Walter Seidl's artistic work deals with the transition of narrative, photography-based structures into proto-filmic scenarios. The ephemeral notions of the subjects' encounters in Seidl's photography allude to stories, which are open to a number of possible interpretations but always derive from the artist's personal relationships. The models in Seidl's photographs are mostly close friends whose lives are taken as the starting point for further reflection. The traditional medium in which Seidl presents his work are slide installations with sound, where real and fictional realms mingle in order to hint at the present conditions of life with its socio-political impacts.
— Ursula Maria Probst, Vienna
Marina Gržinić:
Unexpectedly (de-)fictionalized
Ursula Maria Probst:
Post-Gender Reality Slideshow
Walter Seidl's artistic work deals with the transition of narrative, photography-based structures into proto-filmic scenarios. The ephemeral notions of the subjects' encounters in Seidl's photography allude to stories, which are open to a number of possible interpretations but always derive from the artist's personal relationships. The models in Seidl's photographs are mostly close friends whose lives are taken as the starting point for further reflection. The traditional medium in which Seidl presents his work are slide installations with sound, where real and fictional realms mingle in order to hint at the present conditions of life with its socio-political impacts.
— Ursula Maria Probst, Vienna
Marina Gržinić:
Unexpectedly (de-)fictionalized
Ursula Maria Probst:
Post-Gender Reality Slideshow
Walter Seidl was born in Graz, Austria, and is based in Vienna. He works as an artist, writer and curator. Seidl earned a PhD in contemporary cultural history after having studied at Graz University, Seattle University (photography), CUNY and Sorbonne Nouvelle.
His artistic and curatorial work focuses on photography and lens-based media, dealing with the transformation of image politics and the identity constellations inherent therein. Seidl is board member of the magazine and exhibition venue Camera Austria in Graz, the 100th issue of which he co-edited in 2007. He has realized numerous exhibition projects throughout Europe, North America and Japan.