biography

Michael Fliri was born in Tubre, Italy, in 1978. He lives and works in Zurich (Switzerland) and Sud Tirolo (Italy).

Subtle and nuanced, the art of Michael Fliri exists on the thresholds between performance, sculpture, photography and video. In his practice, which cannot be subsumed under any single heading, he investigates concepts such as metamorphosis, mutation and disguise: the protagonists in his work – often Fliri himself – time and again undergo a process of transformation. Body, landscape, a thought-out theme and imaginative metaphors together form a compelling whole. “For me transformation means new possibilities, new opportunities. Everything is in motion, not definite. The idea of the not-defined is what interests me most”, states the artist. Central to his work seems to be question of what determines who and what we are. What is our identity? How do we form our image of ourselves? Are we really who we think we are?

Fliri presents himself to the viewer and leaves them on their own, faced by changes. Masks and disguises have always been tied to concepts of changing and multiplicity; they unfold new possibilities, veil and unveil hidden aspects. Fliri’s actions allow for the construction of suspended reality, images so dense and poetic, so enigmatic and dreamy, account for the continuous and mutable flux to which everything is inevitably drawn, but first of all, they reach each one of us in our personal wish of metamorphosis.

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Michael Fliri was born in Tubre, Italy, in 1978. He lives and works in Zurich (Switzerland) and Sud Tirolo (Italy).

Subtle and nuanced, the art of Michael Fliri exists on the thresholds between performance, sculpture, photography and video. In his practice, which cannot be subsumed under any single heading, he investigates concepts such as metamorphosis, mutation and disguise: the protagonists in his work – often Fliri himself – time and again undergo a process of transformation. Body, landscape, a thought-out theme and imaginative metaphors together form a compelling whole. “For me transformation means new possibilities, new opportunities. Everything is in motion, not definite. The idea of the not-defined is what interests me most”, states the artist. Central to his work seems to be question of what determines who and what we are. What is our identity? How do we form our image of ourselves? Are we really who we think we are?

Fliri presents himself to the viewer and leaves them on their own, faced by changes. Masks and disguises have always been tied to concepts of changing and multiplicity; they unfold new possibilities, veil and unveil hidden aspects. Fliri’s actions allow for the construction of suspended reality, images so dense and poetic, so enigmatic and dreamy, account for the continuous and mutable flux to which everything is inevitably drawn, but first of all, they reach each one of us in our personal wish of metamorphosis.

Selected solo exhibitions include: La luz nunca ve una sombra, Istituto Italiano di Cultura, Madrid (2021); Grenzgänge: Julia Bornefeld & Michael Fliri, Forte di Fortezza, Fortezza, (2019); Michael Fliri. The light never sees a shadow, RLB Atelier Lienz, Lienz, Austria (2018); Replace me as the substitute, Cultuurcentrum Mechelen, Mechelen, Belgium (2017); Becomings, Wendy Norris, San Francisco (2016); Zeppelin Museum, Friedrichshafen, Germany (2014); MAC, Lissone (2013); 0O°°°oo°0Oo°O0, Centro per l’Arte Contemporanea Luigi Pecci, Prato (2011); Michael Fliri, Istituto Italiano di Cultura, Madrid (2021).

Selected group exhibitions include: Angelus Loci, Bolzano, Italy (2021); Unlearning categories, Museion, Bolzano (2020); KOPFhoch, Kunst Meran/Merano Arte, Merano (2020); DA.ZWISCHEN, Magazin 4, Bregenz (2019); The Raft, Mu.ZEE, Ostend (2017); Dalla caverna alla luna, Centro per l’Arte Contemporanea Luigi Pecci, Prato (2017); La forza della fotografia, Museion, Bolzano (2016); Ex, Mambo, Bologna (2016); Premio Fondazione Vaf, MACRO, Rome (2016); Mapping the Body, Galerie im Taxispalais, Innsbruck (2016); Il sosia. Artists and private collections, Mart - Museo di Arte Contemporanea di Trento e Rovereto, Rovereto (2015); Avatar und Atavismus, Kunsthalle Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf (2015); Hors Pistes. Un autre mouvement des images, Centre Pompidou, Paris (2012); Linguaggi e sperimentazioni, Mart - Museo di Arte Contemporanea di Trento e Rovereto, Rovereto (2010); Wonder World. Expecting a restless future, 3rd Moscow Biennale, Moscow (2009); Hopes and Doubts, Fondazione Merz, Turin (2009); Fuori Centro, Hangar Bicocca, Milan (2009). 

