From 1979 to 1982 he completed an apprenticeship as a chef. He worked and lived in Switzerland until 1986 where his interests were in nouvelle cuisine and seasonal produce. In 1986 he migrated to Australia, arriving in Adelaide. He received a BA in Fine Art from the NTU in Darwin now ( Charles Darwin University ) in 1991.

His first exhibition was at Gallerie Autodidakt, Bregenz, Austria in 1976 where he exhibited paintings and prints. Franz Ehmann was a partner in the artist run space Whitebox gallery in Brisbane from 1996 to 1997. He opened Soapbox gallery in Brisbane which he directed from 1997 to 2005. Soapbox Gallery operated as an incubator for ideas, installation practices, photography, video and other forms of visual communication. In 1999 in partnership with the Institute of Modern Art Brisbane he published ‘Soapbox – installation practices and artists’ which was followed by ‘Heterostrophic’ in 2002. Three monographs of his own work have also been published.  ‘The blue room of humanity’ in 1997 coincided with his exhibition at the Institute of Modern Art as was ‘Open Panorama’ in 2000 and ‘Speaking the world into existence’ in 2005.

Since 1992, Franz Ehmann’s works have been based on food and materials related to cooking. There is a philosophical and conceptual link to the work that can be sustained through existential and ontological inquiries. Prepared food and its waste have dominated the theatrical language of many installation/performance/video works that hold symbolic and metaphorical significance. The focus and intention of these materials are their existential and phenomenological functions. Being in this world means to embody this world. The world is ingested, digested and wasted. A worldly theatre therefore embodies alienation and conciliation and is ultimately humanistic. …Read more.

Born: Ehmann Franz in Graz Austria, 1963

Exhibitions

2014

Many Things (it’s a colourful world), SGAR, Brisbane

Creatio continua, Im Haus der Kunst , Munich, Germany

2013

1 Biennale der Künstler im Haus der Kunst, Munich, Germany

2012

Words that changed the world and influenced the weather, FOE 156, Munich, Germany

Words that changed the world and influenced the weather, SGAR, Brisbane

2011

There where you are not, Factory49, Sydney

2010

Songs that changed the world and influenced the weather, Greenaway Art Gallery, Adelaide, S.A.

Fourteen, Factory49, Sydney

Cheap philosophies, Schwartz Gallery, London, UK

2009

Yes we can, Lisi Hämmerle Galerie, Bregenz, Austria

2008

Vienna Biennale, Vienna, Austria

Relentless (without beginning nor end), BBK Galerie, Augsburg, Germany

Maximum acceleration, Conny Dietzschold Multiple Box, Sydney

2007

Aftermath, Artspace Sydney, artist residency and exhibition, Sydney

Maximum acceleration, Ryan Renshaw Gallery, Brisbane

ARC Biennial, Queensland University Technology Art Museum, Brisbane

2005

Questioning the questions of this world, Ryan Renshaw Gallery, Brisbane

Questioning the questions of this world, Greenaway Art Gallery, Adelaide

Speaking the world into existence, Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane

Speaking the world into existence, Artspace Mackay, Mackay Qld

2004

Where is my mind, Soapboxgallery, Brisbane

Speaking the world into existence, Esa Jäske Gallery Sydney

Speaking the world into existence, Soapbox gallery, Brisbane

2003

Through the mouth, into your existence, Soapbox gallery, Brisbane

Thinkthank, Greenaway Art Gallery, Adelaide

Where is my mind, Soapbox gallery, Brisbane

2002

Love at the end of a days work, Soapbox gallery, Brisbane

2001

Eveningmeal with 6 o’clock news, Soapbox gallery, Brisbane

Open Panorama (milk, honey, wax, theories, politics, assumptions + words), Greenaway Art Gallery, Adelaide

Almost there ( again… ) , Casula Powerhouse, Sydney

2000

Almost there, Artspace, Sydney

Open Panorama, Greenaway Gallery – Adelaide, Institude of Modern Art + Soapbox gallery, Brisbane

1999

2000 years of nothingness, Soapbox gallery, Brisbane

Wishlist, Greenaway Galleries, Adelaide

1998

Worldly pain – Worldly spirit, Soapbox gallery, Volt, Brisbane Festival

Culture of forgetfulness, Soapbox gallery, Brisbane + Linden gallery,Melbourne

The blue room of humanity, Experimental Art Foundation – Adelaide, Perth Institute of Contemporary Art – Perth, 24 HR Art – Darwin

1997

The blue room of humanity, Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane

Memos for the next millennium, Michael Burke gallery, Brisbane

1996

Milk table for parliament, Darwin Festival, Northern Territory

A ladder for everyone, Whitebox gallery, Brisbane

1995

Memos for an un-known person, Michael Burke gallery, Brisbane

1994

Loneliness + Wailing Room, Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane

From the human museum of forgiveness: Eine weisse Geschichte, Randall Studio, Brisbane

Milk+Poem, From the human museum of laughter, Randall Studio, Brisbane

Emotional Architecture, collaboration with Architect Peter Besley, Gallery 331, Brisbane

1993

Sprachenfuge – Language fugue, Kiss my art, Brisbane

1992

Inside the beehive and a museum for everyone,an installation for everyone and no-one, 2 movements, M.O.C.A. and Space Plentitude, Brisbane

1991

Inside the beehive, everyone’s land, Territory North Theatre, Darwin

Human Generation, collaboration with Lynnette Voevodin

N.T. Centre for contemporary art – Darwin

Chameleon contemporary art space – Hobart, Arthouse – Launceston

1976

Junge Talente, Gallery Atelier Autodidakt, Bregenz – Austria