Heimo Zobernig
Biographie
Heimo Zobernig was born in 1958, in Mauthen, in the Austrian province of Carinthia. He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts from 1977 to 1980, followed by further studies from 1980-83 at the University of Applied Arts, both in Vienna. After two visiting professorships in Germany, he has been teaching at the Academy of Fine Art in Vienna since 1999. In 1993, he was the recipient of the Otto Mauer Prize, followed in 1997 by the City of Vienna’s Prize for Fine Art. Heimo Zobernig has had a great number of international exhibitions, among them Documenta 9 and X in Kassel, and his "mid-career-survey," 2002 at the Museum of Modern Art, Vienna, which could also be seen at the Kunsthalle Basel and at the K21 in Düsseldorf. He lives in Vienna.
Additional biography
Zobernig started out in the late 1970s as a stage designer and performer. By the mid-1980s he was painting abstract images and seeking ways to interpret geometric mechanisms. Exploring colors and traditional systems, he developed a new personal color theory. Zobernig questions the basic conditions that frame art. He takes a critical approach towards regulatory systems that have been handed down for generations and he reacts pragmatically to given requirements. Much in the manner of the minimalist art of the 1960s, his work displays a clear, reduced lan-guage of forms while deliberately subverting its typical perfectionism. He prefers industrial mate-rials such as pressboard and paints in a customary DIY market quality of an unsentimental, aes-thetically unpretentious economy. Many of his sculptures evoke a sense of being used. Heimo Zobernig has been associated with the Generali Foundation though a series of common projects. In his exhibition at the former office and showroom in 1991, he confronted the patrons with several sculptures in the shape of stand-up bar tables, each top painted in a different color. He painted the logo of the Generali Foundation, by hand, onto the green construction net cover-ing the façade of the new exhibition building, which was then under reconstruction, a task made doubly difficult by the fact that the painting had to be done in an irregular, i. e., inverted manner and in accord with the dimensions of the façade. On the occasion of the opening of the new house, he fashioned a poster on which again he placed a large-sized logo, with the four colors of the print deliberately out of register. For the restaurant at the former "Habig hat shop," he cre-ated mirror-top tables.
Artist's books
Heimo Zobernig. Ed. Galerie CC. Text by Pakesch, Peter. Graz, 1986.
KM Zobernig Heimo 01 -
Heimo Zobernig. Ed. Galerie Ralf Wernicke, Stuttgart. 1987.
KM Zobernig Heimo 02 RARA -
Heimo Zobernig. Ed. Galerie Peter Pakesch, Vienna. 1989.
KM Zobernig Heimo 03 RARA -
Heimo Zobernig. Ed. Galerie Achim Kubinski. Text by Prinzhorn, Martin. Cologne, 1990.
KM Zobernig Heimo 04 RARA -
Heimo Zobernig. Multiple Choice. Ed. Jänner Galerie. Text by Draxler, Helmut. Vienna, 1990.
KM Zobernig Heimo 05 RARA -
Heimo Zobernig. Ed. Kunstraum Daxer. Text by Gräßlin, Karola. Munich, 1991.
KM Zobernig Heimo 06 -
Heimo Zobernig. Ed. Sabine Breitwieser for Generali Foundation. Texts by Breitwieser, Sabine; Draxler, Helmut; Zettl, Reiner. Vienna, 1991.
KM Zobernig Heimo 07 -
Heimo Zobernig. Ed. Sabine Breitwieser for Generali Foundation. Texts by Breitwieser, Sabine; Draxler, Helmut; Zettl, Reiner. Vienna, 1991.
KM Zobernig Heimo 08 -
Heimo Zobernig. Ed. Moderna Galerija. Text by Fuchs, Rainer. Ljubljana, 1991.
KM Zobernig Heimo 09 -
Heimo Zobernig. Ed. Galerie Kubinski. Texts by Armaly, Fareed; Draxler, Helmut; Graw, Isabelle et al. Cologne, 1992.
