Ben Gyula Fodor, born in Dorog, Hungary; since escaping from communist Hungary in 1981, he has lived and worked mainly in Vienna and has been present in the art world since 2000. Fodor uses the media of photography,
installation, drawing, and performance in multiple ways and combinations; solo and since 2015 also in the artist duo Time Gates. Fodor‘s work describes an arc from artistic research on past and present utopias and dystopias (cycle
Incipit Vita Nova) to the exploration of future „utopian“ spaces (series Carmine, Horizon).This was preceded by an exploration of the „state of limbo“, which represents the creative and enriching side of uprooting through migration (series noosphere). As a visual equivalent to all of this, Fodor is interested in overcoming conventional three-dimensional representation and creating innovative visions of spatiality - in the picture space and beyond. With works in public space (Fodors Wall, Future Skills, Photocube no door) he also addresses global sociopolitical issues.
„Fodor‘s images are border markers, documents of a border crosser. He reaches moments that seem like cracks in reality: The irritating strangeness, the unfamiliar and sometimes enigmatic nature of his images allows us to sense
new and different things visible beyond the border.“ (Cathrin Pichler).
Works a.o. in the collection of MUMOK Vienna and the Museum of Fine Arts Budapest. Exhibitions and projects (selection): Kunsthalle Vienna, Ludwig Museum and Vasarely Museum Budapest, Museum Jena, school of kyiv
department Vienna, steirischer herbst, Ars Electronica, Marcello Farabegoli Projects, Rudolf Leeb Galerie, Walden project space Berlin, Christine König Gallery. Artist books: noosphere and Incipit Vita Nova (Kerber Berlin).
Exhibitions and projects (selection)
2022
# Light Art Museum Budapest, opening show.
# Künstlerhaus Vienna: 1503. Mitgliederausstellung, curated by Georg Schöllhammer & Fanny Hauser. https://www.k-haus.at/besuch/kalender/ausstellung/403/1503.html
# Parallel Editions Vienna @SCHUMANN 3: Descartes' Brain by TIME GATES.
# TIME GATES (Ben G. Fodor & Dorothee Frank) and Vasarely Museum Budapest: THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL IS OF A DIFFERENT COLOUR. Media art project on the large billboard in Keleti Train Station Budapest
2021
# TIME GATES (Ben G. Fodor & Dorothee Frank) Riverscreen Cinema, Sonic Narratives Festival of Simultan Association Timisoara
#https://sonicnarratives.simultan.org/
# Solo exhibition Incipit Vita Nova, Harald Bichler space and content gallery, Schleifmühlgasse Vienna
https://www.rauminhalt.com/ben-fodor-incipit-vita-nova
# TIME GATES (Ben G. Fodor & Dorothee Frank): THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL IS OF A DIFFERENT COLOUR. Media art project on advertising screens and billboards,
Marcello Farabegoli Projects, Vienna 4.3. - 15.4.
https://www.marcello-farabegoli.net/time-gates-21
2020
# TIME GATES (Ben G. Fodor & Dorothee Frank): Hommage an K. The /Doorkeeper, Walden Gallery Berlin.
http://www.galerie-walden.de/INFECTED%20REALITY-Dokumentation.pdf
# Nothing Except Drawings vol.6, Walden Gallery Berlin.
# From Nowhere to Nowhere, Wien (curated by Claudia Schumann /Tatjana Hardikov): Photocube NO DOOR and Hommage an K./ The Doorkeeper by TIME GATES (Ben G. Fodor & Dorothee Frank)
2019
# Art Quarter Budapest /Performance Festival: Science Fiction Vanitas, performance by TIME GATES (Ben G. Fodor & Dorothee Frank)
# Tipping Point group show MEDO space Vienna
# Messer Galllery Vienna: "blau...als farbe schön und wahr"
# Parallel Vienna: artist statement https://parallelvienna.com/product/ben-fodor-3/
# Vasarely Museum Budapest: "Moon Museum"
# Eat me Photo novel and performance, world premiere and exhibition. Marcello Farabegoli Projects @ Studio Kucsko. Matthias Loibner: composition / hurdy gurdy / electronics. Actor: Christoph Dostal. Lyrics / script: Dorothee Frank www.marcello-farabegoli.net/eat-me
2018
# Ars Electronica Linz: Carmine
# Belvedere 21: Performance What ist Utopia. Electro-philosophical Odysse by Fodor (images) & Frank (concept, texts) & Sillyconductor (Electronics). With the actresses / actors Gerti Drassl, Christiane von Poelnitz, Karl Markovics:https://esel.at/album/214
# Parallel Vienna: artist intervention Photocube „no door“
2017
# Solo exhibition Carmine, curated by Marcello Farabegoli Projects, Vienna Art Week/ Rudolf Leeb gallery (ARCC) http://marcello-farabegoli.net/carmine.html
#group show Parallel und Konkordant @Parallel Vienna, curated by Marcello Farabegoli and Lucas Gehrmann
# Long art night in the factory oft the entrepreneur and collector Gerald Hanisch / Linz: installation Carmine
2016
# school of kyiv / department Vienna, curated by Georg Schöllhammer / Hedwig Saxenhuber): The Wall, installation in public space
# Ludwig Museum Budapest: light and photo installation „Carmine“
2015
# "Wandzeitung" (show 'round the clock) in the display windows of the artists' studio Steinbrener / Dempf & Huber in Vienna's second district: "Future Skills"
# "Utopia Station": Performance with projected works, electronic music and texts, at the studio building of the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna ("Semperdepot"). Featuring Sillyconductor and Karl Menrad (acting).
