*1972 in Lübeck, D

Graphic Design Studies
Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaft und Kunst/HAWK, Hildesheim
Institute of Art, Design & Technology/IADT, Dublin

Starting from drawing, Olaf Osten reworks various operational elements of our everyday life, such as digital tablets, calendars, maps, window curtains or stamps, and asks whether our communication and orientation structures are really always useful to us. The resulting objects refer thematically to freedom,
nature and social contexts.

Olaf Osten’s works have been shown in numerous international exhibitions and are owned by the Wien Museum, the International Peace Institute, the Complexity Science Hub Vienna and the Vienna Chamber of Labor, among others. 2024 he was commissioned by the City of Vienna/Vienna Museum with the mural design of the entrance hall in the new Prater Museum. In 2022 he was a scholarship holder of the Austrian Foreign Ministry/Cultural Department in Sarajevo, in 2018 Austria’s representative in exhibitions on the occasion of Bulgaria’s EU Council Presidency in Sofia (Commuting 2018, National Gallery) and in 2013 Ireland’s in Dublin (Caleidoscope, Farmleigh Gallery). In 2012, together with Ernst Logar, he received the State Prize for Austria’s Most Beautiful Books.

As part of numerous collaborations, Olaf Osten’s work has also been published by various Viennese cultural and academic institutions, including Wiener Festwochen Impulstanz festival, mumok, Literaturmuseum/ÖNB, La Fonte-Festival di Letteratura Italiana, Vienna Humanities Festival.

Exhibitions

2025
Between Homes, Favorite Fall Festival, Das LOT/Ankerbrotfabrik, Wien, A
Parallel Vienna, with Pablo Chiereghin & Alberto Storari, Vienna, A
DigiDic, Digital Self-Defence, Volkskundemuseum Graz, A
Hier/Qui, Festival di Letteratura Italiana, Odeon Theatre, Vienna, A

2024
Wiener Lichtblicke 2024/Water, Vienna, A
Parallel Vienna, with Pablo Chiereghin & Alberto Storari, Vienna, A
Art & Science, Complexity Science Hub, Vienna, A

2023
Wiener Lichtblicke 2023/Democracy, Vienna, A
A smart view on art, Künstlerhaus Klagenfurt, A
The Distance View, Historical Museum of Bosnia & Herzegovina, Sarajevo, BIH
On the Road again, Künstlerhaus Vienna, A
Blind Spots #2, Kunstverein Perchtoldsdorf/Vienna, A

2022
Home Sweet Home (Solo), Vilsonovo Park/Austrian Cultural Forum Sarajevo, BIH
Blind Spots #1, Galerie Frewein-Kazakbaev, Vienna, A

2021
Earth & Water, MUDS, Triest, I
Zeitsprung, Galerie Loft8, Vienna, A
International Community (Solo), WUK, Vienna, A
Offline (Solo), Servitenkloster, Vienna, A
Utopias and Apocalypses, Literaturmuseum der ÖNB, Vienna, A
Think global, draw local (Solo), Sobieskiplatz, Vienna, A

2020
But Beautiful (Solo), Interspot Film, Vienna, A
Da Capo laut und leise, Kunstraum Arcade, Vienna, A

2019
Arbeit, Leben, Kunst/NöART 2019, Schüttkasten Allentsteig, Gemeindeamt Yspertal und Zeitbrücke-Museum Gars am Kamp, A
Parallel Vienna, inSITU, Vienna, A
viennacontemporary, Verlag für moderne Kunst, Vienna, A

2018
Pendeln 2018-c (Solo), FRISE Künstlerhaus Hamburg, D
Pendeln 2018-b (Solo), Universität Klagenfurt, A
Commuting 2018-a (Solo), National Gallery Sofia. BG
Fishbowl, Raumstation, Vienna, A
Connected by, Jan Arnold Galerie MQ, Wien, A
10 Minutes Shi(f)t, Kunsthalle Exnergasse im WUK, Vienna, A

2017
Drawing Now No. 11, Paris, F
Luxury Desasters, photo:vienna, MAK, Vienna, A
Paint Additives, Österreichisches Kulturforum Prag, CZ
Art Bodensee, Dornbirn / Galerie Bäckerstrasse4 Vienna, A
43 Visions for Complexity (Solo), Complexity Science Hub Vienna, Vienna, A

2016
Plan B–Z (Solo), Wiener Festwochen 2014–16, Projektraum M. Faber, Vienna, A
Gebiet (Solo), Bildraum 07, Vienna, A

2015
Mature and Angry, Centre of Contemporary Art, Plovdiv, BG
Olaf Osten und Judith Saupper, Galerie Bäckerstrasse, Berlin, D
Mind the Gap II, Galerie Bäckerstrasse4, Vienna, A

2014
Timeless Signs, Austrian Cultural Forum, London, UK
Pendeln 2014 (Solo), Galerie Bäckerstrasse4, Vienna, A
No Regrets, Künstlerhaus Vienna, A

2013
Mind the Gap I, Radiator Gallery, New York, USA
Content Art 2013, Karlsplatz, Vienna, A
Caleidoscope, Contemporary Art from EU Member States, Farmleigh Gallery, Dublin, IRL
Geschälte Zeit, Museum auf Abruf, Magazin Datum, Vienna, A

2012
Zeit(lose) Zeichen, Künstlerhaus Vienna, A
Fernsehen 2012 (Solo), Kosegartenhaus Altenkirchen, Insel Rügen, D
Lang Osten Saupper, Galerie Bäckerstrasse4, Vienna, A

2010
FFFOktoberfest, Mohr-Villa, Munich, D
Galerie Atrium ed Arte, mit Judith Saupper, Vienna, A
OpenArt 2010, Summerstage Rossauerlände, Vienna, A
10 Jahre Campus Cultur, Donau-Universität Krems, A

2009
Orizon–Wie weit kann ich denn sehen?, Kunstkumpel Waldhausen e.V., A

2008
Fernsehen 2008 (Solo), Galerie Franzke, Vienna, A

2007
Fernsehen 2007-II (Solo), Galerie Tornado am Ostkreuz, Berlin, D
Fernsehen 2007-I (Solo), Campus Cultur, Donau Universität Krems, A
Liste Köln, Galerie Franzke Wien, Cologne, D
Townscapes-Stadtbilder, Hotel Kunsthof, Vienna, A

2006
Fernsehen 2006, Galerie Franzke, Vienna, A
Europe 2006 / Deutschland-Beitrag, Museum für junge Kunst / Moya, Vienna, A

2005
Fernsehen 2005 (Solo), Katalog, Gugler Forum Melk, A

2004
Art Position, Vienna, A
Art Frankfurt, Galerie Lang Wien, Frankfurt/M, D
Kahnweilerpreis-Nominierungen, D
Kunstforen Nationalparks Harz und Eifel, D

2003
Taxi 01 - Malerei 2003, Waidhofen/Ybbs, A
Te Huur - Raumforschung, Vienna, A
Art Frankfurt, Galerie Lang Wien, Frankfurt/M, D
Weltensichten, Soho in Ottakring, Vienna, A
Fernsehen über Wien und hinaus (Solo), Beckmanngasse 53, Vienna, A
Caribbean Winter, Art Phalanx, MuseumsQuartier Vienna, A

2002
Flüchtig Daheim, Soho in Ottakring, Vienna, A
Te Huur - 8., Beletage, Vienna, A

Hauptinhalt

CV