Severin Hallauer (* 1996 in Basel, Switzerland) is a Swiss visual artist, actor, and model living in Mexico City and Zurich.

Severin Hallauer
Hallauer in 2022
Born
Severin Hallauer

(1996-09-26) 26 September 1996 (age 27)
Basel, Switzerland
Education
Style
Websitewww.severinhallauer.com

Biography

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Hallauer was born in 1996 in Basel and grew up in the rural Northwestern Switzerland. From 2013 to 2014, he completed the preparatory course at the Schule für Gestaltung Basel.[1] In 2014, Hallauer was arrested by the police during an art action at Art Basel on the Messeplatz.[2] The incident attracted attention in the international art world and made headlines.[3]

After completing the preparatory course, Hallauer acted as an actor at the Theater Basel.[4] In 2015, Hallauer made headlines with an art action in which he appeared naked and painted white for the mandatory conscription of the Swiss Army.[5] From 2015 to 2019, Hallauer completed the Bachelor of Fine Arts at the Zurich University of the Arts[6] and in 2018 in the Jankowski class[7] of the State Academy of Fine Arts Stuttgart. In 2019, Hallauer made headlines again during the Sofia Art Week in Bulgaria with a public art action that went viral. In this art action, he appeared naked on monuments, including the famous lion statues in front of the Palace of Justice in Sofia.[8]

Severin Hallauer received the 2021 Award for Visual Arts from the Canton of Solothurn.[9] Also in 2021, Hallauer emigrated to Mexico, where he has since lived and worked in Mexico City alongside his second residence in Zurich.[10]

Hallauer expresses himself in compelling performances and works in various media on philosophical and socio-political issues.[9] His oeuvre includes performance, installation, video, sculpture, painting, and photography.

In addition to his work as a visual artist, Severin Hallauer also appears as an actor[11] and model.[12] Recently, Hallauer was seen in the award-winning short film Heart Fruit by Kim Allamand at the Locarno Film Festival and other international festivals.[13] In 2018, Hallauer performed in The Divine Comedy by Rirkrit Tiravanija at the Fondation Beyeler.[14]

Quotes

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Obstacles are challenges in which one can fail iconically at best. Creating art means learning to fail better.

— Severin Hallauer

[15]

Criticism

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Severin Hallauer's work polarizes and receives both recognition[16] and critical feedback. Some critics praise his work as a bold and profound engagement with social and philosophical issues.[9] Others see his actions as excessive self-promotion aimed at scandals. In 2024, Hallauer responded to this criticism in an interview, saying, "Scandal plays no role in my work. I don't sit in my studio imagining how I can provoke my fellow humans. It's an uncompromising honesty that I demand from my art. […] If viewers feel provoked by my art, it says more about them than about me and my art."[17]

Awards

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Exhibitions (selection)

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  • 2018: Academiae – Youth Art Biennial, Franzensfeste[18]
  • 2019: Das Unbegreifliche Schweigen Der Welt, Gasträume 2019 | Zurich[19]
  • 2019: what do you want me to believe in?, Æther Art Space, Sofia Art Week, Sofia
  • 2021: Infinitum You, Allda, Zurich
  • 2021: InRelation, I see you now, Schlumpf, Riehen
  • 2021: Loving Switzerland, Künstlerhaus S11, Kantonale Förderpreise 2021, Solothurn[20]
  • 2022: entrée&hommage, M54, Basel
  • 2023: Eros Y Ambigüedad, Galeria Luis Adelantado, Mexico City[21]
  • 2023: Eros Y Ambigüedad, Galeria Revuelta, Mexico City
  • 2024: Radical Joy, Riverfront Art Gallery, Yonkers Public Library, Yonkers, New York[22]

Performances (selection)

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  • 2015: L‘individue neutre, Rekrutierungszentrum, Windisch[23]
  • 2016: In between the complexes, ACT Performance Festival 16, Théâtre de L‘Usine, Geneva
  • 2017: J’ai tué mon ami, ACT Performance Festival 17, Merian Gärten, Basel
  • 2017: reflection, Kunstfreitag, Kunstverein, Friedrichshafen[24]
  • 2019: duality, Sommerfest, Kunsthalle Bern
  • 2019: nude and monument, Sofia Art Week, Æther Art Space Sofia
  • 2019: redshift, Kunstraum Aarau[25]
  • 2020: I just want to be (in)visible, Queer Sex Health Festival, Kosmos, Zurich[26]
  • 2020: Surfaces, Bagno Popolare, Baden[27]
  • 2020: Unos Pro Omnibus Omnes Pro Oeconomia, Paradeplatz, Zurich

Filmography (selection)

