KALAS LIEBFRIED (* 1989 in Bulgaria) is a multidisciplinary artist and curator, based in Munich. He studied sculpture and time-based media at the Academy of Fine Arts Munich and Philosophy at the LMU Munich. Central to his work is the exploration of the sculptural and socio-political potentials of sound, focusing on ecological and post-imperial topics, critical theory and ambient studies. Methodologically decisive are collaborations and interactions, in which other artists and audiences are understood as an active and formartive part of the work.
His works have been shown at Musée d’Art Moderne (Paris), National Gallery (Sofia), Lenbachhaus (Munich) and Pinakothek der Moderne (Munich), Goethe-Institut (Paris and Sofia) and Nir Altman Galerie among others. He has been awarded, among others, the City of Munich Scholarship for Visual Arts (2022) and the Bavarian Culture Prize (2019).
Liebfried is founder of the non-entity organisation for sound PARA, and co-organizes the independent art association Rosa Stern Space e.V.. In 2022 he founded the interactive encyclopaedia “Fragments of Sonic Extinction” (www.sonicextinction.net) that addresses the current loss of natural sounds. Liebfried is an editor at 20 seconds, a biannual print only magazine for experimental music and art.
His latest sound releases include „Amp Wall Monument Confrontation“ (2 LP, SVS Records, 2022), „Ports in Transition“ (C-60 cassette, Molten Moods Records, 2022) and „Obscure Ambience“ (monograph, Edition Methel, 2021).
PRIZES / SCHOLASHIPS / GRANDS / FUNDINGS
Major project funding, Musikfonds, for Fragments of Sonic Extinction, 2022
Project grand, Erwin und Gisela von Steiner-Foundation, Munich 2022
Fine Arts Stipend, awarded by the City of Munich, 2022
Project grand, Stiftung Kunstfonds, 2022
Project grand, Bayern Innovativ, 2021
Kickstarter stipend, Neustart Kultur / Stiftung Kunstfonds, 2021
Project grand, innovative art projects, Neustart Kultur, 2021
Prize for Off-spaces, awarded by the City of Munich, with Rosa Stern Space, 2021
Studio stipend, Akademieverein Munich, 2021
Project grand, Stiftung Kunstfonds, 2020
Advancement award, Erste Jahre der Professionalität, BBK, Munich 2020/2021
Catalogue grand, LfA Förderbank, 2021
Imagining Ecological Futures, residency and grand, awarded by the Goethe-Institut Brussels and the KIKK Festival, Namur, Belgium, 2020
Project grand, Erwin und Gisela von Steiner-Foundation, Munich 2020
„Perspektiven“ prize, awarded by the Kunstclub 13 association, 2020
Kulturpreis Bayern, Munich 2019
Diploma prize, awarded by the Erwin und Gisela von Steiner-Foundation, 2019
PROJECTS
solo exhibitions and projects
LEATHER COATED DRONES, solo show, Rosa Stern Space, Munich, 2023
READING THE AIR, solo show, GiG, Munich, 2021
NEW AGE BALKAN, solo show, Goethe-Institut, Sofia, 2021
AMBIENT DU PASSAGE, solo show, Goethe-Institut, Paris, 2021
AMP WALL MONUMENT CONFRONTATION, public art project, Munich, 2021
SELECTED AMBIENT WORKS 85-92, solo show, Nir Altman Galerie, Munich, 2019
RADIO, LIVE TRANSMISSION, solo show, Hinterconti, Hamburg, 2018
selected group exhibitions, performances and festivals
APOCALYPTIC HEDONISM, group show, Rosa Stern Space, Munich
RITOURNELLE, installation and sound performance, festival, Blitz Club Munich
COLLISIONS, festival and exhibition, Muffathalle, Munich
CIRCULATION ET EXTINCTION, performance, Museé d’Art Moderne, Paris, 2022
SPARKS OF IMAGINATION, group show, National Gallery, Sofia, 2022
TAKE ME TO THE RIVER, group show, Hamburger Bahnhof, Berlin, 2021
Erste Jahre der Professionalität, Galerie der Künstler, Munich, 2021
RELATIONAL BODIES, group show, Fructa Space, Munich, 2021
FALSE GROUND CARRIER, group show, IDEAL, Leipzig, 2020
