FRANCESCA WOODMAN, Works from the SAMMLUNG VERBUND collection

ALBERTINA
04.04-06.07.2025

The ALBERTINA is presenting works by American-Italian artist Francesca Woodman, part of the extensive SAMMLUNG VERBUND collection, for the first time in Austria. Since 2004, the collection has continuously acquired photographs by Woodman and now owns around 80 of her works, including 20 original vintage prints. The exhibition comprises a total of around 100 photographs that showcase the remarkable talent of this extraordinary artist.

Francesca Woodman (1958-1981) created her artworks within a short period from 1973 to 1981. Her work is characterised by the intense and creative staging of the female body, often nude and in unconventional ways, within the framework of conceptual photography and performance. The mostly small-format, square black-and-white photographs were taken with a medium-format camera and show Woodman's innovative use of unusual spaces such as abandoned factory buildings. There, she explored the theme of the female self with great curiosity.

© ALBERTINA, Vienna. Photo: Ana Paula Franco

To the exhibition

Artists

Francesca Woodman

Francesca Woodman was an American photographer known for her haunting black and white images, often depicting the female body in abandoned or dilapidated settings. Woodman's work, which often incorporates autobiographical elements, blurs the lines between self-portraiture and performance. Her images explore themes such as identity, impermanence, and the act of seeing. Despite her early death at just 22 years of age, Woodman left behind an impressive body of work that continues to be celebrated for its poetic intensity and innovative approach to photography.