Nela Eggenberger studied Art History at the University of Vienna. Since 2013 she has been Chief Editor of EIKON–International Magazine for Photography and Media Art, a quality international quarterly established in 1991 and published by the Austrian Institute of Photography and Media Art (Österreichisches Institut für Photographie und Medienkunst), which she is directing as well.

As the Artistic Director she is also responsible for programming further activities of the institute (among them EIKON Schauraum, Edition EIKON, EIKON publications).

She has been a juror for various photo prizes and artist-in-residence programs. Beyond that she realizes exhibitions with a focus on photo-related art and projects with Studio Eggenberger.


Based in Vienna, AT




TEXTS AND TALKS


Selected Essays

  • Culture versus Unculture: Nick Block’s Oil Paintings, in: Ten by Ten, FotoFest exh.cat., Houston 2022
  • In the Green Box: Felicity Hammond’s Brave New World, in: EIKON #112 (11/2020)
  • ab_bilden: Drei fotografische Reaktionen auf Hans Hollein, text written with Jan Stradtmann, in: Kosmos Österreich #65, Austrian Cultural Forum Berlin 2020
  • Jürgen Klauke: Formalisation of Boredom, 1980/81, in: EXIT #76 (11/2019)
  • Jaakko Kahilaniemi: 100 Hectares of Understanding, in: EIKON #99 (9/2017)
  • Ephemeral Fictions: On Photographs by Noémie Goudal, in: EIKON #96 (11/2016)


    • Selected Interviews

  • Fueling the Rocket So That It Ignites: The Launch of the Foto Arsenal Wien, interview with Felix Hoffmann, in: EIKON #120 (11/2022)
  • Breaking Taboos as an Elixir of Life: Margot Pilz, in: EIKON #116 (11/2021)
  • I have the opportunity of celebrating my birthday next year: VALIE EXPORT in conversation, in: EIKON #110/111 (9/2020)
  • No preconceived images in mind, interview with Michael Höpfner, in: mqw.at (12/5/2020)
  • From Vision to Institution: 40 Years of Ars Electronica, interview with Gerfried Stocker, EIKON #107 (9/2019)
  • There’s this faith, that photography will solve some problems in the world, interview with Valter Ventura, in: mqw.at (8/2/2019)
  • 150 Years of University of Applied Arts Vienna: A Conversation with Gerald Bast and Patrick Werkner, in: EIKON #99 (9/2017)


    • Selected Talks

  • Roundtable: State of the Art(ist), panel discussion with Christl Baur, Nela Eggenberger, Simon Mraz and Gerfried Stocker, (VIENNA ART WEEK, 24/11/2022)
  • Aus den Institutionen II: Fotografische Sammlungen in Österreich – Wie eng ist das Feld der Kunst gesteckt, oder: Wie weit reicht die Fotografie?, as part of FOTO WIEN Symposium: Wie hältst du’s mit dem Material? Vom Umgang mit Fotografie(n), moderation of the panel discussion with Kurt Kaindl, Walter Moser, Gerald Piffl, Thorsten Sadowsky, Alfred Weidinger (FOTO WIEN, Atelier Augarten, Vienna, 18/3/2022)
  • Stillleben. Ein Genre erfindet sich neu?, moderation of the panel discussion with Manuel Gorkiewicz and Bettina Leidl (viennacontemporary, 28/9/2018)
  • WOMEN WHO WORRY, moderation of the panel discussion on the occasion of the International Women’s Day with Margot Pilz and Ursula Maria Probst (Künstlerhaus Wien, Vienna, 8/3/2018)
  • Young + creative = successful... and then?, moderation of the talk with Gabriele Schor and Karin Fisslthaler (viennacontemporary, 22/9/2017)
  • On Publishing (Photography) II, panel discussion with Arno Gisinger, Abigail Solomon-Godeau, Sabine Weier and Nela Eggenberger (Les Rencontres de la photographie, Arles, 7/7/2017)
  • On Publishing (Photography) I, lecture (Le Bal, Paris, 4/5/2017)




    • PROJECTS


    Selected Exhibitions

  • ab_bilden (de_pict): Gregor Eggenberger, Claudia Larcher, Sinta Werner, curated with Jan Stradtmann, Austrian Cultural Forum/Austrian Embassy Berlin, 2020/21
  • EIKON Award (45+): Katrín Elvarsdóttir, Gabriele Rothemann, Susan MacWilliam, Künstlerhaus Wien, Vienna, 2018
  • Pas de Deux, curated with Anja Manfredi, KUNST HAUS WIEN, Vienna, 2015
  • Crossers: Markus Oberndorfer, Gregor Sailer, Loris, Berlin, 2014
  • UNFRAMED, conception with Josephine Wagner, Galerie Raum mit Licht, Vienna, 2014
  • Fragile. An experimental approach to an exhibition, curated with Gregor Eggenberger, BAWAG P.S.K. Contemporary, Vienna, 2013


    • Other Projects

  • EIKON Award (45+)
    Europe-wide award under the patronage of VALIE EXPORT | for women photographers and media artists aged 45 and older | on the occasion of the 100th issue of EIKON, 2017
  • 5 × 5. Photo Tracks
    special publication on the occasion of EIKON’s 25th anniversary | with contributions by David Bate, Linde B. Lehtinen, Steffen Siegel, Abigail Solomon-Godeau and Urs Stahel, 2016




    • FURTHER ACTIVITIES


    Jurying

    Passage AiR, 2023
    Wolf Suschitzky Photography Prize, 2023
    OÖ Landespreise für Kultur und OÖ Talentförderungsprämien, 2022
    Landskrona Foto & Breadfield Dummy Award, 2022
    f/12.2 scholarship of Kunststiftung DZ Bank, 2021/22
    C/O Berlin Talent Award (category: theory), 2021
    land niederösterreich kulturpreise, 2020
    Q21 viennacontemporary Artist-in-Residence Prize, 2018, 2019, 2020
    Critic-in-Residence, studio das weisse haus, 2018
    land niederösterreich kulturpreise, 2017
    Artproof Grant Vienna, 2016


    Mentoring

    Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, art mentoring program, 2022/23


    Portfolio Reviews

    Art Photo Budapest (HU)
    Athens Photo Festival (GR)
    Backlight Photo Festival (Tampere, FI)
    Eyes On – Monat der Fotografie Wien (Vienna, AT)
    FotoFest Meeting Place (Houston, US)
    Fotofestiwal (Łódź, PL)
    FOTOHOF calling (Salzburg, AT)
    Fotopub (Novo Mesto, SI)
    FOTO WIEN (Vienna, AT)
    HELPHOTO (Helsinki, FI)
    KABK | The Royal Academy of Art (The Hague, NL)
    Les Boutographies (Montpellier, FR)
    Photonic Moments (Ljubljana, SI)
    The Icelandic Photo Festival (Reykjavík, IS)
    unseen Amsterdam (NL)
    ViennaPhotoBookFestival (AT)

    (1) ab_bilden: Exhibition at Austrian Cultural Forum Berlin, 2020/21
    Photo © Studio Eggenberger
    (2) 5 × 5. Photo Tracks: EIKON jubilee publication, 2016
    (3) EIKON Award (45+): prize winners exhibition at Künstlerhaus Wien, Vienna, 2018
    Photo © Studio Eggenberger

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    © Nela Eggenberger,