Franziska Maderthaner

The renowned Austrian artist Franziska Maderthaner interweaves representational and abstract painting. She is a master of her medium. She skillfully incorporates references to art history into her paintings. At the same time, she addresses contemporary themes with Baroque opulence and Rococo-style refinement.
 
After attending the Akademisches Gymnasium, Franziska Maderthaner studied art education under Herbert Tasquil at the University of Applied Arts Vienna from 1980 to 1985. She met Joseph Beuys and wrote her thesis on his “Free International University: An Attempt to Objectify the Organ for Social Sculpture by Joseph Beuys.”
 
From 1985 to 1986, she studied graphic arts under Oswald Oberhuber. From June 1984 to March 1985, she served as an assistant to Martin Kippenberger. Franziska Maderthaner has been participating in exhibitions since 1984. After completing her studies, the artist collaborated on various film projects and theater productions. Since 2000, she has been an associate professor of painting and graphic arts at the University of Applied Arts Vienna. From 2004 to 2006, she served as chair of the IG Bildende Kunst (Association of Visual Artists) in Austria. In 2026, she was elected the new vice president of the Künstlerhaus in Vienna.