BAZA Award, group show, Sofia City Art Gallery, Sofia, 2020
RADIO-AKTIVITÄT, group show, Lenbachhaus, Munich, 2020
Tacker, group show, Galerie der Künstler, Munich, 2020
ART START, group show, Credo Bonum Gallery / Goethe-Institut, Sofia, BG, 2020
MOVEMENT 1920-2020, festival, Onassis Stegi, Athens, GR, 2020
AMBIENT FOR A SILENT FOREST, sound installation in resonance to Joseph Beuys, Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich, 2019
BLACK MESA, in: Debütanten 2019, group show, Haus der Kunst, Munich, 2019
IN D, diploma show, Academy of Fine Arts, Munich, 2019
JAHRESGABEN, group show, Kunstverein München, Munich, 2018
CORPS-À-CORPS feat. MC NANCY, listening session, Kunstverein München, Munich, 2018
Imaginary Display(s), group show, BNKR, Munich, 2018
Public Art Munich, festival/group show, Munich, 2018
JAHRESGABEN, group show, Kunstverein München, Munich, 2017
ZIMMER FREI, group show, Hotel Mariandl, Munich, 2017
ADD FX, Sluice Biennial 2017, London, GB (two person, with Paul Valentin), 2017
BLIND CARBON COPY, Akademie-Galerie, Munich (two person, with Paul Valentin), 2017
P.OSTEUROPA, group show, Kunstarkaden, Munich, 2017
NOISES, group show, Fire Proof, Brooklyn, New York, USA, 2016
THERE WILL BE BLOOD, group show, Ludwigskirche, Munich, 2016
UNBOXING PANDORA, group show, Kunstpavillon, Munich, 2016
curatorial work
from 2020: founder and artistic director, PARA, non-entity organisation for sound; projects i.a. „PARA80000: Unset Time and Pace„, „Fragments of Sonic Extinction„
from 2020: co-organiser and curator, Rosa Stern Space, art space, Munich;
curated projects i.a. „Drawing Restrict. A Growing Exhibition“, „Natalia Jordanova: The Console“, „Alexander Scharf: Jason“, „Paul Valentin: A Piano Plays in Another Room and it’s Raining“
2015-2018: curator, Jour Fixe, lecture and workshop series, Academy of Fine Arts, Munich
education
2014-2019: Sculpture and Time Based Media, with Stephan Huber, Julian Rosefeldt and Alexandra Bircken, Academy of Fine Arts, Munich
2010-2016: Philosophy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich
teaching
Winter semester 2021/2022: Guest Professor, Theaterakademie August-Everding, Munich
publications
OBSCURE AMBIENCE, catalogue, monograph, Edition Metzel, 2021
PORTS IN TRANSITION, C-60 cassette tape, Molten Moods Records, 2022
AMP WALL MONUMENT CONFRONTATION, 2 LP, 12″ vinyl,including gatefold cover + booklet, 16 p., b/w accompanied by a print insert incl. the related score and an essay by Australian scholar Damian Lentini (curator, Haus der Kunst, Munich)
lectures and talks
Hyle, lecture and listening session, Athens, 2020
Pinakothek der Moderne, talk with Corinna Thierolf (Head of Post War Art Department) Munich 2019
Public Art Munich, talk with Alexander Kluge and Students of the Academy of fine Art Munich, 2018
Nir Altman Gallery, screening and talk, Munich, 2017
press reviews and interviews
Interview with BOMB magazine
Interview with CLOT magazine on „Fragments of Sonic Extinction“
Süddeutsche Zeitung about „Fragments of Sonic Extinction“
Süddeutsche Zeitung about „Amp Wall Monument Confrontation“
Süddeutsche Zeitung about „PARA: Unset Time and Pace“
Goethe-Institut Belgium: Interview
porcile.org: review by Magda Wisniowska
gallerytalk.net: Interview with Felicia F. Leu
Passe Avant: Questionnaire and playlist
Whitehot Magazine: Review, Various Others 2019
Süddeutsche Zeitung: Review „Ambient for a Silent Forest“ at Pinakothek der Moderne
KubaParis: Review „Selected Ambient Works 85-92“ at Nir Altman
Art Viewer: Review „Selected Ambient Works 85-92“ at Nir Altman
Tzvetnik: Review „Selected Ambient Works 85-92“ at Nir Altman
This Orient: Review „Selected Ambient Works 85-92“ at Nir Altman
contact
kalas.liebfried(at)gmail.com
KALAS LIEBFRIED 