KM Zobernig Heimo 10 -
Heimo Zobernig & Mathias Poledna. Amerikaner. Ed. Edition Forum Stadtpark. Graz, 1992.
KM Zobernig Heimo 11 & Mathias Poledna -
Heimo Zobernig [KOPIE]. Ed. Villa Arson. Texts by Draxler, Helmut; Graw, Isabelle; Perrin, Frank; Schmatz, Ferdinand. Nice, 1991.
KM Zobernig Heimo 12 -
Heimo Zobernig. Ed. Gesellschaft der Freunde der Neuen Galerie, Graz; Salzburger Kunstverein. Texts by Graw, Isabelle; Schmatz, Ferdinand; Weibel, Peter et al. Salzburg / Graz: Salzburger Kunstverein / Neue Galerie, 1993.
KM Zobernig Heimo 13 -
Heimo Zobernig [KOPIE]. Wien: Galerie Peter Pakesch, 1985.
KM Zobernig Heimo 14 KOPIE -
Heimo Zobernig. Ed. Galerie Borgmann-Capitain, Cologne. 1986.
KM Zobernig Heimo 15 -
Heimo Zobernig. Ed. Galerie Peter Pakesch. Text by Oehlen, Albert. Vienna, 1987.
KM Zobernig Heimo 16 -
Heimo Zobernig. Ferdinand Schmatz. Ideation. Ed. Galerie Peter Pakesch. Text by Schmatz, Ferdinand. Vienna, 1987.
KM Zobernig Heimo 17 -- Avoiddance. Graz: Edition Artelier Graz, 1992.
KM Avoidance LP - 
Heimo Zobernig. Ed. Kunsthalle. Texts by Draxler, Helmut; Graw, Isabelle; Loock, Ulrich et al. Bern, 1994.
KM Zobernig Heimo 19 -
Heimo Zobernig. Lexikon der Kunst 1992. Texts by Schmatz, Ferdinand; Zobernig, Heimo. Stuttgart: Edition Patricia Schwarz, 1992.
KM Zobernig Heimo 20 & Ferdinand Schmatz -
Heimo Zobernig. Farbenlehre. Texts by Schmatz, Ferdinand; Zobernig, Heimo. Vienna: Springer Verlag, 1995.
KM Zobernig Heimo 21 & Ferdinand Schmatz RARA -
Heimo Zobernig. Ed. Secession. Texts by Decter, Joshua; Tscherkassky, Peter. Vienna, 1995.
KM Zobernig Heimo 18 -
Heimo Zobernig. Ed. Renate Wiehager for Villa Merkel, Esslingen. Texts by Metzger, Rainer; Wiehager, Renate. Ostfildern-Ruit: Cantz Verlag, 1998.
KM Zobernig Heimo 23 -
Heimo Zobernig. Ed. The Centre for Contemporary Art Ujazdowski Castle. Texts by Slizinska, Milada; Pakesch, Peter; Potocka, Maria Anna et al. Warsaw, 1998.
KM Zobernig Heimo 24 -
Heimo Zobernig. Der Katalog. Ein historisches System geistiger Ordnung. Ed. Peter Noever for Österreichisches Museum für angewandte Kunst. Texts by Petschar, Hans; Strouhal, Ernst; Zobernig, Heimo. Vienna: Springer Verlag, 1999.
KM Zobernig Heimo 25 -
Heimo Zobernig. Kunst und Text. Ed. Bonner Kunstverein; Galerie für Zeitgenössische Kunst, Leipzig. Texts by Pohlen, Annelie; Snauwaert, Dirk; Winkelmann, Jan et al. Leipzig: Verlag der Galerie für Zeitgenössische Kunst, 1998.
KM Zobernig Heimo 26 -
Heimo Zobernig. Farbenlehre. Ed. Galerie & Edition Artelier. Text by Badura-Triska, Eva. Graz, 2000.
