Elisabeth Penker
(Austria)

Performance with Tri Minh and Van Anh Tran Vu

Biography

*1974 Gem. Reisseck (Kolbnitz/Penk)

EDUCATION:
1993 -1998 Academy of Fine Arts, Vienna, under Prof. Bruno Gironcoli, 1998 Diplom
1998 National Academy of Fine Arts, New Media Department; Oslo, Sokratesstipendium
2000-2004 University for Applied Arts, Vienna, PhD program
2005-2006 Jan Van Eyck Academy, Theory researcher; Maastricht NL

RESIDENCIES & STIPENDIUM:
1998 Austrian Studio Residency, BKA, Chicago (USA)
1999 Post-Production for Musik-Sound Design in Film/ Studio Maestro-Matic, Chicago (USA)
2000 “Six Practices”, Art & Science Transfer, University for Applied Arts, Vienna(London residency grant)
2000 Austrian Staatsstipendium, BKA, Vienna
2005 Utopie: Freiheit, Verein open mind, 1st Prize, Vienna
2005 PhD Grant; „Cultural Translation in Visual Art“; Austrian Academy of Science, Vienna
2008 Emanuel & Sophie Fohn Stipendium, Fohn Stiftung, Vienna
2008 Rom Recidency, BMUKK, Austrian Ministery for Education, Art and Culture
2009 Theodor Körner Preis, Vienna

SOLO EXHIBITIONS:
2009 Passive Orchestra#2, Ve.Sch Raum für Kunst, Vienna
2008 MAK Depot für Gegenwartskunst, Museum für angewandte Kunst, Wien
2008 INOVA Institute of Visual Arts, Milwaukee, USA Cat.
2007 “Café with sculpture”, Performance; Café Savoy; Vienna
2006 “Movilities“, Künstlerhaus Stuttgart (with FO/GO LAB)
“sonic structure” Performance, Tonspur, Museumsquartier, Vienna
“What´s modern, what´s primitive”, (curated by Ursula Probst), Künstlerhaus passagengalerie, Vienna
2005 “Degrammatical: Language and Rhytmn Transformation” HTTP Gallery, (curated by Tobi Maier), London
2003“selected sound & sculptures 1998-2003”, Galerie 5020, Salzburg, A “Can you talk about it without talking”, Liste 03, Basel (with Galerie Michael Hall)
2002 “Butterfly reached the sound-barrier”, Kibla New Media Center, Maribor, SL
2001 “Cultural tranlslation No. 3”, Kunstbuero, Vienna
“viennese lounge” with the Theremin Foundation, Dom, (curated by Cornelia Offergeld), Moscow
“Hard C.O.R.E“ viennese lounge; Temporary Services, Chicago
2000 “Cultural tranlslation No. 1”, Gallery G.U.N, Oslo“Cultural Translation 2“, Künstlerhaus Klagenfurt (cat.)“viennese lounge 1” in collaboration with Camera Austria, G9 Projectspace, Oslo
1999    “Viennese lounge”, Dock 11, Berlin
1997 „inside outside room/body/head“, Gallery Trabant, Vienna
„walking book“ Institut für Gegenwartskunst, (curated by Ute Meta Bauer), Vienna
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS:
2009 Frei, (Performance) Secession, Vienna
2009 Notes on Overlapping Genres, Museum of Contemporary Art, Detroit USA (upcoming)
Social Sculpture/Cultural Design, Galerie Michael Hall, Vienna
Open Art 7 Galeries aus Wien, (with Galerie Mchael Hall), Rathausgalerie, Munich, Münchner Galerie Initiative
Documenta 12, Collaboration with Ricardo Basbaum, (FO/GO LAB); Kassel, D
“field works”, Remont Gallery, Belgrade, YU
Kunsthaus Mürzzuschlag, A
„Mapping Eu-Region“, (FO/GO LAB); culture center Eupen, BE
DYI, (FO/GO LAB), (curated by Christane Erharter und Sonja Eisermann) IG bildende Kunst, Wien
dc artfair (düsseldorf contemporary/ Galerie Michael Hall), Düsseldorf
Kunstverein Weiden, Weiden, D
“The migrating Museum”, Jan Van Eyck Academy
2006    “protections“, Kunsthaus Graz (curated by Adam Budak / Christine Peters)
Nada, artfair, (Galerie Kosak Hall); Miami
Kunst im Parlament, curated by Peter Pakesch, Vienna
Artissima, (Galerie Kosak Hall); Turin
„Runaway“, Galeria Priestor for Contemporary Arts, Bratislava, SK
ViennaFair, (Galerie Kosak Hall); Vienna
2005 “Wo ist Elise Richter, wo ist…”, University of Vienna
“Transformer“, Fluc, (curated by Probst/Seidel/Wagner), Vienna
“Clouding Europe”, Gandy Gallery, Bratislava
“Utopie und Freiheit”, Kunsthalle Exnergasse, Vienna
ViennaFair, (Galerie Kosak Hall); Vienna
“The Red Thread”, Howard House Gallery, Seattle, WA. USA
“Brutal ornamental”, Galerie Kosak Hall, Vienna
“The Red Thread”, Educational Alliance, New York
2004 “Swap Meet”, Desert Test Site, Joshua Tree, CA (curated by General Store, Milwaukee)
“Sound Studio”, Galeria Priestor for Contemporary Arts, Bratislava, SK
“Born to be a Star”, (curated by Ursula Probst), Künstlerhaus, Vienna
2003 “Sound System“, Salzbuger Kunstverein, (curated by Hildegund Amanshauser / Edek Bartz), Salzburg, A
“high hills“, Kunst im öffentlichen Raum, (curated by Cornelia Offergeld), Krems, A
2002 “Waiting for the Ice Age”, Georg Kargl, Vienna “hear the art“, Kunsthalle Exnergasse, Vienna “The Experiment”, with FO/GO LAB, Secession, Vienna
2001 „Du  bist die Welt“, with FO/GO LAB, Künstlerhaus, Vienna
“First Story-Women Building”, Galerie do Palacio Cristal, Porto
(curated by Ute Meta Bauer)“(untitled) 654321“, Kunsthallen Brandts Klaedefabrik, DK
(curated by Jacob Fabricius & Tommy Lund)
Performance Festival, Odensee, DK “Sollbruchstellen“, Kunst im öffentlichen Raum/UNIKUM University of Klagenfurt, (cat)
2000 “new austrian spotlight”, University Marmara, Istanbul (cat.)
Gallery Rhizom, Aarhus, DK
1999 Kuvataideaktemian Galleria, Helsinki
Künstlerhaus Passagengalerie, Vienna
1998 “come together”, Portfolio Kunst AG, Vienna
1997 “10 Jahre Trabant“, Trabant, Vienna
“2 plateaux”, Mezzanin, Vienna
1993 “ Free Academy Moscow”, curated by Alexander Petlura; Moscow
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY (Published Texts):
Elisabeth Penker, “Non-Linear Structures in Film and Music …”(fem.) Additives” Lautsprecher Verlag, Stuttgart, (Co-Editor with FO/GO Lab)
Elisabeth Penker, “Contact Situations: Language and Rhythm Transformation”, Sound Art supplement, Resonance Magazine, London, 2005 p. 22-29
Elisabeth Penker, “The tactility of sound is the inverse of sculpture” Ursula Probst (editor), Skug Magazine, Vienna 2004

