice twisted World", OK Offenes Kulturhaus OÖ, Linz, Austria / 21th Biennale of Sydney - Biennale of Sydney, Sydney, NSW / "30 Jahre Generali Foundation. In Dialog mit 1918 1938 1968", Museum der Moderne Salzburg, Austria

2017 "ICON - Ideal.Idee.Inspiration", Galerie Krinzinger, Vienna, Austria

2016 "Balkrishna Bungalow Opp. – Kandarpadar Police Station", Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2016, Mumbai / "How to Picture Living Systems" - The KLI Institute, Klosterneuburg, Österreich

"Um die Ecke denken", Haus Konstruktiv, Zürich, Schweiz / "Grün stört. Im Fokus einer Farbe", Marta Herford, Herford Deutschland / "Frauengeschichten", Krinzinger Projekte, Wien, Österreich

2015 „AIR Hungary/Sri Lanka 2013/2014“, Krinzinger Projekte, Wien, Österreich. / „Still – das Stilleben in der zeitgenössischen Fotografie“, NOE Art, Wanderausstellung, Österreich, Katalog, kuratiert von Peter Weiermaier. / „Vienna for Art’s Sake“, Belvedere Winterpalais, Wien, Österreich. / „Im Licht Der Öffentlichkeit - Österreichische Kunst Nach 1945 Aus Tiroler Privatbesitz“ - Tiroler Landesmuseum Ferdinandeum, Innsbruck / „Paarweise, Neue Werke in der Sammlung Marta“ - MARTa Herford, Herford / „Globale: Exo_Evolution“, ZKM | Zentrum für Kunst und Medientechnologie Karlsruhe, Karlsruhe / „Desire - A Selection from the Borusan Contemporary Art Collection“ - Borusan Contemporary,Istanbul / „Imago Mundi. Luciano Benetton Collection. Mappa dell’arte nuova“ - Fondazione Giorgio Cini, Venedig / „ArtZuid 2015“, Foundation ArtZuid, Amsterdam