Valie Export and the exhibition presence after her death
Published on 08/24/2026 at 10:48 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Valie Export has shaped feminist performance and media art far beyond Austria. Her works and film pieces remain on view in institutions that underline her lasting impact on visual culture and critical theory.
Exhibition traces of Valie Export
One of the current exhibition formats that features Valie Export is the film series OnView - Transformation at PalaisPopulaire in Berlin, running from August 13 to September 21, 2026. The program includes her 1971 work Facing a Family, which reflects on television as a system of looking and speechlessness in the domestic sphere.
In Turin, La Pista 500 at Pinacoteca Agnelli presents open-air installations and artworks by several contemporary artists including Valie Export, placing her among an international group that engages with urban and industrial histories. The rooftop context on the former Fiat test track situates her practice within spatial and architectural discourse.
Retrospectives and projected works
Earlier comprehensive exhibitions like the retrospective at C/O Berlin underline how Valie Export’s performance and photographic work has been re-read in recent years, with a particular focus on feminist critiques of social norms. Such retrospectives have helped to anchor her practice for younger audiences beyond the original 1970s context.
Kunsthaus Bregenz stages a nighttime tribute where her Körperkonfigurationen from the 1970s are projected onto a large screen at Karl-Tizian-Platz. This intervention connects historic performance photography to the present city space, highlighting the continuing relevance of her body-related urban explorations.
All news and background on Valie Export
Further reports on exhibitions, collections and tributes to Valie Export can be found in the AD HOC NEWS archive with additional context on her performances and media works.
The core of her practice
Valie Export worked across performance, film, photography and installation, often placing her own body at the center of actions that challenged patriarchal codes in public and private space. Early self-portraits and body works established a distinctive feminist stance that treated the artist’s name itself as a conceptual brand.
Where the artist stands now
Against this backdrop, Valie Export’s work continues to circulate in exhibitions and museum collections, with no single next date dominating the current 30-day horizon.
Key facts on Valie Export
- Artist: Valie Export
- Medium / Genre: Performance, film and conceptual photography
- Born: 1940, Linz, Austria
- Place(s) of practice: Vienna-based practice with international exhibition reach
- Active since: Late 1960s, with early performances and film works
- Key work groups: Körperkonfigurationen, Facing a Family, early self-portrait series
- Current/last exhibition: OnView - Transformation, PalaisPopulaire Berlin, August 13 – September 21, 2026
- Major collections: MoMA (New York), MCBA (Lausanne), Centro Pecci (Prato)
- Awards: Documented participation and recognition within documenta and European institutions
- Next date: currently no announced date in the 30-day window
Frequently asked questions about Valie Export
Where is Valie Export currently on view?
Film works by Valie Export, including Facing a Family, are part of the OnView - Transformation program at PalaisPopulaire in Berlin from August 13 to September 21, 2026.
Which exhibitions highlight Valie Export’s body-related works?
Kunsthaus Bregenz stages a nighttime projection of her Körperkonfigurationen in the city center, emphasizing her body and urban space explorations. Earlier retrospectives like the show at C/O Berlin also focused on body and media.
In which museum collections can Valie Export’s works be found?
Works by Valie Export are held in major collections such as MoMA in New York, the Musée cantonal des Beaux-Arts de Lausanne and Centro Pecci in Prato, where key video and photographic works are catalogued.
This article was produced with a.i. support and editorially reviewed. All statements without guarantee; auction results, exhibition dates and awards may change at short notice.
