Lot Essay
Markus Schinwald lives and works in Vienna and Los Angeles. He uses various media to explore space, the human body, and peoples' physical and mental shortcomings in allusion to historical myths, psychoanalysis, and cultural theories. Prostheses and mechanical apparatuses often put the protagonists of his films and photographs under marionette-like constraints, which transform the human body into a cultural artifact, illuminating the multi-faceted cultural and historical significance of the body. Recent solo exhibitions include Markus Schinwald, Vanishing Lessons, Kunsthaus Bregenz (2009). Recent group exhibitons include Kuntsi Museum of Modern Art, Vaasa (2008); Migros Museum, Zurich; ICA Boston (2008); Tate Modern, London (2007-08); Kunsthalle Wien (2007); Fotomuseum Winterthur (2007); Berlin Biennial (2006), Frankfurter Kunstverein, Frankfurt (2004); Haus der Kunst, Munich (2003); Moderne Museet, Stockholm (2001). Schinwald's work was shown as part of the group exhibition Don Quijote (2006) and DepictionSubversion (2007) at Witte de With, Rotterdam.