XENIA
LESNIEWSKI
*1985 Frankfurt a. M.
based in Vienna (AT)
DE/PL
Xenia Lesniewski is a multidisciplinary artist working across painting, photography, installation, performance, and collective formats. Starting from the everyday, her practice unfolds at the intersection of the personal and the political, examining how objects and rituals can reveal broader systems of power, representation, and identity.
Rather than following fixed categories of medium or authorship, her projects open up hybrid forms and rethink established roles within and beyond the art context.
As one of the founders of the Vienna-based artist collective CLUB FORTUNA since 2014, she extends her interest in shared authorship, agency, and participatory structures—often working in shifting constellations that blur the lines between artist, audience, and institution.
Lesniewski has participated in numerous national and international exhibitions. Solo shows have included MQ Vienna, Dortmunder Kunstverein, MLAG Bergen, SØ Copenhagen, La Misericordia and florit/florit gallery Palma, as well as Galerie 0el-Früh Hamburg. She has presented her video works at the Berlinale, the International Film Festival Oberhausen and several times at the Rencontres Internationales Berlin/Madrid/Paris. Her collaborative work with CLUB FORTUNA has been shown as part of the collateral events of MANIFESTA 12 in Palermo, at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Zagreb, and most recently at Kunsthaus Graz.
Foto Simon Veres, 2023
EDUCATION
2010 - 2015
- Class for Painting, Tapestry and experimental Animation at the University of Applied Arts Vienna (AUT)
- Diploma by Prof. Judith Eisler
2005 - 2013
- Visual Communication with focus on Philosophy/Aesthetics, Experimental Spacial Concepts and Painting at University of Art and Design Offenbach (DEU)
- Diploma by Prof. Juliane Rebentisch and Prof. Adam Jankowski
2004 - 2005
Johann Wolfgang Goethe University Frankfurt (DEU), arthistory
ACADEMIC & PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND
2024-2025
- Artistic associate at the Department of Painting by Gunter Reski at the University of Art and Design, HfG Offenbach (DEU)
2023
- Lectureship for painting at University of Art and Design, HfG Offenbach (DEU)
2019/20
- Lectureship for sculpture/transmedial space with CLUB FORTUNA at the University of Art and Design Linz (AT)
SELECTED STIPENDS & PRICES
2024
- CCA Andratx AiR Programme (ESP)
- Salt Lake Cities STOPs and STATIONs AiR Programme European Capital of Culture Bad Ischl (AUT)
2022
- AIR 101, Gmunden (AUT)
2021
- Mentoring programme 2021, Bundeskanzleramt für Kunst und Kultur (AUT)
2020
- START-Stipendium bildende Kunst, Bundeskanzleramt für Kunst und Kultur (AUT)
2016
- OFFCITY AiR 2016, Artists-in-residence program Pardubice (CZ)
- Artists-in-residence Shirayevo Biennale, (RUS/CF)
2014
- Fellowship Universität für angewandte Kunst Vienna (AUT)
2010
- Residence program Vienna / Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes (DE)
- Drematrix Development Award / Internationales Filmfest Dresden (DE)
- Next Generation 2010 / German Films in Cannes (FRA)
2008 - 2012
- Fellowship Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes (DE)
2009
- 2.Muvi-Award, Internationale Kurzfilmtage Oberhausen (DE)
- Movies and Stills Award, Videor Art Foundation 2009 (DE)
2008
- 3 Sat Förderpreis I Internationale Kurzfilmtage Oberhausen (DE)
PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