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Georg Leisten, Stuttgarter Nachrichten, FO/GO Lab, Künstlerhaus Stuttgart, p. 35, Feb. 2006
Michael Hall „Brutal Ornamental“, ST/A/R Magazine (projects with Elisabeth Penker, Katja Strunz, Ian Rosen /Minoru Shimizu”, April 2006, Vienna
Ursula Probst, „Indikatoren kultureller Spielräume“, artmagazine, Vienna, 20. Dec. 2005
Dagmar Buchta, „Wo ist Elise Richter, wo ist ...?“, die Standard, 17. November 2005
Diana Baldon, “critics picks: Elisabeth Penker,” Artforum, June 2005
Elise Richmann, “The Red Thread”, Seattle Weekly, March 2005
Michaela Hafner, „Anonyme Wissenschafterin im Arkadenhof“, Die Universität Online, am 23. Nov. 2005
Dieter Buchhart, Born to be star, Kunstforum, September 2004
Johanna Hofleitner, “Review: Born to be a Star”, artmagazine.cc, 07/2004
Christian Höller, „Sound System“, Springerin, issue 3/03 p. 85-86
Antje Mayer, „An oder Aus?“, Kunstzeitung Nr. 85, Sept. 2003 p.27
Johanna Hofleitner, “Kunstraum”, Die Presse (Wien), 27. November 2003
Almuth Spiegler, “Mutig und total relaxed”, Die Presse (Vienna), 24. July 2003
Ursula Probst, “hear the art”, artmagazine.cc, 06/2002
Katy Depwell & Ute Meta Bauer, n.paradoxa “Rethinking Revolution”, Vol. 10, 2002, p. 73
Jacob Fabricius & Tommy Lund, “untitled 654321”, Kunsthalle Brands, 2001 p.57-61
Michael Hall, “Elisabeth Penker”, Camera Austria, issue #76, 2001, p.66-67
Nicole Scheyerer, Review: “C.T/3”, Falter #26/01, Vienna p.70

RADIO Contributions:
2005Twen Fm 104.1, Night Academy, edited by Joulia Strauss
De-Grammatical: Rhythm and Language Transformation, Berlin
2005 Radio Orange, Sound Sculptures by Elisabeth Penker, edited by Rainer Wagnus, Vienna
2004 Resonance fm104.3, live from the Frieze Art Fair, (curated by Tobi Maier) London
2004 EX TEMPORE 43 +PLUS, Channel 5 Channel 5, www.radioart.sk, Bratislava

