Wikipedia

Aleksandra Mir

Aleksandra Mir (born 1967) is a Swedish-American[1] contemporary artist known for creating works that integrate elements of art, science, and cultural history.[2] Over a three-decade career, she has exhibited worldwide, including at the Whitney Museum of American Art[3] and the Venice Biennale,[4] and her work is held in major public collections such as the Tate,[5] Moderna Museet, Kunsthaus Zürich,[6] and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum.[7]

Aleksandra Mir
Mir in 1999
Born1967 (age 58–59)
Lubin, Poland
Awards
Websitealeksandramir.info
aleksandraprints.com

She employs anthropological methods such as archival research, oral history, and fieldwork in a practice that spans drawing, collage, performance, and large-scale public projects, combining intellectual rigor with striking visual impact.[8]

Work

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In First Woman on the Moon (1999), Mir converted a Dutch beach into a moonscape for one day with the help of bulldozers.[9][10][11] The video of this event has been presented at multiple venues,[12][13] at the International Space University, Strasbourg [14] and at the UK Space Conference, Liverpool, 2015.[15]

The How Not to Cookbook, (Collective Gallery, Edinburgh, 2009 and Rizzoli, NYC 2010) collected advice from 1,000 home cooks from around the world who explained what not to do in the kitchen.[16][17]

In 2002, Mir painted the Mandela Way T-34 Tank pink with Cubitt Artists.[18]

For Newsroom 1986–2000 (2007), Mir with a group of assistants copied 240 NYC tabloid covers in felt-tip marker and mounted them in an ever-revolving installation to simulate the daily workings of a Manhattan newsroom.[19][20][21][22][23][24] Mir has created a series of large scale murals using only Sharpie marker pens.[25]

In Triumph she collected 2529 trophies from the general public of Sicily and exhibited them all in one installation at the Schirn Kunsthalle, Frankfurt (2009). It traveled to the South London Gallery for the London Olympics in 2012.[26]

Mir has created Plane Landing (2003), a real size helium inflatable jet plane, meant not to fly, but to hover above the ground as "a sculpture of a jet plane in a permanent state of landing".[27] In 2023 Kunsthaus Zurich acquired the work for its permanent collection, having previously staged it at the tarmac of the Zurich airport.[28]

Mir's Dream and Promise collages (2009) combine antique religious and modern scientific imagery into a new fantastical reality. The print series (2025) reproduces an aged authentic patina and the imprint of the artist’s hand-crafted marks.[29][30]

Selected exhibitions

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Solo

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Group

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Publications

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Mir has published numerous artists books, exhibition catalogues and magazine titles in collaboration with other artists, editors and publishers and under her own imprint, the Retrospective Press.[48]

