Kiesler Prize 2006

Kiesler Prize 2006 - Olafur Eliasson

Laureate of the 5th Austrian Frederick Kiesler Prize for Architecture and the Arts 2006: OLAFUR ELIASSON

This year’s Frederick Kiesler Prize for Architecture and the Arts goes to the Danish artist Olafur Eliasson. Elisabeth Gehrer, Austrian Federal Minister of Education, Science and Culture, will present the Prize on 7th, June 2006 at 7 p.m. in the audience hall of the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Culture in Vienna.

The Euro 55,000 Kiesler Prize is presented alternately by the Republic of Austria and the City of Vienna every two years for extraordinary achievements in architecture and the arts that relate to Frederick Kiesler’s experimental, innovative attitudes and his theory of ‘correlated arts’.

“The jury acknowledges Olafur Eliasson as an artist whose interdisciplinary approach and many years of international activity constitute a comprehensive realignment in relations between the art work and the viewer in the sphere of nature, culture, architecture and art. On the basis of scientific studies and models of philosophy and perception theory, Olafur Eliasson creates complex, sensible modellings of the parameters of time and space … very much in line with the inspiring, comprehensive work concept of Frederick Kiesler …”

Statement of the jury 2006: Monica Bonvicini, Peter Cook, Gregor Eichinger, Marco De Michelis and Eckhard Schneider

Kiesler Prize Jury 2006
Kiesler Prize Jury 2006

“Austria is a cultural country with an important cultural heritage and strong creative potential in music, visual arts, in architecture as well as in the performing arts. We promote This rich cultural and creative work is massive in Austria and with annual per capita expenditure by the public sector for culture of almost 240 euros are among the European front runners </ strong> n. For example, we invest twice as much in culture as Germany or Italy, for example. The Kiesler Prize awarded today is an essential part of this public commitment to art and culture in Austria: It is not only an internationally very renowned award, but with 55,000 euros it is also the most highly endowed award for architecture and art. I am delighted that Olafur Eliasson is a Artist awarded the Kiesler Prize 2006 whose work is one of the most exciting in contemporary art. His creative examination of natural phenomena challenges the viewer’s critical awareness and encourages them to think about the importance of the design of the living environment for society. “

Federal minister Elisabeth Gehrer on the Kiesler Prize 2006


Exhibition: OLAFUR ELIASSON – THE ENDLESS STUDY

Location: Kiesler Foundation Vienna, Mariahilferstr. 1b, 1060 Vienna Opening: Wednesday, June 7th 2006, 5 p.m. Time of Exhibit: June 8th till October 3rd, 2006

At the opening of the exhibition Olafur Eliasson speaks about studies of perception and spatial interventions at the interface of art and architecture.

The Kiesler Foundation Vienna shows Eliasson’s drafting machine “2D- Harmonograph” from the project “The endless study” – which allows to translate the rhythm of pendulums into images. The form-finding process, as visualized in this model, can be seen as an initial point which opens up hitherto undiscovered spaces of action and intervention in art and architecture.

A catalogue is being published in cooperation with Aedes Berlin. On June 2nd, 2006, Aedes opens its new exhibition spaces on Pfefferberg in Berlin with “Olafur Eliasson. Mediating Space – A Laboratory“.


Biography Olafur Eliasson

born in 1967 in Copenhagen. Studies at the Royal Danish Academy of Art in Copenhagen. He moved to Germany in 1993. Since 1995 he has been running his laboratory at the studio in Berlin.

www.olafureliasson.net