White lies | Caroline Heider

06.11.2007, 7 p.m.:
Welcome address and introduction: Matthias Herrmann
Introduction: Diana Baldon

MP3 (6.06 min - 4,2 MB ) Matthias Herrmann
MP3 (3.32 min - 2,4 MB) Diana Baldon

07.11.2007, 4 p.m.:
Caroline Heider in conversation with Andreas Spiegl, Vice-Rector for Teaching and Research at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna

Heider's versatile practice is critically responsive to the cultural context it is presented in. Her ongoing photo series "Faltbilder" formally mimics the style of commercial photography used in fashion and advertising. However, her images are altered by folds as those in clothing that hide the subjects from the camera eye. As a result, subject matters vacillate, transfigured to the point to become grotesque, a process that confuses the hierarchical order between foreground and background, making viewers aware of how this governs space in images. The exhibition centres on Heider's interest in the famous character of Collodi's children novel. Differently from Pinocchio's habit to deceive for no reason, Heider's works refer to harmless lies that extend to a cultural history according to which images are no longer produced to convince - and for that matter, to lie - but to impress. Readapting the end of Pinocchio's story, she incorporates the material properties of the Demoraum, piercing through its wooden structure with a nose stretched to a tree branch. (DB)

Caroline Heider
Born 1978 in Munich, lives in Vienna
Education | 1998-2000 art history at lmu munich and University of Vienna | since 2001 University of Music and Perfoming Art Vienna – Filmacademy | since 2003 Academy of Fine Arts Vienna (Eva Schlegel, Matthias Herrmann and Josephine Pryde) | 2007 Glasgow School of Art

Exhibition (selection) | 2004 Museum in Progress "Standard Museum", Hauptbibliothek "Licht:Gürtel Wettbewerb" | 2005 Projektstipendium des Bundeskanzleramts, Diagonale Festival des österreichischen Films, Bawag-Kunstfoyer – Brot und Rosen (Frauenpositionen), Betonsalon Paris "étiquette", Krinzinger Projekte "I can see clearly now" and "Leica Wettbewerb auf der Suche nach Bresson", Kunsthalle Krems "Real – junges Österreich" | 2006 Kunsthaus Graz "Erzählun- gen -35/65+", Palais Lichtenstein (Feldkirch) "Forma Corporis" | 2007 Blickwechsel, Museum Moderner Kunst Kärnten, Displaced-Junge Fotografie Wien-, Fotohof Salzburg , from 27.11.2007