Visual Art | Natural Science
Denise Schellmann lives and works in Vienna.
2014 to 2019: Master’s degree in the Art & Science programme (Virgil Widrich) at University of Applied Arts Vienna; Master’s thesis in cooperation with CERN
2012 to 2014: Private lessons in fine arts and art history, Loys Egg
2008 to 2012: Autodidactic art practice
2006 to 2010: Doctoral studies in natural sciences, Department of Medicinal/Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Vienna
1999 to 2006: Diploma in Pharmacy
"As an artist I explore the smallest building blocks of life.
I draw the invisible, under the influence of my critical engagement with crystals and cells as a pharmaceutical chemist. They oscillate between order and chaos – between space and in-between-space.
From this synthesis of my scientific experiences with spontaneous, intuitive feeling during the process of creation, I develop a unique formal language that is both powerfully expressive and playfully delicate.In lending them my creative, multimedia appreciation, I grant to elementary particles and microcosmic structures a specific identity and history – just as Cy Twombly gives expression to classical myths in his works.
My work is defined by complex, unplanned and never-corrected creative processes. The characteristic dynamics of my drawings reflect the dialectic between art and science that has defined my life story.
I describe myself as a cartographer of my own intuitive processes: when the tool, the crayon, the needle or the camera take over, then everything becomes a drawing.
My diverse corpus of work can be experienced as graphic work, print, sculpture, installations, performance and video art."
Selected exhibitions
April 2026, Brooklyn Fine Art Print Fair, Powerhouse Arts, New York City
Dec 2025, "Open Studio III", Studio Denise Schellmann, Vienna
Nov 2025, Viadukt screenprining, group exhibition, Vienna
Okt 2025, BAODT, group exhibition, Munich
Sept 2025, PARALLEL Vienna, artfair, Vienna
June 2025, Open Art 2025 Summerstage, group exhibition curated by Ema Kaiser & Galerie Breyer, Vienna
Mar 2025, "Open Studio II", Studio Denise Schellmann, Vienna
Feb 2025, "Crystal Vibrations", ArtStripe 2025, Accenture DACH, Vienna
Dec 2024, "Geometrische Weihnachten", group exhibition, Galerie Breyer, Baden bei Wien
Dec 2024, "Parallel editions 2024", Project statement FormaCorpus, ORF Radiofunkhaus, Vienna
Nov 2024, "Open Studio I", Studio Denise Schellmann, Vienna
Nov 2024, "Embodiment and paper – a dialog beween body and material", group exhibition, Galerie Michaela Stock, Vienna
June 2024, „The Window and the Couch“, 74tharts, group exhibition, curatet by Simon Rees, WestSpace, Vienna
April 2024, "Between particles", solo exhibition, Bf2, Vienna
April 2024, Punto Volante group exhibition, Semmelweisklinik, Vienna
July 2023, „Expeditionen in Farbe“, solo exhibition, Punto Volante, Vienna
June 2023, „HUMAN_NARTURE“, group exhibtion, Künstlerhaus, Vienna
May 2023, „Tschak Boom #XL“, group exhibition, Ministry of Artists, Vienna
April 2023, Under the Radar Filmfestival, Vienna
Jan 2023, „Modern Alchemy“ by Billi Thanner & Alexandra Feusi, group exhibition, DISTRICT4art, Vienna
Dec 2022, „Tschak Boom #1“, group exhibition, Ministry of Artists, Vienna
July 2022, „Ein Tropfen Kunst für den Sterntalerhof“, group exhibition, IP Forum, Vienna
June 2022, „Whatever you do – I love it“, group exhibition, Galerie Michaela Stock, Vienna
June 2022, Charity Auction, Dorotheum, Vienna
May 2022, „Linz is ned fad“, group exhibition, TIGER LINE, Linz
May 2022, „Celebrate Curiosity | Works on Paper“, solo exhibition, Enoteca Amici Miei Volta, Perchtoldsdorf
March 2022, „Im Wald der Fiktionen“, group exhibition, Stadtgalerie Raumimpuls, Waidhofen/Ybbs
Aug 2021, „Konvergenzen II“, group exhibition, Galerie im Turm, Baden bei Wien
Aug 2021, „The apocalypse of the white elephant“, group exhibition, Comenduirea Garnizoanei, Timisoara
June 2021, „The conceptual world of Ines Rieder / Visualizing a woman’s studio archive“, group exhibition, Galerie Michaela Stock, Vienna
June 2021, „(You) made my day.“, duo exhibition, 12-14 contemporary, Vienna