# Group show "U-Topia" on the occasion of the launch of "Prolog 4", magazine for drawing and text, at Milchhof Pavilion Berlin
# Kunstsammlung Jena Germany: museum solo show "Incipit Vita Nova
# MAK / Schindler House Los Angeles.: Panel discussion and performative book launch I.V.N.
2014
# The Barn, St. John´s College Oxford/UK in cooperation with ZKM Karlsruhe:
Total Potemkin. Ben G. Fodor and Marc Adrian
# Kepes InstituteEger/Hungary: Incipit Vita Nova.
# Artist book Incipit Vita Nova (Kerber publishers Berlin), booklaunch at Secession Vienna
Q202 Vienna/Austria,Café Sperlhof: TV Screen Bets. Game for Guests
Gallery of the City of Dorog/Hungary I.V.N
2013
# ‚Zollamt’ Bad Radkersburg/Austria: Art Politics Religion Civilisation Border.
Guest artist and guest cook at the Freitagsküche Frankfurt am Main/Germany.
forum experimentelle architektur Vienna/Austria: Potemkin Project.
HAECCCClastMINUTE2foggyNOVEMBERartistRESYdency@STANGLERHOF St. Kostantin
near Bozen, South Tyrol/Italy
2012
# Museumsquartier and Leopoldmuseum, Vienna/Austria: Performance Madonna Now.
Viertelfestival Lower Austria: Artistic poster action The Promised Train, using film stills of actors
and extras, and featuring Karl Markovics (leading actor in the Academy Award winning film
The Counterfeiters).
2011
# Leopold Museum Vienna/Austria: Ringturm.Kunst. The Vienna Insurance Group Collection.
# Minoriten Galerien Graz/Austria.
2010
# Solo show Total Potemkin — a brief introduction, Brukenthal Museum Sibiu and Ivan Gallery
Bucharest, during Bucharest Biennial
2009
# MUSA (Museum auf Abruf) Vienna/Austria: Stark bewölkt – flüchtige Erscheinungen des Himmels
(‘Overcast and Cloudy – Fleeting Appearances in the Sky’)
2008
# Photon gallery Ljubljana/Slovenia: Solo show noosphere
Wien Museum, Vienna/Austria: commissioned work for the exhibition Im Puls der Stadt — 2000
# Jahre Karlsplatz (‘Pulse of the City — 200 Years of Karlsplatz’).
Installation for the project Mitten im Achten as part of the Vienna Festival/Into the City,
Vienna/Austria. Participation in the exhibition, as well as installation in the public space, as part of
the main exhibition of the steirischer herbst festival at the Minoriten Galerien, Graz/Austria: Wie du
mir — Gegenbilder für transkulturelles Denken und Handeln (‘As You Me. Counterimages for
Transcultural Thinking and Action’).
# Awarded an artist’s studio by the City of Vienna.
2007
# Artist’s book noosphere: presentation at the Museum der Moderne Salzburg, among others.
Featured artist for programme media at the Salzburg Festival.
# Solo show noosphere, Month of Photography Bratislava/Slovakia
2006
# Kodeljevo Castle Ljubljana/Slovenia: Props & Prostheses, Month of Photography Ljubljana
(curated by Walter Seidl).
Thomas Keller Gallery Siegen/Germany
2005
# Centro Culturale Europeo of the Fondazione Banca Carige: Genova scatti europei. Solo show at
the Gallery of the City of Dorog/Hungary
2004
# Mücsarnok Budapest/Hungary: The Hidden Holocaust
2003
# Kunsthalle Vienna/Austria: Attack — Art and War in Media Times.
Zugluft, exhibition of Austrian artists at the Kunst Zürich art fair/Switzerland
2002
# Zeichen-Sprache (‘Drawing Language’), Grita Insam Gallery Vienna/Austria.
Frieden weltwärts (‘Peace Towards the World’), Peace Research Institute Schlaining/Austria
(curated by Elisabeth von Samsonow and Cathrin Pichler).
Solo show Atrium ed Arte Gallery Vienna/Austria: Wien Verschwindet (‘Vienna Disappearing’)
Publications (selection)
# Artist’s book noosphere (nominated for the German Photographic Book Prize).
Publications by the museum in progress, Camera Austria, Eikon. Photographic works for the
concept volume Mozart Spuren (‘Traces of Mozart’) in the Viennese Year of Mozart 2006.
Featured artist in the almanac of Salzburg Festival 2008
Works in Collections (selection)
# MUMOK/Stiftung Ludwig Vienna.https://www.mumok.at/de/gyula-fodor Museum of Fine Art, Budapest.
Unicredit Bank Austria. Banca Carige Genoa/Italy. Vienna
Insurance Group. Collection of the City of Vienna. Minoriten Gallery, Jenö Eisenberger collection, Thomas Griesbacher, Peter Coeln / Westlicht,
Haecccc. 0+865, Museum Jena Germany, Marius Spannbauer usw ...
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