The First Monographs

Phileas is pleased to announce a new series of annual publications. The First Monographs are intended to provide an overview of the work of the most promising Austrian and Austria-based artists, and to build international awareness of their practices.

The first publication in the series is dedicated to the artist Sophie Thun (born 1985, lives and works in Vienna). Thun works primarily with analogue photography to question the medium’s processes of production and methods of display. She has exhibited recently at the Secession, Vienna; the Museum of Contemporary Art (MACRO), Rome; Kim? Contemporary Art Center, Riga; and Frankfurter Kunstverein.  

Her monograph includes essays by Lucy Gallun, Associate Curator in the Department of Photography at The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York; Catherine Wood, Curator of Contemporary Art and Performance, Tate, London; Lisa Long, curator at Julia Stoschek Collection, Düsseldorf and Berlin; and an interview with Charlotte Cotton, independent curator and writer. The publication was designed by Marie Artaker. 

The First Monographs are published in English by DISTANZ, founded in 2010 by Christian Boros, Uta Grosenick and Angelika Taschen, and based in Berlin. Under the direction of Matthias Kliefoth and Christian Boros, DISTANZ publishes books on contemporary art, photography, architecture and design with worldwide distribution.

Phileas is an independent philanthropic organisation that seeks to strengthen the voice of Austrian and Austrian-based artists on the international landscape through active and long-term programmes of exchange.

Phileas collaborates with artists, museums and biennials to enable the production, exhibition and acquisition of art for public institutions.

Phileas runs an active Visitor Programme, inviting international curators, art critics and museum groups to Austria throughout the year to visit artists’ studios, galleries, museums and foundations.

In May 2022 Phileas will open a public exhibition space in the heart of Vienna, with a year-round programme of exhibitions accompanied by talks, discussions, screenings and performances.

Phileas is funded primarily by the annual contributions of its private members, who accompany the development of its projects from studio to exhibition. Additional funding is provided by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Arts and Culture, the City of Vienna, and several organisations and corporations.

For more information, see phileasprojects.org or contact office [​at​] phileasprojects.org.