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  • 2017: Carvel – Fall For Me (Music video)[28]
  • 2017: Len Sander – Woman On The Run (Music video)[29]
  • 2017: Space Tourists – Dagger Child (Music video)[30]
  • 2018: Enoxaiar (Short film)[31]
  • 2019: nothing is quite as it seems (Fashion film)
  • 2019: The Burden Remains – Fluid (Music film)[32]
  • 2021: Heart Fruit (Short film)[33]
  • 2021: Livia Rita – Muscle of Freedom (Music video)[34]

Theater (selection)

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  • 2015: Hamlet, Theater Basel
  • 2016: Médée, Opera, Theater Basel
  • 2017: Es war ein mal ein Einsam, Theater in allen Räumen 17, Theater der Künste, Zurich[35]
  • 2018: Lachsfrühstück für 1 Person, Theater in allen Räumen 18, Theater der Künste, Zurich[36]
  • 2019: I say I shoot you. you are dead, Gruppe CIS, Theater Rampe, Stuttgart, Sophiensääle, Berlin[37]
  • 2020: Abschied, Festival der Liebe VI, Kulturhaus Helferei, Zurich[38]

References

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  1. ^ "Severin Hallauer — Kunstraum Aarau". Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  2. ^ "The operation against art students is absurd" (in German). 26 June 2014. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  3. ^ ""Concrete allegations against one person" in the paper plate affair" (in German). 16 November 2014. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  4. ^ "Hamlet 2014/15 | Theater Basel Archive" (in German). Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  5. ^ Michael Hunziker (30 October 2015). "Windisch - Student Severin Hallauer: All in White with a Service Booklet" (in German). Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  6. ^ "Media Archive". Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  7. ^ "Academiae Youth Art Biennial – "Where Plato Taught"". Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  8. ^ Диана Петкова (23 July 2019). "Naked man climbs one of the lions in front of the Palace of Justice". Искра.бг (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  9. ^ a b c d "SOKULTUR - Cantonal Curatorium for Cultural Promotion". Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  10. ^ Martin Rohde (3 December 2021). "Awards 2021" (PDF). www.s11.ch. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  11. ^ Dominik Wolfinger (26 January 2017). "The Fool's Freedom of Theater Students" (in German). Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  12. ^ "Disocihada by Hadito | Y-NOT Magazine" (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  13. ^ "Heart Fruit" (in German). Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  14. ^ "Public Day:". Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  15. ^ "Severin Hallauer". Kunstpause (in German). Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  16. ^ "The 10 Best Influential LGBTQ+ artists, according to Jimi Jules". Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  17. ^ "Severin Hallauer" (in German). Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  18. ^ "Academiae Youth Art Biennial – "Where Plato Taught"". Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  19. ^ "Projekte 2019 - Stadt Zürich" (in German). Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  20. ^ "Kantonale Förderpreise 2021". S11. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  21. ^ "Severin Hallauer: Eros y Ambigüedad". Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  22. ^ "Radical Joy". Yonkers Public Library. 15 June 2024. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  23. ^ Michael Hunziker (30 October 2015). "Windisch - Student Severin Hallauer: Ganz in Weiss mit einem Dienstbüchlein". luzernerzeitung.ch (in German). Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  24. ^ Harald Ruppert und Thomas Kapitel (6 March 2017). "Vielfältig und jung wie nie: Kunstfreitag zieht auch die Generation U30 an". suedkurier.de (in German). Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  25. ^ "Severin Hallauer — Kunstraum Aarau". kunstraumaarau.com. 29 June 2019. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  26. ^ "Reden über die sexuelle Gesundheit der queeren Community" (in German). 23 September 2020. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  27. ^ "28. Nov. 2020: Finissage Körper.Baden.Flow". Bagni Popolari Baden (in German). 24 November 2020. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  28. ^ CarvelOfficial (1 September 2017). "CARVEL' - Fall For Me [Official Music Video]". youtube.com. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  29. ^ Len Sander (7 November 2017). "Len Sander - Woman On The Run". Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  30. ^ Space Tourists (28 February 2017). "Space Tourists - Dagger Child". Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  31. ^ "ENOXAIAR by Lea Gygli". Weird Wednesday 0711. 11 November 2023. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  32. ^ "EXIT Filmkollektiv / TBR - FLUID". Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  33. ^ Doreen Kaltenecker (23 June 2023). "„Heart Fruit" (2022)" (in German). Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  34. ^ Livia Rita (2 December 2021). "Livia Rita : Muscle of Freedom". Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  35. ^ Dominik Wolfinger (26 January 2017). "Die Narrenfreiheit der Theaterstudierenden" (in German). Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  36. ^ Urs Bühler (7 May 2018). "Fieber in Zürich: Die Schweiz zum Auslachen". Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  37. ^ "August 2019". kuhlerampe.wordpress.com (in German). Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  38. ^ "Festival der Liebe Teil VI – Wohlan denn, Herz, nimm Abschied ABGESAGT! | Kulturhaus Helferei | Ausstellungen | kulturzüri" (in German). Retrieved 23 July 2024.
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