  • 2026: Plane Landing Vevey, Aleksandra Mir, Images Vevey / Retrospective Press, London ISBN 978-2-940624-37-9
  • 2023: Freddie on the Plinth, Aleksandra Mir & Irena Sedlecká, Retrospective Press, London ISBN 978-1-9993208-3-6
  • 2022: BAD Reviews: an Artists' Book by 150 Artists, eds. Aleksandra Mir & Tim Griffin, Retrospective Press, London ISBN 978-1-9993208-2-9
  • 2019: The Pre-Presidential Library of the United States, Aleksandra Mir, Retrospective Press, London ISBN 978-1-9993208-0-5
  • 2017: We Can't Stop Thinking about the Future: Artist Aleksandra Mir Speaks with the Space World, Strange Attractor Press, London / MIT Press, Cambridge, MA ISBN 978-1-907222-54-2
  • 2013: The Space Age, Aleksandra Mir & Martin Herbert, M – Museum Leuven / Sternberg Press, Berlin[49]
  • 2010: The How Not to Cookbook, 2nd Edition, eds. Aleksandra Mir, Mareike Dittmer, Pablo León de la Barra, et al., Rizzoli International Publications, NYC[50]
  • 2009: The How Not to Cookbook, 1st Edition, eds. Aleksandra Mir, Mareike Dittmer, Pablo León de la Barra, et al., the Collective Gallery, Edinburgh[51]
  • 2008: Triumph, Aleksandra Mir, Verlag der Buchhandlung Walther König / Schirn Kunsthalle, Frankfurt ISBN 978-3-86560-576-4
  • 2007: Love Stories, Aleksandra Mir, Fundacion NMAC, Vejer de la Frontera[52]
  • 2007: Sicilian Pavilion, Aleksandra Mir, Fondazione Sambuca, Palermo[53]
  • 2007: Gravity: The Eternal Countdown, Aleksandra Mir & Ken Hollings, The Arts Catalyst, London[54]
  • 2007: Newsroom 1989–2000, Aleksandra Mir, Mary Boone Gallery, NYC[55]
  • 2007: LA: A Geography of Modern Art, Aleksandra Mir & Justin Beal, Printed Matter, NYC[56]
  • 2007: The Big Umbrella, Aleksandra Mir, Galerie Laurent Godin / Onestar Press ISBN 978-2-915359-30-5
  • 2006: Switzerland and Other Islands, Aleksandra Mir, Kunsthaus Zurich / Edition Fink, Zurich ISBN 978-3-03746-100-6
  • 2006: The Concorde Collages, Aleksandra Mir, Galerie Laurent Godin / Onestar Press, Paris ISBN 978-2-915359-20-6
  • 2006: 105 selected details from the Sharpie drawings 2003–2006, Aleksandra Mir, Onestar Press, Paris[57]
  • 2006: Living & Loving #3—The Biography of Mitchell Wright, eds. Aleksandra Mir & Polly Staple, White Columns, New York ISBN 978-0-9552848-0-9
  • 2005: The Meaning of Flowers, Aleksandra Mir, Gavlak, Palm Beach / Sternberg Press, Berlin ISBN 978-1-933128-23-8
  • 2004: The Church of Sharpie, Aleksandra Mir, Galeria Joan Prats, Barcelona[58]
  • 2004: Che and Concorde, Aleksandra Mir, Whitney Biennial, The Whitney Museum of American Art, New York[59]
  • 2004: Che and Concorde, Aleksandra Mir & Jim Fitzpatrick, Project Art Space, Dublin[60]
  • 2004: Living & Loving #2—The Biography of Zoe Stillpass, eds. Aleksandra Mir & Polly Staple, Frieze Projects, London[61]
  • 2003: Finding Photographs, Aleksandra Mir, Herning Kunstmuseum ISBN 978-87-88367-40-9
  • 2003: Danes in the Sun, Aleksandra Mir, Herning Kunstmuseum[62]
  • 2003: How to be a Joshua Tree, Aleksandra Mir, High Desert Test Sites, Joshua Tree[63]
  • 2003: Corporate Mentality, eds. Aleksandra Mir & John Kelsey, Lukas & Sternberg Inc. New York ISBN 978-0-9711193-1-4
  • 2002: Daily News, ed. Aleksandra Mir, Gavin Brown's enterprise, NYC / greengrassi, London[64]
  • 2002/2012: Man with Artificial Heart, Aleksandra Mir, NYC/London[65]
  • 2002: Living & Loving #1—The Biography of D.C., eds. Aleksandra Mir & Polly Staple, Cubitt, London / Dundee Contemporary Arts, Dundee ISBN 978-0-9532765-1-6
  • 2001: HELLO Ringier, Aleksandra Mir, Ringier, Zurich[66]
  • 1998: Bingo Blues, Aleksandra Mir, Transmission Gallery, Glasgow[67]
  • 1998: Disaster Guide, Cinema for the Unemployed, Aleksandra Mir, Momentum, Moss[68]

Personal life

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Mir was born in Lubin, Poland in 1967.[69] Her Polish citizenship was revoked during the 1968 Polish political crisis.[70] She holds dual Swedish-American citizenship.[71] She grew up in Sweden, where she studied at the University of Gothenburg. She moved to the United States in 1989[72] to attend the School of Visual Arts in New York and studied cultural anthropology at the Graduate Faculty of the New School for Social Research.[73] Mir lived in Palermo, Sicily from 2005 to 2010.[74] Currently, Mir lives in London.[75]

