ONCE UPON A TIME THERE WAS LIFE, DONKEY, 2026
| Height | 25 cm |
|---|---|
| Width | 25 cm |
Das Leben ist eine Reise durch die Zeit,
Zeit, die uns am Anfang endlos erscheint.
Bald spüren wir, wie sich das Rad der Zeit immer schneller dreht,
immer schneller und dann wieder langsamer wird.
Dann ganz plötzlich und still erlischt das Licht, das einst so hell zu leuchten begann.
Dieselben Fragen,
dieselben kleinen und großen Dinge,
die uns bewegen,
verbinden uns über Zeit und Raum hinweg.
Die Serie erinnert daran, im Jetzt zu leben
und jeden Augenblick bewusst zu feiern.
In Schachteln und Umschlägen bleiben Bilder zurück. Fotografien von Menschen, von Momenten, von Leben, die einmal gegenwärtig waren. Sie erzählen von beiläufigen Tagen und von Augenblicken, von denen wir uns wünschten, sie würden nie vergehen.
ES WAR EINMAL DAS LEBEN basiert auf gefundenen Fotografien aus Flohmärkten und Nachlässen, archiviert in einer persönlichen Sammlung der Künstlerin. Die Fotografien wirken wie kleine Zeitkapseln, physische Objekte, die vergangene Momente und die Zeit, in der sie entstanden sind, bewahren. Und doch wirken sie auf der persönlichen Ebene zeitlos.
Heute, in Zeiten digitaler Bilder, die teilweise manipuliert oder künstlich geschaffen werden, könnten uns die klaren Spuren dessen, was wirklich geschah, entgleiten.
Jedes Bild der Serie ist ein Unikat. Die Fotocollagen sind auf Museumskarton kaschiert, signiert auf der Rückseite und werden mit einem Echtheitszertifikat geliefert.
Maria-Magdalena Ianchis
, born in 1982 in Cluj, Romania, lives and works in Reykjavik and Vienna.
In 1990, following the fall of the Ceaușescu regime, she emigrated to Austria with her family as a political refugee.
EDUCATION
2019 Diploma from the University of Applied Arts Vienna, Department of Fine Arts, Photography, under the supervision ofProf. Gabrielle Rothemann
2018 Master of Fine Arts from the Academy of the Arts Iceland under Bryndis Snaebjornsdottir
2007 Apprenticeship qualification in metalworking at WIFI Salzburg
SHORT
BIOGRAPHY
Maria
-Magdalena Ianchis is a multimedia artist who works with photography, video, object art, costume, installation, performance, sound and participatory formats. Since childhood, she has practised lucid dreaming, which she experiences as a boundless way of thinking in which everything imaginable becomes possible.
This approach has a significant influence on her artistic practice and enables her to interweave dream worlds, mythology and physical reality.
At the heart of her work lies an exploration of the relationship between humans and nature, which she
understands
not as separate elements
but as parts of a larger, living organism.
In contrast to this
,
she examines humanity’s relationship with the artificial, as well as our transience.
For her, everything is interwoven and interconnected; nothing stands alone.
