CHARIM GALLERY and SOPHIE TAPPEINER are pleased to announce two concurrent exhibitions showcasing the works of renowned artists Alban Muja (1980) and Sophie Thun (1985) in dialogue with the artistic practice of the legendary artist Ulay (1943–2020). Running from May 8th to July 6th, 2024, these exhibitions offer distinct yet interconnected perspectives on artistic expression and identity. The opening reception for both exhibitions will be held on Tuesday, May 7th, 2024, from 5–9 pm*.

At SOPHIE TAPPEINER, "the uncontrolled aspect of rushing into position" juxtaposes the resonant works of Sophie Thun and Ulay, inviting viewers to contemplate the profound interplay between body, identity, and medium. Both Thun’s and Ulay’s performative-photographic practices revolve relentlessly around the (re)construction of the self and their relation to the photographic medium; they perform for the camera while chronicling their working processes and probing the conditions and limitations of analogue image production. 

Concurrently, CHARIM GALLERY presents "Legendary Dog". Ulay and Alban Muja's work converge in "Legendary Dog," as a testament to the stimulating power of shared artistic ideas. Ulay’s early photographic series intersect with works by Muja, known for his recent major public project at Manifesta 14, Pristina in 2022. The exhibition title refers to a video by Muja, featuring a fragment from the life of Ulay; a journey that he and his partner Marina Abramović conducted in Kosovo in 1977. 

Ulay's life and work have been marked by a certain fleeing – running away from his origins (only to return to himself again and again) and, at a certain point, withdrawing from the art world. Iconicized by the relationship and collaboration with Marina Abramović, his solo work remains largely unknown and somewhat untheorized; the most-known unknown artist, as some have said of him. “I’m a hideaway artist. I have done so many things that people don’t know about – they can’t know because they don’t have access to my archive,” he stated in his last printed interview in 2019.

Curated by Hana Ostan Ožbolt (SOPHIE TAPPEINER) and Alenka Gregorič, Felicitas Thun-Hohenstein (CHARIM GALLERY), both exhibitions were conceived in close collaboration with the Ulay Foundation and represent the inaugural solo showcases of Ulay's oeuvre in Vienna. Join us for an enriching evening of artistic exploration as we celebrate the multifaceted and dynamic works of Alban Muja, Sophie Thun and Ulay (1943–2020), underlining the collective and collaborative, community orientation of the project.