References

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  1. ↑ "Contributors: Aleksandra Mir". MIT. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  2. ↑ "Aleksandra Mir : Artimage". Artimage. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  3. ↑ "10 Must-See Whitney Contemporary Works". Artnet News. 24 April 2015. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
  4. ↑ "Aleksandra Mir – Announcements". e-flux. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
  5. ↑ Tate. "Aleksandra Mir born 1967". Tate. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
  6. ↑ "Jahresbericht 2023 | Aleksandra Mir". jahresbericht.kunsthaus.ch. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
  7. ↑ "Aleksandra Mir". The Guggenheim Museums and Foundation. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
  8. ↑ "Mediterranean". Inhotim. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
  9. ↑ Lars Bang Larsen Archived 3 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine, First Woman on the Moon, Frieze, London, #50, January 2000
  10. ↑ Will Bradley Archived 9 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Life and Times: Aleksandra Mir, Frieze, Issue 75, 2003
  11. ↑ Nancy Spector Archived 22 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine, All the World..., Frieze, Issue 98, London, April 2006
  12. ↑ Jeroen Junte, Kunstenares Mir landt op strand, De Volkskrant, Amsterdam, 27 August 1999
  13. ↑ Tim Griffin, Openings: Aleksandra Mir, Artforum, NYC, February 2003
  14. ↑ Lecturers Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine, International Space University, Strasbourg, 2015
  15. ↑ Speakers, UK Space Conference, Liverpool, 2015
  16. ↑ Alex Renton, Never boil and avocado, and other handy tips, The Times, 20 August 2009
  17. ↑ Forbes, Paula. "The How Not to Cookbook: Lessons Learned the Hard Way, the Anti-Cookbook – Eat Me Daily". Eat Me Daily. Archived from the original on 1 January 2020. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  18. ↑ Gibbs, Jonathan (2 November 2003). "Talk of the Town: Pink Tank". The Independent on Sunday. Archived from the original on 4 September 2005. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  19. ↑ Steven Stern Archived 28 August 2010 at the Wayback Machine, Newsroom, Frieze, #115, London, May 2008
  20. ↑ Simon Houpt, Yesterday's front page turns into today's art, The Globe and Mail, Toronto, 22 October 2007
  21. ↑ Roberta Smith, New York Stories: Art Torn Screaming From the Headlines, Then Hung on Walls, New York Times, 20 October 2007
  22. ↑ gninja Archived 18 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Review of "Newsroom 1986 – 2000": What Is Roberta Smith Going on About?, Art(h)ist'ry, 20 October 2007
  23. ↑ Jen Schwarting, Aleksandra Mir Newsroom 1986–2000, The Brooklyn Rail, NYC, November 2007
  24. ↑ James Reinl, 9/11 art and the 'Course of Empire' , Al Jazeera, NYC, 10 September 2015
  25. ↑ Johanna Hofleitner, Albertina: Zeichnungen zimmern, Die Presse, Vienna, 21 May 2015
  26. ↑ Catherine Gaffney, Going for Gold: Aleksandra Mir investigates our relationship with the trophy, itsnicethat, London, July 2012
  27. ↑ Aidan Dunne, A Sligo group show dreams big and succeeds, The Irish Times, Dublin, 10 September 2015
  28. ↑ "Interview with Mirjam Varadinis". On Curating. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  29. ↑ "Aleksandra Mir. Poster for The Dream and The Promise, Galeria Joan Prats, Barcelona, October 1 – November 15, 2009. 2009 | MoMA". The Museum of Modern Art. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
  30. ↑ "Aleksandra Mir: The Dream and the Promise – Exhibitions – GAVLAK". www.gavlakgallery.com. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
  31. ↑ "Installation". Inhotim. 5 October 2021. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
  32. ↑ ""Trump the Tease": Aleksandra Mir explores what 87 headlines say about our media consumption". www.itsnicethat.com. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
  33. ↑ Tate. "Space Tapestry | Tate Liverpool". Tate. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
  34. ↑ Tate. "Aleksandra Mir: Space Tapestry – Press Release". Tate. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
  35. ↑ timjukes (11 June 2014). "Aleksandra Mir solo exhibition". Drawing Room. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
  36. ↑ "Aleksandra Mir, Exhibition". M – Museum Leuven.
  37. ↑ "Aleksandra Mir: The Seduction of Galileo Galilei | Art & Artists". whitney.org. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
  38. ↑ "Aleksandra Mir: Triumph". www.domusweb.it. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