KM Zobernig Heimo 27 RARA -
Heimo Zobernig. The Renaissance Society. Ed. Walker Hamza for The Renaissance Society at the University of Chicago. Texts by Ghez, Susanne; Goldstein, Ann; Wigley, Mark et al. Chicago, 1996.
KM Zobernig Heimo 28 -
Heimo Zobernig. Jahresmuseum / Kunsthaus Mürzzuschlag 1993. Ed. Kunsthaus. Text by Rychlik, Otmar. Mürzzuschlag, 1993.
KM Zobernig Heimo 29 -
Heimo Zobernig. Austelung Katerlog. Ed. Museum Moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig, Vienna. Texts by Badura-Triska, Eva; Draxler, Helmut; Prinzhorn, Martin et al. Cologne: Buchhandlung Walther König, 2003.
KM Zobernig Heimo 31 RARA -
Heimo Zobernig. Interferenze[n]. Ed. Galerie Prisma. Texts by Bresciani, Elisabetta; Frei, Mathias; Zobernig, Heimo et al. Bozen, 2003.
KM Zobernig Heimo 32 -
Heimo Zobernig. Ed. Kunstverein Ruhr. Text by Friese, Peter. Essen, 2002.
KM Zobernig Heimo 36 -
Heimo Zobernig. Ed. Kunstverein Braunschweig. Texts by Pestorius, David; Weh, Vitus. Cologne: Buchhandlung Walther König, 2005.
KM Zobernig Heimo 33 -
Heimo Zobernig. Display. Ed. Stefan Bidner for Kunstraum Innsbruck. Cologne: Buchhandlung Walther König, 2006.
KM Zobernig Heimo 34 -
Heimo Zobernig. Untitled 2006. Ed. Artspace Sydney. 2006.
KM Zobernig Heimo 35 RARA -
Heimo Zobernig. Heimo Zobernig [KOPIE]. Ed. pestorius sweeney house. 2005.
KM Zobernig Heimo 37 -
Erik Steinbrecher. HALLO HEIMO. Ed. Micheline Szwajcer Gallery, Antwerp. Zurich: Bookhorse, 2008.
KM Steinbrecher Erik 03 -
Heimo Zobernig. Video. Ed. Haubrokshows, Berlin. Text by Badura-Triska, Eva. Berlin: Argobooks, 2009.
KM Zobernig Heimo 40 -
Heimo Zobernig. MINIMAL MAXIMAL. Die Minimal Art und ihr Einfluß auf die internationale Kunst der 90er Jahre. Ed. Friese, Peter for Neues Museum Weserburg Bremen, Kunsthalle Baden-Baden et al.. Texts by Stemmrich, Gregor; Brehm, Margrit; Friese, Peter; Sc
IT D-Bremen-Neues Museum -
Heimo Zobernig. [Blue Box Video], Atlas, Die Kunst der Enzyklopädie. Ed. Cornelia Lauf for Galleria Civica di Modena. Texts by Bruni, Laura; Lauf, Cornelia; Vettese, Angela. Paris: onestar press, 2008.
KM Zobernig Heimo 41 & Ferdinand Schmatz -
Heimo Zobernig. Cover Afrika Privat Club. Ed. CAPC musee d'art contemporain, Bordeaux. Texts by Draxler, Helmut; Rebentisch, Juliane; Weibel, Peter et al. Dijon: Les Presses du Reel, 2009.
KM Zobernig Heimo 42 -
Heimo Zobernig and the collection of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation Modern Art Centre. Heimo Zobernig and the Tate Collection. Ed. Tate. Texts by Bock, Jürgen; Clark, Martin; Zobernig, Heimo. St. Ives, 2008.
KM Zobernig Heimo 38 -
Heimo Zobernig. Ed. Essl Museum. Texts by Essl, Karlheinz; Heide, Bert van der; Oberhollenzer, Günther et al. Klosterneuburg, 2011.
KM Zobernig Heimo 44 -
Heimo Zobernig. Ohne Titel (in Red) Kunsthalle Zürich. Ed. Beatrix Ruf for Kunsthalle Zurich. Texts by Ruf, Beatrix; Stemmrich, Gregor. Zurich: Ringier, 2011.