May 2021, Charity Auction, Dorotheum, Vienna
Sept 2020, „ZWISCHENRÄUME“, solo exibition, Salon real / virtual || Galerie Michaela Stock, Vienna
Jul 2020, „Summerlock reloaded“, group exhibition, Schleifmühlgasse 12–14, Vienna
Apr 2020, „14 DAYS stay home notice“, group exhibition, INSTINC space, Singapore
Mar 2020, „NO PITY“, group exhibition, Galerie Michaela Stock, Vienna
Nov 2019, „The Arscientic Andism“, solo exhibition, Galerie am Park, Vienna
Sept 2019, „Meet the Universe“, group exhibition, University applied Arts in cooperation with HEPHY, ART@CMS program at CERN, Aula der Wissenschaften, Vienna
July 2019, „Origin Poetics“, group exhibition, Art@CMS programme, KASK, Ghent, Belgium
June 2019, „Origin Poetics“, group exhibition, Art@CMS programme, CERN Geneva
June 2019, Diploma Exhibition, University of Applied Arts, Vienna
May 2019, „An Uncertain Straight“, group exhibition, gallery wasserwasser, Vienna
May 2019, „Boxels“, group exhibition, part of Biennale sessions, La Biennale di Venezia, Italy
March 2019, „Ein Raum ohne Bücher ist ein Körper ohne Seele“, group exhibition, Künstlerhaus, Vienna
Feb 2019, charity auction for Wiener Tierschutzverein, Dorotheum, Vienna
Okt 2018, „Konvergenzen“, group exhibition, Kulturdrogerie, Vienna
June 2018, Open Art 2018 Summerstage, group exhibition curated by Thomas Draschan, Vienna
June 2018, Art@CMS group exhibition, CERN, Cessy France
March 2018, „Auflösung – Im Spannungsfeld des Zwischenraumes“ solo exhibition, Bergerhaus, Gumpoldskirchen, Austria
June 2017, „Circuit Training – A Foray Into The World Of The Large Hadron Collider“, group exhibition „Art&Science“ masterclass and „Sitespecific Art“, University of Applied Arts in cooperation with CERN (Art@CMS and HEPHY), das weisse Haus, Vienna
June 2017, „Nervy Glass“, micro live drawing performance, group performance, performance class Peter Kozek, University of Applied Arts, Transmediale Kunst, Brigitte Kowanz, Galerie Schleifmühlgasse 12-14, Vienna
Apr – Aug 2016, „beyond the borders“, group exhibition, Galerie Mondi, Mondi HQ, Vienna
Nov 2015, „The Essential Rhythm – A Drawing Into Space“, solo exhibition, INSTINC Artspace, Singapore
Nov 2015, ICEP – charity art auction, OFID, Palais Deutschmeister, Vienna
Nov 2015, Affordable Art Fair, F1 Pit Building, Singapore
May 2015, „Consequential choice: Versions of atlas making“, group exhibition, masterclass „Art & Science“ University of Applied Arts, Angewandte Innovation Lab, Vienna
Jan 2015, „Urbo Kune, Konstellation 7“, live drawing performance with Klangforum, Netzzeit, Forum für experimentelle Architektur, Landesgalerie Burgenland, Eisenstadt, Austria
Dez 2014, „Urbo Kune, Konstellation 6“, live drawing performance with Klangforum, Netzzeit, Forum experimentelle Architektur, Babenbergerhalle, Klosterneuburg, Austria
Feb 2014, „Transformations“, group exhibition, Galerie Merikon, Vienna
Grants, Nominations
May 2020, working scholarship, Stadt Wien, Austria
May 2018, Sepp Schellhorn grant, Artist in Residence der Seehof Goldegg, Austria
Feb 2016, Kapsch Contemporary Art Prize Nomination
Sept 2015, state support Land Niederösterreich Auslandskultur, INSTINC Artist in Residence Programm, Sept – Nov 2015, Singapore
Artist residencies
Jun 2025 – Jun 2026, AIR Viadukt Screenprints, Vienna
May 2018, Sepp Schellhorn Stipendium, der Seehof, Goldegg
Sept – Nov 2015, INSTINC Artist in Residence Programm, Singapur
The Arscientic Andism – my romantic manifesto || 2020, shortfilm 17min
Awards
April 2023, Under The Radar Festival Vienna, Austria, AUDIENCE AWARD
Nov 2020, Mediterrean Film Festival Cannes, France, BEST FIRST TIME FILMMAKER
Oct 2020, Polish International Film Festival, Warsaw, BEST EXPERIMENTAL
Nominations
Feb 2021, Top Indie Film Awards, Tokyo, BEST EXPERIMENTAL, BEST EDITING, BEST ORIGINAL IDEA, BEST MESSAGE
Official Selections
Feb 2021, 18th In The Palace international short film festival, Sofia, Bulgaria
Jan 2021, Jaipur International Film Festival, India
Dec 2020, Near Nazareth Film Festival, Israel
Jul 2020, Open Window International Film Challange, Kolkata
