Július Koller

Július Koller was a Slovak artist born in 1939 and died in 2007. He was known for his participation in the Conceptual Art movement in Eastern Europe. His work is characterized by its critical, ironic, and playful approach to society and politics. Koller employed a minimalist and symbolic visual language in his works, which included installations, photographs, performances, and texts. One of the most notable elements of his work is his "propositions," in which Koller presented ideas for works that could be realized by himself or others. These propositions were intended to question established norms in the art world and subvert viewer expectations.Koller received several awards during his career, including the Slovak National Prize in 2003 and the GAC (Global Art and the Museum) Award in 2007. He has also been the subject of several retrospective exhibitions, including "Július Koller: One Man Anti Show" at the Museum Ludwig in Cologne in 2016, "Július Koller: The Space of Experimentation" at the Museo Reina Sofía in Madrid in 2018, and "Július Koller: I'm Not Afraid of Anything, I Relax on a Mat" at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam in 2021. In short, Július Koller was a Slovak conceptual artist who employed a minimalist and symbolic visual language in his works. His critical and ironic approach towards society and politics makes him an important figure of conceptual art in Eastern Europe. Koller has received several awards and has been the subject of numerous retrospective exhibitions around the world.