MARTHA JUNGWIRTH

Visual artist

Born on January 15, 1940, in Vienna. She studied at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna from 1956 to 1963, where she also taught from 1967 to 1977. In 1968, she formed the group “Wirklichkeiten” (Realities) with Franz Ringel, Peter Pongratz, Wolfgang Herzig, Robert Zeppel-Sperl, and Kurt Kocherscheidt. The group advocated a more socially relevant, realistic style of painting as opposed to the Informel movement, which was dominant internationally at the time. Jungwirth herself, however, always worked at the boundary between abstract and representational painting. After these initial successes in the 1960s, Martha Jungwirth lived in New York for several months but then returned to Austria. From 1969 until his death in 1990, she was married to the art historian and museum director Alfred Schmeller. From 1991 to 1993, she taught at the summer academies in Salzburg and Berlin. Jungwirth's works have been shown in major exhibitions on several occasions, including documenta 6 and 7. Watercolor is at the center of her work.

In her work, Jungwirth does not aim to depict reality, but rather paints her experience of reality, her perception. That is why she paints quickly, spontaneously, and with concentration, because nothing in life lasts forever. The bold colors that dominate Martha Jungwirth's works convey her feelings and are what remain of her memories of what she has seen. According to Wieland Schmied, the artist's sensitivity to the interplay of colors borders on a miracle that one must see and see again in order to believe in its possibility. No details are emphasized, and what is important to Martha Jungwirth can only be experienced through prolonged observation, contemplation, and meditation.

Awards (Selection)
2018 Oskar-Kokoschka-Prize
2016 Klocker-Award
2012 Austrian Decoration of Honour for Science and Art
1986 Visual Arts Prize, City of Vienna
1982 Visual Arts Prize, Federal Ministry for Education and Art
1966 Joan-Miró-Prize
1964 Theodor Körner Prize

Solo exhibitions (Selection)
2018 Martha Jungwirth. Kunstmuseum Ravensburg
2018 Martha Jungwirth. Albertina, Vienna
2016 Art Basel Miami Beach Kabinett, Miami
2016 Frieze Masters Spotlight: Martha Jungwirth, London
2014 Martha Jungwirth - Retrospektive. Kunsthalle Krems
1999 Malfluchten. Museum Moderner Kunst, Stiftung Wörlen, Passau
1994 Spittelauer Lände. Museum der Moderne Salzburg, Rupertinum
1991 For Alfred Schmeller's Sake (Alfred Schmeller zuliebe). Museum der Moderne Salzburg, Rupertinum
1976 Hausfrauenmaschinen. Museum des 20. Jahrhunderts, Vienna

Group exhibitions (Selection)
2018 Surface Work. Victoria Miro, London
2017 Specular Windows. Reflections on the Self and the Wider World. Belvedere 21, Vienna
2017 Vienna New Acquisitions & Contemporary Art. Albertina, Vienna
2017 Oh... Jakob Lena Knebl and the mumok Collection. mumok, Vienna
2016 Painting 2.0: Expression in the Information Age. mumok, Vienna
2016 The collection: classics, discoveries and new positions (Die Sammlung: Klassiker, Entdeckungen und neue Positionen). LENTOS Kunstmuseum, Linz
2015 Expressionism - The Collection from Kokoschka to Anzinger. Museum der Moderne Salzburg, Rupertinum
2015 Realities (Wirklichkeiten). Museum Liaunig, Neuhaus
2014 The Other View. Collector and Artist (Die andere Sicht. Sammlerin und Künstlerin). Essl Museum, Klosterneuburg
2012 Drawing the Line. Collected #3. Bank Austria Kunstforum, Vienna
2011 Focus: Abstraction. Works from the Essl collection (Focus: Abstraktion. Werke aus der Sammlung Essl). Essl Museum, Klosterneuburg
2010 Tradition und Avantgarde. Museum Liaunig, Neuhaus
2008 Opening presentation (Eröffnungspräsentation). Museum Liaunig, Neuhaus
2006 tresor 002-06. Abstract Papers. BA-CA Kunstforum, Vienna
2005 The Spirit of Pop. LENTOS Kunstmuseum, Linz
2004 That bodies speak has been known for a long time (Dass die Körper sprechen, auch das wissen wir seit langem). Generali Foundation, Vienna
2004 Paula’s Home. LENTOS Kunstmuseum, Linz
2002 Praise Of Painting. Main Works Of The Group "Wirklichkeiten" (Lob der Malerei – Hauptwerke der Gruppe „Wirklichkeiten“). Kunsthaus Wien
1999 Century of Women (Das Jahrhundert der Frauen). Länderbank-Kunstforum, Vienna
1972 Martha Jungwirth, Franz Ringel. Secession, Vienna
1970 Tio Österrikare. Vikingsberg Kunstmuseum, Helsingborg
1969 Art critics present: Realities (Kunstkritiker stellen vor: Wirklichkeiten). Galerie im Taxis-Palais, Innsbruck
1968 Realities (Wirklichkeiten). Secession, Vienna