Uriel Orlow lives and works between Lisbon, London and Zurich. He studied at Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design London, the University of Geneva, the Slade School of Art/University College London and UAL, completing a PhD in Fine Art in 2002.
Uriel Orlow is the recipient of the 2023 Swiss Grand Prix for Art / Prix Meret Oppenheim. In 2020 he received the C. F. Meyer Prize and in 2017 he was awarded the Sharjah Biennial prize. He also received a ‘Werkjahr’ award from the City of Zurich in 2015 and three Swiss Art Awards at Art Basel (2008, 2009, 2012) and was shortlisted for the Jarman award in 2013.
In 2026 EGEAC published his monograph Collateral Memory, in 2024 K Verlag and MCBA Lausanne published Forest Times, in 2020 Archive Books published Conversing with Leaves, in 2019 Shelter Press published Soil Affinities and in 2018 Sternberg Press published Theatrum Botanicum.
Uriel Orlow’s practice is research-driven, process-oriented and often in dialogue with other disciplines and people. Projects engage with residues of colonialism, spatial manifestations of memory, social and ecological justice, blind spots of representation and plants as political actors. His multi-media installations focus on specific locations, micro-histories and forms of haunting. Working across installation, photography, film, drawing, sound and gardens his works bring different image-regimes and narrative modes into correspondence.
Uriel Orlow’s work has been presented at major survey exhibitions including the 61st and 54th International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, 12th Berlin Biennale for Contemporary Art, Kathmandu Triennale , Manifesta 9 and 12 in Genk and Palermo, 13th Sharjah Biennial 13, 7th Moscow Biennial, EVA International, Limerick, 2nd Aichi Triennale, Nagoya, 1st Bergen Assembly amongst others.
Notable and recent solo exhibitions include Dialogue Gallery, Lisbon (2025), Galeria Avenida da Índia, Lisbon (2025), MCBA Lausanne (2024), Casa da Cerca, Almada (2022–2023), Kunsthalle Nairs Switzerland (2021), La Loge, Brussels; State of Concept, Athens (both 2020), Kunsthalle Mainz (2019-2020), Tabakalera, San Sebastian and Villa Romana Florence (2019), Kunsthalle St Gallen Switzerland, Market Photo Workshop Johannesburg and Les Laboratoires d’Aubervilliers Paris (2018), PAV Turin (2017), The Showroom London (2016), Castello di Rivoli (2015).
Orlow’s work has also been shown in film festivals, museums and galleries internationally including at Locarno Film Festival, Oberhausen Film Festival in London at Tate, ICA and Gasworks and Whitechapel Gallery; in Paris at Palais de Tokyo, Fondation Ricard, Maison Populaire, Bétonsalon; at Württembergischer Kunstverein Stuttgart; Project Arts, Dublin; and in Mexico City; Chicago, Vancouver; Cairo, Cape Town, Melbourne and elsewhere.
Orlow has taught at art colleges internationally including Goldsmiths University of London; Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design, London; HEAD – University of the Arts Geneva, Royal College of Art, London. He is currently reader (associate professor/ senior researcher) at University of Westminster, London and docent at ZHdK, the University of the Arts, Zurich.
PT
Uriel Orlow vive e trabalha entre Lisboa, Londres e Zurique. Estudou no Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design, em Londres, na Universidade de Genebra, na Slade School of Art / University College London e na UAL, onde concluiu um doutoramento em Belas-Artes em 2002.
Uriel Orlow foi distinguido com o Swiss Grand Prix for Art / Prix Meret Oppenheim em 2023. Em 2020 recebeu o Prémio C. F. Meyer e, em 2017, foi galardoado com o prémio da Bienal de Sharjah. Recebeu ainda uma bolsa “Werkjahr” da Cidade de Zurique em 2015 e três Swiss Art Awards na Art Basel (2008, 2009 e 2012), tendo também sido nomeado para o Prémio Jarman em 2013.
Em 2026, a EGEAC publicou a sua monografia Collateral Memory; em 2024, a K Verlag e o MCBA Lausanne publicaram Forest Times; em 2020, a Archive Books publicou Conversing with Leaves; em 2019, a Shelter Press publicou Soil Affinities; e, em 2018, a Sternberg Press publicou Theatrum Botanicum.
A prática de Uriel Orlow é orientada pela investigação, centrada no processo e frequentemente desenvolvida em diálogo com outras disciplinas e pessoas. Os seus projetos abordam os vestígios do colonialismo, as manifestações espaciais da memória, a justiça social e ecológica, os pontos cegos da representação e as plantas enquanto agentes políticos. As suas instalações multimédia concentram-se em locais específicos, micro-histórias e formas de assombração. Trabalhando entre instalação, fotografia, filme, desenho, som e jardins, as suas obras colocam em relação diferentes regimes de imagem e modos narrativos.
O trabalho de Uriel Orlow foi apresentado em importantes exposições internacionais, incluindo a 61.ª e a 54.ª Exposição Internacional de Arte da Bienal de Veneza, a 12.ª Bienal de Berlim de Arte Contemporânea, a Kathmandu Triennale, a Manifesta 9 e 12 em Genk e Palermo, a 13.ª Bienal de Sharjah, a 7.ª Bienal de Moscovo, a EVA International em Limerick, a 2.ª Trienal de Aichi em Nagoya e a 1.ª Bergen Assembly, entre outras.
Entre as exposições individuais mais relevantes e recentes destacam-se: Dialogue Gallery, Lisboa (2025), Galeria Avenida da Índia, Lisboa (2025), MCBA Lausanne (2024), Casa da Cerca, Almada (2022–2023), Kunsthalle Nairs, Suíça (2021), La Loge, Bruxelas, e State of Concept, Atenas (ambas em 2020), Kunsthalle Mainz (2019–2020), Tabakalera, San Sebastián, e Villa Romana, Florença (2019), Kunsthalle St. Gallen, Suíça, Market Photo Workshop, Joanesburgo, e Les Laboratoires d’Aubervilliers, Paris (2018), PAV Turim (2017), The Showroom, Londres (2016), e Castello di Rivoli (2015).
O trabalho de Orlow foi também apresentado em festivais de cinema, museus e galerias internacionais, incluindo o Festival de Cinema de Locarno, o Festival de Cinema de Oberhausen, e, em Londres, na Tate, ICA, Gasworks e Whitechapel Gallery; em Paris, no Palais de Tokyo, Fondation Ricard, Maison Populaire e Bétonsalon; no Württembergischer Kunstverein Stuttgart; na Project Arts, Dublin; bem como na Cidade do México, Chicago, Vancouver, Cairo, Cidade do Cabo, Melbourne, entre outras cidades.
Orlow lecionou em escolas de arte internacionais, incluindo a Goldsmiths University of London, o Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design, em Londres, a HEAD – University of the Arts Geneva, e o Royal College of Art, em Londres. Atualmente é reader (professor associado / investigador sénior) na University of Westminster, em Londres, e docente na ZHdK — University of the Arts Zurich.