MEMBER
of the Living Art Museum Reykjavík
COLLECTIONS (selection)
Arendt, Luxembourg
Esther Atter
Private
collectionsSCHOLARSHIPS
AND NOMINATIONS (selection)
2025 Nominated for the St. Leopold Peace
Prize2021 Nominated for the European Month of Photography Arendt Award 20212020
Nominated for the St. Leopold Peace
Prize2013–2018 Self-Sustaining Artists’ Grant, Vienna Scholarship
Office2017–2018 Overseas Scholarship, Vienna Scholarship Office
2016 European Forum Alpbach, working scholarship
2016 University of Applied Arts,
merit-based
scholarship
2016 University of Applied Arts, overseas scholarship
EXHIBITIONS AND SCREENINGS (Selection)
2025
Gallery, Base AT4, Vienna, Austria (coming in October)
24 ½, Gabriele Rothemann, Photography Department, Atelier Augarten Vienna
On the Blue Planet, Long Night of Museums, Colegul Academic UBB, Cluj, Romania
EUTOPIA International Symposium on Science, Art & Community, Cluj, RomaniaGod
and Money, Musem, Neuburg Abbey, Austria, Annual
Exhibition2024
A Yellow Dream 02, Hamraborg Festival 2024, Iceland
A Yellow Dream 01, Litla Gallerý, Hafnarfjörður, Iceland
Rolling Snowball 17, ARS LONGA’s Contemporary Art Museum, Djúpivogur,
Iceland2023
Oculus Photo Festival, Bugno Art Gallery, VeniceArt Auction
, Art for Children, Prunksälen of the Albertina,
ViennaIf you go, I wanna go with you, Bräuhasgasse 21, Vienna
FLÆÐI in collaboration with “Menningarnótt” ,
Iceland2022
Torg, Art Fair, Reykjavik 2022, Iceland
Corralation, SÍM Salur, Reykjavik,
IcelandGallery Kannski, Reykjavik,
IcelandFLÆÐI exhibition at RUSL fest 2022, Gufunes, Iceland
FOTO Vienna, Festival Headquarters: Atelier Augarten,
Vienna2021
Parallel Vienna, Studio 3, Vienna
IMAGO, MUSEU DA ÁGUA, Lisbon
Rethinking Nature/Rethinking Landscape EMOPLUX, Arndt House, Luxembourg
; Rethinking Nature/Rethinking Landscape, CERCLE CITÉ, Luxembourg
; Was Leid tut, Sala terrena Gallery, Neuburg Abbey, Austria;
2020
Keep on doing Art, Showrooms Karlsplatz, Vienna
2019
Graduation Exhibition, Transparent Dreams, University of Applied Arts, Vienna
2018
Photography Exhibition, Arti Visive Gallery, Matera, Italy
Unicorn tears and big desires, Llorar Art Gallery, Mexico City
Stukav Brischko – As intimacy, Galerie G99, Brno, Czech
Republic; ‘Myndlist Hönnun Fine Art’, Gerðarsafn Kópavogur Art Museum, Reykjavik;
‘Bable Radio 101.1FM’ broadcast / performance, The Living Art Museum, Reykjavik
; ‘Let’s get lucid’, RÝMD, Reykjavik
2017
Magdalena used her time to enter hidden spaces – Einar Örn used his time to liten,
Kubburinn, Reykjavik
2016
the turtle, Chongqing–Vienna, Heiligenkreuzer Hof, Vienna, curated by PRINZpod
Closer inspection reveals, Eyes On / Vienna Photography Month, Mican Offspace
Glance, Eyes On / Vienna Photography Month, Heiligenkreuzer Hof, Vienna
Open House, University of Applied Arts, Vienna
Tools of Enlightenment, European Forum Alpbach 2016, Tyrol
Essence, Annual Exhibition, University of Applied Arts, Alte Post, Vienna
Singular Galerie Z, Hard
Organhaus, Chongqing, China
Videodrom, curated by Anna Jermolaewa, Photography,
Vienna2015
I moved on until I went back, Blockfrei Curators, Vienna
Open House, University of Applied Arts, Vienna Konvolut21, Ho-Gallery, Vienna
Essence Annual Exhibition, University of Applied Arts, Künstlerhaus,
Vienna2014
Pretty Raw, group exhibition, Eyes On / European Month of Photography, Vienna
In Search of the Failed Image, curated by Timm Ulrichs, Vienna
Cabin #99 23-hour show, Yosemite National Park, USA
In an Other Dark Room, short film festival curated by Nikolaus Geyrhalter,
Gartenbaukino,
Vienna
PUBLICATIONS (selection)
2020 *Was Leid tut*, exhibition catalogue, Stift Kloster Neuburg
2020, April issue, Vor Magazin, pages 34–35
2019 *Aperto per ferie*, a publication on the study trip by students from the
Photography
class
led by Prof. Gabriele Rothemann to Matera in October 2018.
2016–17 Season Programme, Volkstheater, pp. 4
2–
43
2016 Eyes on, Vienna Photography Month, EMPO European Month of Photography, Pages 122
–
123, 2
0
1
6 #96 Eikon International Magazine for Photography and Media Art, 46–47,
2015 Bilding, Photography at the University of Applied Arts Vienna 2007–2014. Pages 554–555
2014 #88 Eikon, International Magazine for Photography and Media Art, Pages 46–47
Other artworks by the artist