- Photo collection of the Federal Ministry for Arts, Culture, the Civil Service and Sport / BMKÖS
- Kammerhof Museum Gmunden
- Collection of the City of Graz (CF)
- Raiffeisenbank Collection, Vienna
- Collection of the City of Vienna
- DieAngewandte Artcollection, Vienna (CF)
- Wien Museum, MUSA Artothek
- Deutsche Bank Collection, Frankfurt
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
SOLO/DUO
2025
- Bread, Salt & Roses, Florit/Florit, Palma (ESP)
2024
- CONCRETE CURTAINS, curated by Raquel Victoria, La Misericordia, Fase V, Palma (ESP)
2023
- WHATEVER THE WEATHER, Galerie 0el-Früh Hamburg (DEU)
- REEL 2 REAL, with Rene Wagner, Zeller van Almsick, Vienna (AUT)
2022
- Best before end, MLAG Bergen (NOR)
- INSTANT SOLUTIONS, sommer.frische.kunst Bad Gastein (AUT)
2021
- INSTANT SOLUTIONS, Bildraum 01. Vienna (AUT)
2020
- Guiltv Pleasure 2K20. Parallel Vienna (AUT)
- Guiltv Pleasure, Josef Boys 2k20. Media Pertormance, ATV, (AUT)
2019
- AINEX, Galerie kunstbuero, Vienna (AUT)
- Agnes Varnai & Xenia Lesniewski, WAF Schaulager, Vienna (AUT)
2016
- STRADA DEL SOLE, SØ Kopenhagen (DNK)
2014
- DAS GRÜNE KREUZ HOFFNUNG, Dortmunder Kunstverein (DEU)
- ORLANDO, Oel-Früh Cabinet, Hamburg (DEU)
2012
- HYPER BLOCH, Galerie Oel-Früh, Hamburg (DEU)
- THE SENSATION CLUB, Förderverein aktuelle Kunst Münster, (DEU)
2010
- Ein Vor- oder Rückfall, Blau - Zimmer für Kunst und Andere, Hamburg (DEU)
2009
- HARDCORE, 1822 Forum, Frankfurt (DEU)
GROUP
2025
- WiFi&Watercolors, Zeller van Almsick (AUT)
- Entre Lineas, Proyecto Reme, Barcelona (ESP)
2024
- ANTI/BODY, Fotohof, Salzburg (AUT)
- Local heros, Kammerhof Museum Gmunden (AUT)
- TBH, Magma Maria, Offenbach (DEU)
- GRIT, Zeller van Almsick, Vienna (AUT)
2023
- SYSTEMRELEVANT, Künstlerhaus Vienna (AUT)
- AUTOFOKUS, Projektraum Victor Bucher Vienna (AUT)
- BODY AND TERRITORY, Kunsthaus Graz, (AUT/CF)
- NEW BALANCE, Schauspielhaus Vienna, (AUT/CF)
2022
- BODY AND TERRITORY, MSU Zagreb (HRV/CF)
- DIAMANT, Museum Of Urban Culture, Offenbach (DEU)
- Point of no return, Quartier am Hafen, Cologne (DEU)
- APOCALYPSO, AIR 101, Salzkammergut Festwochen (AUT)
- A shop Is a shop Is a shop, Kunsthalle Vienna (AUT)
2021
- Everlasting Love, House of losing control, Vienna (AUT)
- WICHTIG IST GUTE LAUNE, Hochsommer, LandART Eisenberg (AUT/CF)
- Impatience of the Future, Shore x Zeller van Almsick, Vienna (AUT)
- IT'S NOT OVER TILL IT'S OVER, Kunstverein Eisenstadt (AUT/CF)
2020
- Hortus Conclusus, Skulpturenpark Schloss25, Vienna (AUT)
- BODYLOTION, Zeller van Almsick, Vienna (AUT)
2019
- BLACKOUT, KS Room, Kornberg (AUT/CF)
- WICHTIG IST GUTE LAUNE, Hochsommer, LandART Eisenberg (AUT/CF)
- Über das Neue, OMG at Belvedere 21, Vienna (AUT)
2018
- Newstalgia, Austrian Cultural Forum London (UK/CF)
- Another world. initiated bv Tracev Emin. Frieze. London (UK)
- VOGLO SOLO. Collateral event of the MANIFESTA 12 PALERMO (ITA/CF)
- CLUB FORTUNA / Amt zur Reklamation vergeudeter Lebenszeit, KUNSTSAELE Berlin (DEU/CF)
2017
- TONIC, GOMO artspace Vienna, (AUT/CF)
- JAWBREAKER II, mir, 12th Krasnoyark’s Museum Biennial Siberia (RUS/CF)
- BÜRO SCHLEIM, Büro Weltausstellung Vienna (AUT/CF)
- Der Mensch muss unter die Leute, Bräuning Contemporary Hamburg (DEU)
- GNAWZ IMAMAN, Internationales Frauenfilmfestival Dortmund/Köln (DEU/CF)
2016
- JAWBREAKER, 9. Shirayevo Biennale (RUS/CF)
2015
- FIT FOR SECESSION, Secession Vienna (AUT/CF)
Club Fortuna = (CF)