Bio
Michael Bachhofer is renowned for his ultra-high-resolution, large-format photographs, each composed of thousands of individual photos often taken through a microscope. He has studied multiple disciplines at six universities and spent an overseas year at the Tokyo University of the Arts, where he focused on art anatomy and photography. Michael’s work exists at the intersection of art, science, technology, and society. His pieces have been exhibited in major museums in Vienna and at international art festivals such as Ostrale in Dresden, Klanglichtfestival in Graz (repeatedly), and NordArt in Büdelsdorf. His work has also been featured in publications like European Photography.
In 2018, he was awarded the annual scholarship in fine arts by the State of Carinthia. He has received several project grants from the BKA, MA7, the State of Carinthia, and the Valletta Foundation. Additionally, Michael was an invited artist at the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission in 2018. In 2024, he served as a university lecturer at the University of Applied Arts Vienna.
Occasionally, Michael contributes to stage design for musical and opera productions, using projections and animations to extend the physical capabilities and spatial impressions on stage.
CV
Personal Info
Michael Bachhofer, born in Friesach/Carinthia, grown up in the Styrian mountains, lives and works in Neumarkt in STMK and in Vienna, Austria
+43 (0) 670 400 09 07
michaelbachhofer{at}gmx{dot}net
http://MichaelBachhofer.com (artistic)
http://FCMappers.net (scientific)
Education (selection)
2022 -
University of Applied Arts Vienna - Department for Digital and Media Art, Science Visualization Lab, PhD project: development of an ultra-highresolution 3D scanner for insects based on photogrammetry and AI technologies
2012 - 2013
Tokyo University of the Arts - Art Anatomy, Photography, Kendo
Overseas Year
2010 - 2013
University of Applied Arts Vienna - Institute of Fine Arts and Media Art,
Department for Art & Science
graduated with distinction: June 2013 - MA
1997 - 2008
University of Vienna, Biology / Ecology
graduated with distinction: December 2008 - Mag.rer.nat. equal to MSc
1996 - 1998
Graz University of Technology, Electrical Engineering
Exhibitions (selection)
2024
*photo graz 024, Graz/AT - photo graz 024. Biennale der steirischen Fotokunst (forthcomming)
*Künstlerhaus Klagenfurt/AT - F.E.A.R. "110th Anniversary Exhibition of the Institution"
*Independant Space Index Festival, Wien/AT - Bevor die Sonne untergeht
2023
*Künstlerhaus Klagenfurt/AT - Mitgliederausstellung 2023
*OpenCave, Wien/AT - Me and the Morpho
*Angewandte Festival, Wien/AT - Everything 3D
*Ministry of Artists, Wien/AT - Butterfly Perspective (together with Dr. Martina Fröschl)
2022
*Künstlerhaus Klagenfurt/AT - Mitgliederausstellung 2022
*photo graz 022, Graz/AT - photo graz 022. Biennale der steirischen Fotokunst
*Stadtturmgalerie Gmünd/AT - Maria Sibylla MERIAN
2021
*Künstlerhaus Klagenfurt/AT - Mitgliederausstellung 2021
*Klanglicht Graz/AT - feminitiv (in cooperation with Karin Watabe-Wolfger and Karl Wratscko)
*photo graz 020, Graz/AT - photo graz 020. Biennale der steirischen Fotokunst
*Kleine Galerie des Künstlerhaus Klagenfurt/AT - Die Neuen
*Raum für Fotografie, Klagenfurt/AT – #BeAButterflyyourself
2020
*public space „Stadtstrand“, Marchegg/AT – Butterfly-Park (solo, permanent installationen)
*public space „Freie Mitte“, Wien/AT – Butterfly-Park (solo, permanent installationen)
*public space “Praterstern“ – Installation Nordbahnhof (solo, one year)
2019
*Vienna Art Week, Vienna/AT - #BeAButterflyYourself (solo)
*Bundesministerium für Landesverteidigung (Ministry of Defense), Vienna/AT - Retro- and Prospective (solo)
*21.NordArt, Büdelsdorf/DE - (Butter)Fly´s Eye Cam, Me, #BeAButterflyYourself
2018
*European Capital of Culture 2018, Valletta/MLT - Science in the City (in cooperation with Dr. Stefan Resch)
*RAIBA Neumarkt/AT - Retro (solo)
*Fumes and Perfumes, Stuttgart/DE - 5.0 (will run until June 2019)
*NHM (Naturhistorisches Museum), Vienna/AT - Our place in space
*Klanglicht Festival, Graz/AT - Ich bin viele Gesichter (Rossegger Monument) - (in cooperation with Karl Wratscko and Next Liberty Theater)
2017
*LOLA LIK, Amsterdam/NL - Feel it fill it
*MAK (Museum of Applied Arts), Vienna/AT - photo::vienna
*offSpace Galerie Panoptikum, Gilgenberg/AT - Werkschau(en)
*Haus der Fotografie, Vienna/AT - Infrarot
2016
*Galerie Reinthaler, Vienna/AT - Sources of Construction (Eyes On - Month of Photography & Vienna Art Week)(solo)
*Hotel Altstadt, Vienna/AT - Cognitive Self Portrait
*OSTRALE´O16, Dresden/DE - error: X (in cooperation with Karl Wratschko and Aleksandra Kolodziejczyk)
2015
*Stadtmuseum Neuoetting/DE - Das Glück liegt auf der Straße -
Der Urbane Raum/Urban Space
2014
*KMG Art Gallery, Vienna/AT - Sebstportrait 2014/Self Portrait 2014
*Galerie Reinthaler, Vienna/AT - Stitching Nature (solo)
