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Vera Isler

1931 Berlin - 2015 Basel

Vera Isler was born in Berlin in 1931 of a Polish father, Heinz Leiner, and a Hungarian mother, Louise Leiner-Reichmann, who sent her to Switzerland in 1936 to ensure her safety. Her Parents perished in Belzec in 1942. 
 

Vera Isler uses her camera like a pen, her insatiable curiosity leading her to concentrate on faces. Travels through Europe, Siberia, Japan and Australia deepen and enhance her perception. 
Numerous prizes and distrinctions accompany her artistic career, paying hommage to the quality and originality of her work. 
From 1981 onwards, her activities centre on the concept and publication of reports and books of photographs in the fields of architecture and art, with a predeliction for portrait. Her work regularly appears in newspapers and magazines of international repute. In 1986, the publication of a book of portraits "Schaut uns an" (a collection of photographs showing people over eighty) appears as a provocation and confirms her reputation as a photographer in Switzerland and throughout the world.

 

Individual Exhibitions (Selected):


Gallery Läubli, CH-Zurich 1967
Gallery Felix Handschin, CH-Basel 1968
Hamburg artists' club "Die Insel", D-Hamburg, 1968
Kunstamt Tiergarten of Berlin, D-Berlin, 1969
Gallery Verena Müller, CH-Berne, 1970
Gallery Nelly L'éplattenier; CH-Chaux de Fonds, 1970
Relief, object, genetics
Gallery Charles Lienhard, CH-Basel, 1971
Gallery Susanne Bollag, CH-Zürich, 1971
Gallery Trudelhaus, CH-Baden, 1972
Gallery Nelly L'éplattenier; CH-Chaux de Fonds, 1972
Gallery Sincron, J-Brescia, 1973. *** "
Gallery Brambach, CH-Basel, 1975
Gallery Riehentor, Trudel Bruckner, 1976
Gallery Nelly L'éplattenier, 1976
Gallery at the fish market, CH-Liestal, 1977
Nova Art, CH Zurich, 1977
Gallery Media Zofingen, "Genetics" lead-write objects
1983
Gallery Schindler Bern, "Genetics" lead-write objects
1984 Photo work from 1980 onwards
Gallery Nikon, Zurich and Galerie Fotokunst, Basel "Gay in USA", 1981
Theater am Turm, D-Frankfurt, AJZ- "Art of Refusal", 1982
Gallery Zur Stockeregg, Zurich "People over 80", 1986
Gallery Siegert, Basel "People", 1991
Gallery Scalo, Zurich, "Roll Change", 1992
Face To Face, Swiss Institute, US-New York, 1992
Face to Face, Musée d'Art Moderne de Nice, France, 1992
Face to Face, Kunsthalle A-Wien, 1992
Gallery Scalo, Zurich, "Roll Change", 1992
Historical Archive D-Cologne, "Rollenwechsel", 1992
Musée de l'Elysée, CH-Lausanne, "Roll Change", 1993
FNAC, F-Paris "Roll Change", 1993
Face To Face, Palazzo delle Esposizione Rome, Italy, 1994
Face to Face, 25. ART - Basel, Switzerland, 1994
Face to Face, Gallery Raab, D-Berlin, 1995
Face to Face, Kassel Kunstverein Fridericianum, D-Kassel, 1995
Museum of Cultures, CH-Basel, Installation "Peking / Hongkong", 1996
Gallery Siegert, Basel, "Peking / Hong Kong", 1996
Bank Austria, A-Vienna, installation "Beijing / Hong Kong", 1997
Gallery Atrium ed Arte, S. Grossmann, A-Vienna, "Peking / Hong Kong", 1997
Face to Face, Gallery Arte Giani, D-Frankfurt, 1998
From face to face, photo forum St.Gallen, Switzerland, 1998
Autobiography "I too." 2000
Haus am Lützowplatz, Berlin, "Bosom and the Golden Calf",
And Book Reopening "Even Me" (2000)
Atrium et Arte, Vienna, "Bosom and the Golden Calf" and Reading (2001)
Gallery René Steiner, CH-Erlach, "Timecode", 2002 Retrospective

 

Gilbert and George
Stephan Balkenhol
Valie Export
Pipiloti Rist
Nam June Paik
Rebecca Horn
Bill Viola
Jenny Holzer
Vera-Isler-Leiner-Luise Bourgeois-512
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