AUDIOGRAPHY:
2005 De-Grammatical: Language and Rhythm Transformation, DVD 12 min, HTTP Gallery London
2003 Selected Sound + Sculpture 1998-2003, Galerie 5020 + Michael Hall, Wien ed. 100, 71 min.
2003 Sound System, DVD, Salzburger Kunstverein
2001 (untitled) 654321, Kunsthallen Brandts, DK, CD distributed by Pork Salad Press
2001 C.T/3, Vienna, 5.49 min
2000-01C.T/2 (cultural translation), Vienna, 32.07 min
2000 C.T (cultural translation), Oslo - Vienna, 50.24 min
1999 Groupie Talk, Experimental Sound Studio Chicago, 14.34 min
1998-99 Channel 5 Channel 5 (Filter is colourblind), Maestro-Matic, Chicago - Vienna, 69.21 min
1998 O. T. Aussenbeschallung, Oslo - Vienna, 15.37 min

CONCERTS/PERFORMANCES:
2008 Emty Bottle Club, Chicago with Isiah Spencer (upcoming)
2006 Tonspur, Museumsquartier, Vienna (solo)
Live/Not Live, fluc, Colore Blind, Vienna
2005 Birdland, Vienna (with Celia Mare)
Passagengalerie/Künstlerhaus, (with Nina Erber, Peter Szely), Vienna
XXY sonic structure, Fluc in Exil, Planetarium, Vienna (solo)
HTTP Gallery, London, (solo)
2004 Untitled Instrument (Die Bildhauerin), Künstlerhaus, Vienna
Lange Nacht der Musik, Passagengalerie/Künstlerhaus, Colore Blind, Vienna
Club Bastard, Colore Blind, Berlin
Fluc, Colore Blind & Crinkum Crankum
2002 Cafe Concerto, Colore Blind „20th century of divan“, drums (D.Goldfarb), guitar&vocals (M.Guttmann), bass (C.Klettner), keyboard&vocals (E.Penker), 37min, Wien
Kunsthalle Exnergasse, Colore Blind, drums (D.Goldfarb), guitar&vocals (M.Guttmann), keyboard&vocals (E.Penker), 37min, 2001, Wien
2001 Kunstbüro, Colore Blind, drums (D.Goldfarb), bass (C.Klettner), keyboard, &vocals (E.Penker)
“Hard C.O.R.E“ with viennese lounge & Isiah Spencer; Temporary Services, Chicago

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About her work „de-grammatical“
With the language composition “de-grammatical”, Penker attempts to create both space for a colonial consciousness of Europe’s past and a utopian realm for a new understanding of the variety and diversity of cultural expressions in contemporary art and music. The structure of the composition “de-grammatical” is based on the grammatical division of languages, which are deconstructed into phonetic minimal units; the composition is performed via a non-linear five-canal matrix.
Penker examines possible overlaps between the language of music and pictorial structure, with her main focus on the five-tone language Mandarin. Only in recent times, in the post-colonial period, has the discourse of cultural translation returned to issues that had already been taken up by the phonetic experiments of Dadaism in the 1910s and 1920s and later on, by 1960s and 1970s concept art.
At the opening event of “intercity”, Elisabeth Penker will perform live on her instrument “Sonic Structure”, which is an integral part of the choreography of her composition “de-grammatical”. This instrument vaguely resembles a keyboard and is made of wood and industrial materials. All sounds produced with this device are amplified by means of a series of microphones mounted at different room heights, which enables the artist to create music. Her appreciation of Luigi Russolo’s “The Art of Noise” and Jack Foley’s recording methods for movie soundtracks allows her to find a vocabulary for rhythms and language transformations. With an orchestra that – although solely composed of instruments made from industrial materials – is able to tap forces embedded in the most differentiated sound structure of all – language –, Penker clearly succeeds in restating an old formula of avant-garde. (Text: Adam Budak)

Kontakt
elpenker@gmx.at

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Artists
Nannue Tipitier (Thailand), Kyoka (Japan/Germany), Daito Manabe (Japan), Stereotyp & Cee (Austria) feat. AraByrd (Malaysia), Sonicbrat (Singapur), 8gg (China), Heri Dono (Indonesia), Tri Minh & DJ Kruise (Vietnam), Elsa Okazaki (Japan/Austria), VJ Azz (Taiwan/Austria), Nuphlo (India/UK), Constanze Ruhm (Austria), Coconami feat. Ferdl Schuster (Japan/Germany), Klangküche (Austria), Pinie Wang (China/Austria), Belki (Russia), Albert Rivkin (Russia), DJ Kulisch (Austria), Ganzha (Kazakhstan), Park Modern (Russia), ANTIPHoDES (Russia), Elisabeth Penker (Austria), Susanne Rogenhofer (Austria), Tran Vu Van Anh (Vietnam), Eun Jung Yim (South Korea/Austria), Ami Han (South Korea/Austria)Hilery Tsui (Hong Kong/Austria), Jun Yang (China/Austria)and others