*University of Technology Vienna/AT - Wunderkammer 2014/Cabinet of curiosities 2014
2013
*Artos Foundation, Nicosia/CYP - X-Dream
*Ausarten, Vienna/AT - Das Exponential (during Vienna Art Week) - (in cooperation with Dr. Eduard Rysavy and Dr. Martin Wildenberg)
*Künstlerhaus, Vienna/AT - The Essence 13
*[hu: fak off] space / Aula of the University of Applied Art Vienna/AT - observation_1 (solo of kino_observateur)
2012
*Künstlerhaus, Vienna/AT - The Essence 12
*Kunstraum Wien Mitte, Vienna/AT - Art & Science Ontologies
2011
*NHM (Naturhistorisches Museum Wien), Vienna/AT - Things that talk (Vienna Art Week)
Art Fairs
2020
*Parallel Vienna/AT– (represented by ArtScienceSociety)
2019
*JustMad-X, Madrid/ES - (represented by Galerie Panoptikum)
*Huntenkunst, Ulft/NL - (Collective ÖL)
2018
*Art Bodensee, Dornbirn/AT - (represented by Galerie Reinthaler)
2015
*Art Austria / Leopoldmuseum at MQ Vienna/AT - (represented by Galerie Reinthaler)
*Viennafair, Vienna/AT (represented by Galerie Reinthaler)
Projections and video animations - supporting stage design
2023
*Odysseus Baden/AT (Family Musical, Bühnen Baden stage design & costume: Alexia Redl)
2022
*Oper Graz/AT - Frau Holle (Musical - stage design: Mignon Ritter - stage production: Maximilian Achatz)
2021
*Oper Graz/AT - Robin Hood (Family Musical - stage design & costume: Alexia Redl - stage production: Michael Schilhan)-> compilation on YouTube
2019
*Oper Cheminitz/DE - Bei der Feuerwehr wird der Kaffee kalt (Family Musical -stage design & costume: Alexia Redl - stage production: Alexander Kuchinka) -> compilation on YouTube
*Oper Cheminitz/DE - Die Zauberflöte (Opera - stage design & costume: Alexia Redl - stage production: Michael Schilhan) -> compilation on YouTube
Artist in residence, grants and awards
2023
*Award of Distinction from Bio Communication Association
2022
*Project grant by the State of Carinthia / Land Kärnten Kultur
*Project grant for the offSpace 'OpenCave' by the City of Vienna - MA7
2021
*Project grant for the offSpace 'OpenCave' by the City of Vienna - MA7
2020
*Exhibition and Artist in Residence at Moriumius (Ogatsu/Japan), co-funded by Österreichisches Kulturforum Tokio and Moriumius (cancled because of COVID-19)
*Annual promotion for the offSpace 'OpenCave' by the City of Vienna - MA7
2019
*Annual promotion for the offSpace 'OpenCave' by the City of Vienna - MA7
2018
*One-year scholarship in fine art by the State of Carinthia / Land Kärnten Kultur
*Invited Artist at the JRC Art & Science Summerschool of the European Commission in Ispra / Italy
*Project grants by the City of Vienna - MA7, the State of Carinthia and Valletta 2018 Foundation
2016
*JERKfilms Contest - Emerging Artists Project 2016
*FRAMOS Young Art Collection Award
*Grant by the Federal Chancellery of Austria
2013
*ResArt (Nicosia/Cyprus)- funded by Artos Foundation together with the Austrian Embassy and the University of Applied Arts Vienna
*Auslandstipendium University of Applied Arts Vienna
2012
*Auslandstipendium University of Applied Arts Vienna
Collections
*Collection of the Central Bank of Austria / Sammlung der Oesterreichischen Nationalbank
*bene-Stiftung / bene foundation
*serveral works are in private collections (e.g. Hotel Altstadt Vienna,..)
Teaching
2024 Summer Semester, University of Applied Arts Vienna "Sinneswandel - A Hackers guide to Perception", 2VU
Publications
Bachhofer M. (2017) 'Troides helena - Butterflies are super nice' in Andreas Müller-Pohle (Editor) 'Talking Photography – 100 Pictures that Tell a Story.', European Photography Nr.100, 37(2): 5
Bachhofer M., Rysavy E., Wildenberg M. (2014) 'Projekt Metatron - Die erste Posaune' in Dombois F., Klein J., Bast G., Peters S. 'Out of the Box. 10 Fragen an künstlerische Forschung', Verlag Angewandte, (ISBN-10: 3200033827), http://outofthebox.gruchalski.at/?page_id=540
Wildenberg M., Bachhofer M., Isak K.G.Q., Skov F. (2013) 'Use and evaluation of FCM as a tool for long term socio ecological research' in Papageorgiou, E. (Editor) 'Fuzzy Cognitive maps for Applied Sciences and Engineering', Intelligent Systems Reference Library: Springer, (ISBN-10: 3642397387)
Reckien, D., Wildenberg M. and Bachhofer M. (2012) 'Subjective realities of climate change - How mental maps of impacts deliver socially sensible adaptation options', Journal of Sustainability Science, 8(2):159-172
Deifel V., Kräftner B., Widrich V. (Editors.) (2011) 'An envelope for arts, sciences, politics and us', Edition Angewandte: Springer Vienna, (ISBN-10: 3709109892)
Wildenberg, M., Bachhofer, M., Adamescu, M., De Blust, G., Diaz-Delgado, R., Isak, K., Skov, F., Varjopuro, R. (2010)' Linking thoughts to flows - Fuzzy cognitive mapping as tool for integrated landscape modelling.' Proceedings of the 2010 International Conference on Integrative Landscape Modelling – Linking environmental, social and computer sciences. Symposcience, Cemagref, Cirad, Ifremer, Inra, Montpellier.