Uriel Orlow
Uriel Orlow was born in 1973 in Zurich
He currently lives and works in London
His practice is research-driven, process-oriented and often in dialogue with other disciplines. Projects engage with residues of colonialism, spatial manifestations of memory, social and ecological justice, blind spots of representation and plants as political actors. His multi-media installations focus on specific locations, micro-histories and forms of haunting. Working across installation, photography, film, drawing and sound his works bring different image-regimes and narrative modes into correspondence.
Orlow has participated in many international survey shows, such as the Venice Biennale (2011, 2026); Manifesta 9 and 12, Genk/Palermo (2012, 2018); the Kochi Biennale, Kerala (2022); the 12th Berlin Biennale (2022); Kathmandu Triennale 2077 (2022); the 14th Dakar Biennale (2022); British Art Show 9, UK (2021-2022); the 2nd Thailand Biennale, Korat (2021); Bienal de Arte Paiz, Antigua Guatemala (2021); Riboca 2 – Riga Biennial (2020); Taipei Biennial (2020); Lubumbashi Biennial, Congo (2019); 13th Sharjah Biennial (2017); 7th Moscow Biennial (2017); EVA International, Ireland (2014, 2016); 8th Mercosul Biennial, Brazil (2011); Aichi Triennale, Japan (2013); and Bergen Assembly, Norway (2013), among many others.
His institutional solo exhibitions include Galeria Avenida da India, Lisbon (2025); MCBA Lausanne (2024); Casa da Cerca, Lisbon (2023); Kunsthalle Nairs, Scuol (2022); La Loge, Brussels (2020); Kusnthalle Mainz (2020); State of Concept, Athens (2020); Tabakalera, San Sebastian (2019); Les Laboratoires d’Aubervilliers, Paris (2018); Kunsthalle Sankt Gallen (2018); PAV – Parco d’Arte Vivente, Turin (2017); Parc Saint Léger – Centre d’art contemporain (2017); The Showroom, London (2016); Castello di Rivoli, Turin (2015); John Hansard Gallery, Southampton (2015); Depo, Istanbul (2015); Spike Island, Bristol (2013); Centre Culturel Suisse, Paris (2013); Al-Ma’mal Foundation, Jerusalem (2013); Les Complices*, Zurich (2013); Kunstmuseum Bern (2013); Centre PasquArt, Bienne (2012); Kunstforening, Oslo (2012).
Orlow’s work has been shown widely in museums and galleries including in London at Tate Modern, Tate Britain, Whitechapel Gallery, ICA and Gasworks; in Paris at Palais de Tokyo, Fondation Ricard, Maison Populaire, Bétonsalon; in Zurich at Kunsthaus, Les Complices*, Helmhaus and Shedhalle; in Geneva at Centre d’Art Contemporain and Centre de la Photographie; as well as in Berlin, Ramallah, Marseille, Cairo, Alexandria, Istanbul, Mexico City, Dublin, San Sebastian, New York, Chicago, Toronto, Vancouver and elsewhere.
His films have been screened at Oberhausen Short Film Festival; Locarno Film Festival; Videoex, Zurich; Centre Pompidou, Paris; BFI, London; Kino der Kunst, Munich; Visions du Réel, Nyon; Biennale of the Moving Image, Geneva.
Orlow received the Swiss Grand Award for Art/Prix Meret Oppenheim 2023. He received the CF Meyer Prize in 2020, and the Sharjah Biennial Prize in 2017. He was also awarded the annual major art-award of the city of Zurich in 2015, and three Swiss Art Awards at Art Basel in 2008, 2009 and 2012.
He has been teaching at art schools internationally including at Maumaus, Lisbon; Royal College of Art, Central Saint Martins and Goldsmiths College, London; Beaux Arts, Paris; HEAD Geneva and elsewhere. He currently supervises practice based PhDs at the University of Westminster, London and is visiting faculty at the University of the Arts Zurich (ZHdK).
A major monograph of his work, Theatrum Botanicum, was published by Sternberg Press (2018). Other monographs include Forest Times, published by K Verlag and MCBA Lausanne (2024); Conversing with Leaves, published by Archive Books (2020); and Soil Affinities, published by Shelter Press (2019).
