Maria Viftrup is working in the messy intersections of participatory art, experimental design and practice-based research.
Based in Børkop, Denmark she is crafting radical curiousity through engaging experiences and material storytelling. Her colourful universe initiates questions and conversations about human relations to more-than-human worlds, ecology, resources, value and waste. Her work takes form as material-driven explorations of the implications of contemporary production and consumption systems.
Maria's artistic practice consists of co-creative installations, happenings, assemblage, material explorations, drawing or photography.
She also does talks, teaching and consultancy. Please get in contact if you are interested in collaboration!
Maria has amoungst others made art projects and exhibitions at ARoS Art Museum, Augustiana Kunsthal, Munkeruphus and the International Art Center Copenhagen Contemporary.
In 2019 she was awarded with the prize: Danish Design Award Young Talent.
She received several working grants from Statens Kunstfond / Danish Arts Foundation.
Exhibitions and Projects:
2024-2025: Solo exhibition: JORDSANS | samarbejde med Jordens Hus,
NOBA- Norwegian BioArt Arena
2024: Commission: Archive of Transformation | Kolding Design School
2024: Performance: Jordsans Sanatorie | Metropolis Performing Landscapes non-stop, Københavns Internationale Teater.
2024: Solo exhibition: JORDSANS | samarbejde med Jordens Hus,
Munkeruphus (24.03-12.05 2024)
2023: Solo echibition: Fragmentfabrikken
Galerie PI, Borgergade 15D, Copenhagen
2023: Exhibition: Rod/System | Exhibition platform Renæssancejord,
Vridsløselille Statsfængsel. Commissioned by Jordens Hus.
2023: Commission: Lærkelundmuseerne - permanent sculptural work | Boligforeningen AAB afd. 38, Brønshøj.
Created in collaboration with Kigge Hvid.
2023: Group exhibition: GENERATION WHY? - curator Marcia Harvey Isaksson, Charlotte Jul og Vidar Koksvik
Risør Kunstpark, Norge (2023), Rundetårn, Danmark (2024), Rian designmuseum, Sverige (2025).
2021: INGENMANDSLAND II
Exhibition at Copenhagen Contemporary. Collaboration with Rune Fjord and Amanda Luna.
2021: Det mindste Institut // The smallest Institute
Solo exhibition at Galerie PI, Borgergade 15D, Copenhagen
2020: GEOFUTURISTIC EXPERIMENT
Participatory art installation created during Klimafolkemøde/Public Climate Meeting
2020: INGENMANDSLAND
Pop-up art project at Copenhagen Contemporary. Collaboration with Rune Fjord and Amanda Luna.
2020: FACTORY OF SENSE DISTRIBUTION
Residency at ARoS Public. In collaboration with Rune Fjord and Amanda Luna.
2019: FORUNDRING FORANDRING
Solo exhibition at Augustiana Kunsthal, Augustenborg (supported by Statens Kunstfond)
2019: WASTE OF OUR TIME
5 happenings commisioned by ARoS Public, ARoS Art Museums.
2019: ReCoral
Interactive installation at TEDx, Aarhus. In collaboration with Iga Gorniak.
2019: WASTE OG OUR TIME II
One week interactive Art Zone at Trekantområdets Festuge, Kolding
2019: UNITED DIVERSITY
Graduation exhibition Design School Kolding at Koldinghus, Kolding
2019: IS THIS COLOUR
Group exhibition curated by KONTEMPO, Rundetårn, Copenhagen
2018: MIDLERTIDIGT ARKIV
Trekantområdets Festuge, Kolding
2018: BANK BLANK
Group exhibition at 48 Stunde Neukölln art festival, Berlin
2016: STEDSANSER
Soloexhibition at Trekantområdets Festuge, Klostergården, Kolding
Teaching, lectures and talks:
2024: Workshop at the Master course Transforming Practices at Design School Kolding
2024: Teaching the bachelor course Material Driven Design and Facilitation at Design School Kolding
2024: Teaching the bachelor course FUTURE at Design School Kolding
2024: Workshops at Kulturregion Fyn in 6 different schools (3rd-6th grade) together with Liv Vester Larsen
2024: Wokshop at Egmont Højskolen
2024: Workshop for 100 children at Trekantområdets Billedskoler
2023: Teaching at the course Transforming Practices at the MA programme at Design School Kolding
2023: Workshop at Global Commons Alliance
2023: Workshop at KlimaFolkemøde
2023: Workshop at Folkemøde
2023: Lecture at Skals Håndarbejdsskole
2023: Talk at Danske Kunsthåndværkere og Designer Syd
2022: Workshop / Performance at Kulturtræf Syd
2022: Talk at Løgumkloster Højskole
2022: Teaching at the course Prefered Futures at the MA programme at Design School Kolding
2021: Workshop at Via University College
2021: Teaching the course Prefered Futures at the MA programme at Design School Kolding
2021: Teacning at Design Camp at at Design School Kolding
2020: Speaker at Design Matters, Copenhagen
2019-2020: Research Assistant at Lab for Planet, Design School Kolding. Teaching and researching at the project: Preferred Futures - Careful Entanlements with Companion Species.
Consultancy and design:
2021: Designing interior at Spinderihallerne, Vejle
2020: Artistic consultant in public engagement for EU Horizon Programme Reflow.
2019: MUSEUM OF MODERN WASTE - Exhibition Designer at Design School Kolding, designing the exhibition for Milan Design Week 2020.
2018: Collaboration with Really and Kvadrat to develop strategies for working with coloured textile waste and designing a prototype collection of possibilities for colour sorting the waste.
2017 – 2018: Manager of Kombucha Lab at Design School Kolding.
2018: BioShades workshop facilitator at TextileLab Amsterdam x Manufacture Copenhagen x Biologigaragen.
2017: Internship at TextileLab Amsterdam, Waag Society – Developing a material archive for future biomaterials.
2014 – 2018: Student assistant at Design School Kolding.
Honours, grants and awards:
2024: Working grant from Statens Kunstfond
2023: Working grant from Statens Kunstfond
2021: Support from Kund Højgaards Fond, Slots og Kulturstyrelsen (Danish agency for Culture) and Statens Kunstfond (Danish Art Foundation) for the project INGENMANDSLAND II
2021: Working grant from Statens Kunstfond
2021: Support from Nordisk Kulturfond OPSTART for the project Jordsans.
2020: Support from Kund Højgaards Fond, Slots og Kulturstyrelsen (Danish agency for Culture) and Statens Kunstfond (Danish Art Foundation) for the project INGENMANDSLAND
2020: Working grant from Statens Kunstfond
2019: Support from Statens Kunstfond for solo exhibition FORUNDRING FORANDRING
2019: Danish Design Awards Young Talent 2019
2019: Travel grant from 'Gudrun og Erik Kauffeldts Fond'
2019: Travel grant from 'Lund/Bugge Fonden'
2017: Colorama Award – Winner of Filmars Colorama Award for best colour trend and palette.
2017: Travel grant from ‘Fællesfonden til fordel for beskæftigede i håndværksfagene i Kolding’.
Education:
2017 - 2019: Design School Kolding, MA in material and experience design, specialized in sustainability.
2013 - 2017: Design School Kolding, BA in textile design specialized in colours, materials and sustainability.
2012 - 2013: Vejle Design og Kunstskole.