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images

Hand

Hand, 2021

Color photograph

60 × 48 cm

Hand, 2021

Color photograph

60 × 48 cm

Hand, 2021

Color photograph

60 × 48 cm

Stargazer

Stargazer (Self-portrait), 2020

Color photograph

105 × 81,5 cm

Stargazer (Self-portrait), 2020

Color photograph

105 × 82 cm

Polymorphic Archetypes

Polymorphic Archetypes, 2018

Color photograph

65 × 51 × 3 cm framed

Photo: Rafael Kroetz

Polymorphic Archetypes, 2018

Color photograph

65 × 51 × 3 cm framed

Photo: Rafael Kroetz

Polymorphic Archetypes, 2018

Color photograph

65 × 51 × 3 cm framed

Photo: Rafael Kroetz

The light never sees a shadow

The light never sees a shadow, 2018

Color photograph

72 × 90 cm

Photo: Rafael Kroetz

The light never sees a shadow, 2018

Color photograph

72 × 90 cm

Photo: Rafael Kroetz

The light never sees a shadow, 2018

Color photograph

72 × 90 cm

Photo: Rafael Kroetz

My private fog II

My private fog II, 2017

Color photograph

83 x 123 cm framed

Photo: Rafael Kroetz

My private fog II, 2017

Color photograph

83 x 123 cm framed

Photo: Rafael Kroetz

My private fog II, 2017

Color photograph

83 x 123 cm framed

Photo: Rafael Kroetz

My private fog II, 2017

Color photograph

83 x 123 cm framed

Photo: Rafael Kroetz

AniManiMism

AniManiMism, 2017

Color photograph

90 × 120 cm

Photo: Rafael Kroetz

AniManiMism, 2017

Color photograph

90 × 120 cm

Photo: Rafael Kroetz

AniManiMism, 2017

Color photograph

90 × 120 cm

Photo: Rafael Kroetz

Gloves

Gloves, 2017

Ceramic casting compound, spray paint

22,5 x 22,5 x 12 cm

Photo: Lorenzo Palmieri

Gloves, 2017

Ceramic casting compound, spray paint

21 x 24,5 x 10 cm

Photo: Lorenzo Palmieri

Gloves, 2017

Ceramic casting compound, spray paint

21,5 x 21 x 10 cm

Photo: Lorenzo Palmieri

Blowing Up the Void

Blowing Up the Void, 2016

Ceramic casting compound, spray paint, wood, metal

171 x 50 x 50

Photo: Lorenzo Palmieri

Blowing Up the Void, 2016 (detail)

Ceramic casting compound, spray paint, wood, metal

171 x 50 x 50

Photo: Lorenzo Palmieri

Blowing Up the Void, 2016 (detail)

Ceramic casting compound, spray paint, wood, metal

171 x 50 x 50

Photo: Lorenzo Palmieri

Blowing Up the Void, 2016

Ceramic casting compound, spray paint, wood, metal

175 x 50 x 50 cm

Photo: Lorenzo Palmieri

Blowing Up the Void, 2016 (detail)

Ceramic casting compound, spray paint, wood, metal

175 x 50 x 50 cm

Photo: Lorenzo Palmieri

Blowing Up the Void, 2016 (detail)

Ceramic casting compound, spray paint, wood, metal

175 x 50 x 50 cm

Photo: Lorenzo Palmieri

Where do I end and the world begins

Where do I end and the world begins #8, 2014

Ceramic casting compound, spray paint, wood, metal

170 x 30 x 30 cm

Photo: Lorenzo Palmieri

Where do I end and the world begins #8, 2014 (detail)

Ceramic casting compound, spray paint, wood, metal

170 x 30 x 30 cm

Photo: Lorenzo Palmieri

Where do I end and the world begins #8, 2014 (detail)

Ceramic casting compound, spray paint, wood, metal

170 x 30 x 30 cm

Photo: Lorenzo Palmieri

Video

AniManiMism, 2017

4-channel video installation

Video 1: 10'33"; Video 2: 07'12"; Video 3: 07'34"; Video 4: 06'08"

Photo: Lorenzo Palmieri

AniManiMism, 2017

4-channel video installation

Video 1: 10'33"; Video 2: 07'12"; Video 3: 07'34"; Video 4: 06'08"

Photo: Lorenzo Palmieri

0O°°°oo°0Oo°O0, 2010

Video

3'55''

Let love be eternal, while it lasts, 2006

Video

3'45''

