Sophie Hirsch

Sophie Hirsch was born in 1986 in Vienna, Austria, where she is currently based. She studied photography and sculpture at the Art Institute of Chicago from 2004 to 2006 before transitioning to the Sculpture and New Media class of Erwin Wurm at the University of Applied Arts Vienna, where she studied from 2006 to 2011.

In her hands-on research of the human body and its posture, bodily memory and emotional processes, Sophie Hirsch uncovers the robust within the fragile and vice versa. Made from a wide range of materials, including silicone, fabric, metal, and fascia balls, her sculptures draw on somatic treatment techniques as they examine the body as a manipulable structure. Hirsch stimulates feelings of unease and intrigue through her abundant use of contrasts, bringing together opposing forces to create new equilibriums. By exploring the intersection of materiality, movement, and tension, Hirsch rethinks strength and vulnerability as integral parts of ourselves and our systems.

Exhibitions

Solo & Duo

2026

Maruša Sagadin & Sophie Hirsch

Collectors Agenda, Vienna

^(AT)
2025

Child’s Play

Kunstraum Dornbirn

^(AT)
Yuck my yum

Zeller van Almsick, Vienna

^(AT)
2024

HATHOS

Vienna Collectors Club

^(AT)
2023

Anxiety is Neutral

Bildraum 07, Vienna

^(AT)
2022

Everywhere you go there you are

Galleria Doris Ghetta, Milan

^(IT)
Parnass Raum

Parallel, Vienna

^(AT)
2021

Regroup, Retrace, Unfollow

Galleria Doris Ghetta, Ortisei

^(IT)
2020

you, non you, all you

Sotheby’s Artist Quarterly, Vienna

^(AT)
2018

Muscle Beach

MQ Art Box, Vienna

^(AT)
Parallel Artist Statement

Parallel, Vienna

^(AT)
Waving Back (with Sara Enrico)

Galleria Doris Ghetta, Ortisei

^(IT)
2017

Structural Integration

83 Pitt Street, NYC

^(US)
Dynamic Opposition

Larrie, NYC

^(US)
2016

Postures

Duty Free, NYC

^(US)
2015

Autokorrekt

Signal, NYC

^(US)
2012

Kijang Kijangan

Sewon Art Space, Yogyakarta

^(ID)
heut schau ich mir schöne Bilder an damit ich besser schlafen kann

Projektraum Viktor Bucher, Vienna

^(AT)
2011

Wünschen erwünscht, handeln verlangt (with Corina Vetsch)

Kunsthalle Vienna

^(AT)
Sophie Hirsch

20 Projects, London

^(UK)

Group

2026

Navigating Angst

Vienna Art Week

^(AT)
2025

In Erster Linie Skulptur

Kunsthaus Mürz, Mürzzuschlag

^(AT)
2024

Grit

Zeller van Almsick, Vienna

^(AT)
2023

Das-Haus-vom-Ni-ko-laus

Galleria Doris Ghetta, Ortisei

^(IT)
Hier und Jetzt II, Skulptur Wien 2023

Neuer Kunstverein, Vienna

^(AT)
2022

Weitsicht Cobenzl

Parallel, Vienna

^(AT)
Parallel Skulpturen Park

Parallel, Gmunden

^(AT)
2021

FOSTER. The Soil and Water Residency

MAK, Vienna

^(AT)
2018

Archipelago Mountain

Exhibition Laboratory, Helsinki

^(FI)
Gay as a March Hare in Fall

VBKÖ, Vienna

^(AT)
By Design

Larrie, NYC

^(NY)
2014

Signal

Newd Art Show, NYC

^(NY)
The Last Brucennial

837 Washington Street, NYC

^(NY)
2012

Arte Noah Parkfair

Stadion Center, Vienna

^(AT)
Räumung

Artspace Palais Kabelwerk, Vienna

^(AT)
2011

Nur die Guten kommen in den Garten

Galerie beim Engel, Luxemburg

^(LU)
2010

The Old Man and the Sea

Documentation Center for contemp. Art, Linz

^(AT)
Shifting West, Studio Art Gallery

Capalino University, Vancouver

^(CA)
2009

Sophie Hirsch, Samuel Schaab, Tina van Duyne

Project Space das weisse haus, Vienna

^(AT)
2008

Beletage

Hektor, Vienna

^(AT)
Ursula Blickle Video Lounge

Kunsthalle Vienna

^(AT)
2007

Burn Baby, Burn

Kunstverein Ettlingen

^(DE)

Awards & Residencies

2025

Award:

Austria’s most beautiful Book Award for “Frankie”

^(AT)
2024

Award:

Nominee Dagmar Chobot Sculpture Prize

^(AT)
Residency:

Air 101 Residency, Gmunden

^(AT)
2022

Residency:

BMKOES Residency, Istanbul

^(TR)
2017

Award:

New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship

^(NY)
Award:

Nominee Dagmar Chobot Sculpture Prize

^(AT)
2012

Residency:

BMKOES Residency, Yogyakarta

^(ID)
2011

Award:

Preis der Kunsthalle Wien (special acknowledgement of the jury)

^(AT)
2008

Scholarship:

Salzburg International Summer Academy of Fine Arts

^(AT)
2006-08

Scholarship:

The School of the Art Institute of Chicago Merit Scholarship

^(USA)
Award:

The School of the Art Institute of Chicago Achievement Enhancement Award

^(USA)

Press

Imprint

©: Sophie Hirsch
Address:: Wichtelgasse 10, 1160 Vienna (AT)
Email:: sophie.c.hirsch@gmail.com
Design:: EXEX – Katharina Luger Elsa Kubik Christian Schlager Jana Lill
Implementation:: Nuclis