KM Zobernig Heimo 45 -
Heimo Zobernig. Gästebuch. Ed. Galerie Stadtpark. Krems, 1996.
KM Zobernig Heimo 47 RARA -- Heimo Zobernig. Cash Flow. Nummer 10, Oktober 1990. Ed. Papp, Ferenc; Papp-Maurovic, Johanna. Wien, 1990.
ZS Cash Flow RARA - 
Heimo Zobernig. Ed. Centro de Reina Sofia, Madrid; Kunsthaus Graz. Texts by Bock, Jürgen; Hochdörfer, Achim; Sandqvist, Gertrud et al. Cologne: Verlag der Buchhandlung Walther König, 2013.
KM Zobernig Heimo 49 -
Heimo Zobernig. Albert Oehlen. Malerei. Ed. Hochdörfer, Achim for MuMoK, Vienna. Cologne: Verlag der Buchhandlung Walther König, 2013.
KM Zobernig Heimo 50 & Albert Oehlen -- Trummer, Thomas D., ed. Heimo Zobernig. Texts by Trummer, Thomas D.; Dziewior, Yilmaz; Curtis, Penelope. Bregenz: Kunsthaus Bregenz, 2016.
KM Zobernig Heimo 51 - - Heimo Zobernig. Adolf Freiherr Knigge. Über den Umgang mit Menschen - Heimo Zobernig. Über den Umgang mit Büchern. Ed. Achleitner, Sabine; Schlick, Jörg. Graz: Edition Forum Stadtpark, 1990.
KM Zobernig Heimo 57 RARA - - Heimo Zobernig. Leporello N° 01. Göteborg: LL'Editions, 2021.
KM Zobernig Heimo 58 - - Otium. Franz West. Ed. Ihle, Astrid. London: Koenig Books, 2018.
KM West Franz 56 LP - - Singles Club '93. Ed. Grosz, Fritz. Wien: Future Sound Studio, 1993.
IT Österreich LP RARA - - Avoidance. Graz: Edition Artelier Graz, 1992.
KM Avoidance LP RARA - - Heimo Zobernig. Wien: Galerie Peter Pakesch, 1985.
KM Zobernig Heimo 59 RARA - - Dreher, Anselm; Zobernig, Heimo. Lexikon der Kunst 1997. Stuttgart: Edition Patricia Schwarz, 1997.
KM Zobernig Heimo 60 & Anselm Dreher - - Heimo Zobernig. Ed. Galerie soucasneho umeni. Texts by Dusini, Matthias; Skoda, Michal. Budweis, 2007.
KM Zobernig Heimo 61 - - Mrduljas, Duje, ed. Heimo Zobernig. Texts by Franceschi, Branko; Munivrana, Martina. Split: Ustanova za kulturu Galerija Kula, 2019.
KM Zobernig Heimo 62 - - Bittte Danke. Generali Foundation, Wien; Museum der Moderne Salzburg. London: Koenig Books, 2019.
IT Ö-Wien-Generali LP - - Bittte Danke. Generali Foundation, Wien; Museum der Moderne Salzburg. London: Koenig Books, 2019.
KM Zobernig Heimo 65 LP - - Heimo Zobernig. Ambient of aesthetics. Paris: onestar press, 2006.
KM Zobernig Heimo 67 - - Heimo Zobernig. Farben. Alphabet. Ed. Küng, Moritz. Text by Küng, Moritz. Barcelona: IF Publications, 2018.
KM Zobernig Heimo 69 - - Heimo Zobernig. Ed. Gesellschaft der Freunde der Neuen Galerie, Graz; Salzburger Kunstverein. Texts by Graw, Isabelle; Schmatz, Ferdinand; Weibel, Peter et al. Salzburg / Graz: Salzburger Kunstverein / Neue Galerie, 1993.
KM Zobernig Heimo 71 RARA -