Getting too old to die young, 2008

3 channel video installation with wooden staircase

45'' - 2'50'' - 1'20''

Early one morning with time to waste, 2007

Video

5'10''

Come out and play with me, 2004

Video

5'36''

public exhibitions

Villa d’Este

Tivoli

Vita Nova: arte in Italia alla luce del nuovo millennio

16.12.2021 – 5.6.2022

Bolzano, Italy

Angelus Loci

26.11.2021 – 6.1.2022

Istituto Italiano di Cultura

Madrid

La Luz Nunca Ve Una Sombra

7.7 – 30.9.2021

Bressanone

Via Illuminativa

13.12.2020 – 6.1.2021

Photo: Matthias Gasser

Museo Provinciale Forte di Fortezza

Fortezza

Sconfinamenti: Julia Bornefeld & Michael Fliri

15.9.2018 – 3.6.2019

Photo: Museo Provinciale Forte di Fortezza

Museo Provinciale Forte di Fortezza

Fortezza

Sconfinamenti: Julia Bornefeld & Michael Fliri

15.9.2018 – 3.6.2019

Photo: Museo Provinciale Forte di Fortezza

Museo Provinciale Forte di Fortezza

Fortezza

Sconfinamenti: Julia Bornefeld & Michael Fliri

15.9.2018 – 3.6.2019

Photo: Museo Provinciale Forte di Fortezza

RLB Atelier Lienz

The light never sees a shadow

26.3 – 24.5.2018

Photo: Raiffeisen/Waldner

RLB Atelier Lienz

The light never sees a shadow

26.3 – 24.5.2018

Photo: Raiffeisen/Waldner

RLB Atelier Lienz

The light never sees a shadow

26.3 – 24.5.2018

Photo: Raiffeisen/Waldner

De Garage - Cultuurcentrum Mechelen

Replace me as the substitute

23.9 – 26.11.2017

Photo: Niels Donckers

De Garage - Cultuurcentrum Mechelen

Replace me as the substitute

23.9 – 26.11.2017

Photo: Niels Donckers

De Garage - Cultuurcentrum Mechelen

Replace me as the substitute

23.9 – 26.11.2017

Photo: Niels Donckers

De Garage - Cultuurcentrum Mechelen

Replace me as the substitute

23.9 – 26.11.2017

Photo: Niels Donckers

De Garage - Cultuurcentrum Mechelen

Replace me as the substitute

23.9 – 26.11.2017

Photo: Niels Donckers

Mu. ZEE

Ostend

The Raft. Art is (not) Lonely

22.10.2017 – 15.4.2018

Photo Arne Deboosere

Mu. ZEE

Ostend

The Raft. Art is (not) Lonely

22.10.2017 – 15.4.2018

Photo Arne Deboosere

press

messner architects create three rest areas on hiking trail in north italy

Philip Stevens

Designboom

July 20, 2019

Milano. Michael Fliri e le anime dell’Animismo

Ginevra Bria

Domus

June 28, 2018

Michael Fliri

Fabio Cavallucci

Flash Art

April 25, 2017

Michael Fliri Back to the future #35

Francesca di Nardo

Klat

Spring 2010

In lotta con la realtà

Luca Beatrice

Arte

May 2013

publications

Grenzgänge. Sconfinamenti. Border crossings. Julia Bornefeld & Michael Fliri

Edited by Esther Erlacher

Forte di Fortezza

Fortezza

2019

Michael Fliri. The Light Never Sees a Shadow

Silvia Höller

RLB Atelier Lienz

Lienz

2018

Michael Fliri: Replace Me as the Substitute

Texts by Koen Leemans, Nicola Setari and Michele Horrigan

Mousse Publishing

Milan

2017

Mapping the Body

Julia Brennacher Verena Gstir Lena Nievers christina nägele Sabine Maria Schmidt Jürgen Tabor Christian Teckert

Verlag für moderne Kunst

Nürnberg

2016

Michael Fliri: Where do I end and the world begins

Matthias Lenz and Regina Michel

Gessler Verlag

Friedrichshafen

2014

Michael Fliri

Sabine Folie, Letizia Ragaglia, Andrew Berardini, Fabio Cavallucci

Folio Verlag

Bozen

2012

video


Michael Fliri – La luz nunca ve una sombra

2021

Exhibition at Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Madrid


Meteorite in Giardino 7

2014

Performance at Fondazione Merz, Turin, July 22, 2014. Curated by Maria Centonze and Willy Merz, video courtesy Fondazione Merz.

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