Manfred Kielnhofer

The painter, sculptor, designer, and photographer has been pursuing the concept of his mythical guardian figures since 2006. He has caused a sensation with them. Initially, they simply appeared suddenly and unannounced—for example, at the Venice Biennale in 2011 and Documenta XIII in 2012—and were not only admired by visitors but also accepted for a time by the curators.

Kielnhofer's "Guardians" have long since found their way into countless exhibitions and galleries and are represented in renowned international collections. But they are still traveling. The artist documents their appearances around the world online. In 2015, they could also be found officially during the Venice Biennale – at the Palazzo Mora as part of one of the "eventi collaterali."