  39. ↑ "Aleksandra Mir: Switzerland and Other Islands / Kunsthaus Zurich | VernissageTV Art TV". Retrieved 2 April 2026.
  40. ↑ "Aleksandra Mir". Images – Shop. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
  41. ↑ "John Hoyland | 2023 Chengdu Biennale". Hales Gallery. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
  42. ↑ "Swedish acquisitions". Moderna Museet i Stockholm. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
  43. ↑ "Colección Jumex: Topología salvaje". Museo Jumex (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 April 2026.
  44. ↑ "MAURIZIO CATTELAN – THE ARTIST IS PRESENT". Yuz Museum Shanghai. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
  45. ↑ "9th Bienal do Mercosul". artreview.com. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
  46. 1 2 "MoMA | Print/Out | Aleksandra Mir". Retrieved 2 April 2026.
  47. ↑ "Aleksandra Mir: The Seduction of Galileo Galilei". whitney.org. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
  48. ↑ "Aleksandra Mir, Retrospective Press".
  49. ↑ "The Space Age". Sternberg Press. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
  50. ↑ Renton, Alex (24 August 2009). "The how not to cook book". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
  51. ↑ "The How Not To Cookbook by Aleksandra Mir - Metropolis M". Metropolis M. Archived from the original on 15 January 2025. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
  52. ↑ adminfundacion. "Love stories". Fundación Montenmedio Contemporánea. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
  53. ↑ "Aleksandra Mir. Sicilian Pavilion. 2007 | MoMA". The Museum of Modern Art. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
  54. ↑ "Aleksandra Mir. Gravity: The Eternal Countdown. 2008 | MoMA". The Museum of Modern Art. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
  55. ↑ "Aleksandra Mir. Newsroom 1986–2000. 2007 | MoMA". The Museum of Modern Art. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
  56. ↑ "Aleksandra Mir – LA: A Geography of Modern Art". Printed Matter. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
  57. ↑ "Aleksandra Mir". www.onestarpress.com. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
  58. ↑ "The Church of Sharpie". Specific Object. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
  59. ↑ "Che and Concorde by Aleksandra Mir, Jim Fitzpatrick, Littleseal: (2005) | Specific Object / David Platzker". www.abebooks.com. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
  60. ↑ "Aleksandra Mir. Che and Concorde. 2004 | MoMA". The Museum of Modern Art. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
  61. ↑ "Aleksandra Mir. Living & Loving #2 – The Biography of Zoe Stillpass. 2004 | MoMA". The Museum of Modern Art. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
  62. ↑ "Aleksandra Mir – Danes in the Sun". Printed Matter. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
  63. ↑ "Aleksandra Mir. How To Be a Joshua Tree. 2003 | MoMA". The Museum of Modern Art. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
  64. ↑ "Aleksandra Mir". The Guggenheim Museums and Foundation. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
  65. ↑ "Aleksandra Mir. Man with Artificial Heart. 2012 | MoMA". The Museum of Modern Art. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
  66. ↑ "Ringier Annual Report 2002 : Hello by Aleksandra Mir". Specific Object. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
  67. ↑ "Aleksandra Mir. Bingo Blues: A Transmission Release Project. 1998 | MoMA". The Museum of Modern Art. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
  68. ↑ "Aleksandra Mir. Program for Cinema for the Unemployed: Hollywood Disaster Movies 1970–1997, Momentum Nordic Art Festival, Moss, Norway, May 25–29, 1998. 1998 | MoMA". The Museum of Modern Art. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
  69. ↑ Great women artists. Phaidon Press. 2019. p. 276. ISBN 978-0-7148-7877-5.
  70. ↑ Harald Starzer; Christian Ohlinger. "Interview with Aleksandra Mir". Sculpture Unlimited Symposium. Institute of Fine Arts, Kunstuniversitat Linz. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  71. ↑ Jasper, Adam (January 2007). "Aleksandra Mir". Frieze (104). Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  72. ↑ "Aleksandra Mir – Top Ten". Art Forum. October 2006. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  73. ↑ "Aleksandra Mir". Guggenheim. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  74. ↑ Sandra Danicke, Plunder des Triumphs, Frankfurter Rundschau, 13 May 2009
  75. ↑ Stuart Comer, Valentina Ravaglia ([s.d.]). Aleksandra Mir. Tate Modern. Accessed March 2016.
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