Biography

Igor Josifov (Macedonian, b. 1986) is a visual and performance artist who exhibits and performs internationally. Josifov began exhibiting his work in 2000 at the age of 14 at The International Museum of Children’s Art in Norway and has since then exhibited and performed worldwide.

2008: "Reflection on originality" The Watermill Center, New York
2009: "2-Dimensional" - Art Institute, Chicago; “A touch of violence" - National Gallery of Arts, Tirana, Albania;
2010: “Marina Abramovic: The Artist is present” - MoMA, New York; “Degeneration – regeneration”, Marina Abramovic Institute, San Francisco; "Lost bodies" - Mala Stanica/ National Gallery of Arts, Skopje;
2011: Aesthetics of disappearance, Al Qasba, Maraya Art Centre, Sharjah
2012: Igor Josifov – selected works (2007 -2012), Museum of Contemporary Arts, Skopje
2014:“Taming Fire” - Yellowstone Art Museum, Billings, Montana; 2 dimensional at the Onassis Cultural Center in Athens; Art Paris at the Grand Palais, Paris, SFIAF Bearing Witness at Fort Mason's Herbst Pavilion, San Francisco.
Josifov is famous for the diversity of his work and his use of the human body to share his views about our contemporary world. As a performance artist he uses all types of media to create his performances. His works seem to all have a touch of theatricality, being quite striking visuals offering various metaphoric meanings.

CV

Solo Exhibitions:

2019:

Igor Josifov 'Че биде', European Cultural Centre in the context of la Biennale di Venezia, Palazzo Mora #7, Venice, Italy
'Огонь внутри’ (Fire Within) Performance installation, Vorota, NCCA Kaliningrad, Russia
'Becoming Clear | Crushing Glass', National Centre for Contemporary Art, Kaliningrad, Russia

2018:

'Fire Within' Performance, National Gallery of Art of Uzbekistan, VIII Tashkent Biennale of Contemporary Art
'Becoming Clear | Crushing Glass', State Museum of Art of Uzbekistan, VIII Tashkent Biennale of Contemporary Art

2017:

Continuum, InSpace Curatorial, San Francisco, USA
Continuum, Defibrillator (dfbrl8r) Performance Art Gallery, Chicago, USA
Continuum, Magaza Cultural Center, Bitola, Macedonia
Continuum, Cultural Center, Kichevo, Macedonia
Continuum, National Gallery of Visual Arts, Tetovo, Macedonia

2016:

Continuum, Cultural Center MKC, Skopje, Macedonia
Untie, Dada Here & Now, SFIAF, Fort Mason, San Francisco, USA

2015:

Taming Fire, Herbst Pavilion, San Francisco, USA
Burning Words | Films, Pacific Felt Factory, San Francisco, USA
Taming Fire | Films, Sanchez Art Center, Pacifica, USA
Taming Fire | Selected Works and Films, HNYPT, Los Angeles, USA
Wit-ness, San Francisco International Arts Festival, Fort Mason, San Francisco, USA
Collecting Memories | Wit-ness, Diplomatic Art 2015 – Bastionul Theresia, Timisoara, Romania
Taming Fire | CityWideArtists, Minneapolis, USA

2014:

Art Paris, Grand Palais Paris, France
2-Dimensional, Onassis Cultural Centre, Athens, Greece
Taming Fire, Northcutt Steele Gallery, Billings, Montana
Igor Josifov, Yellowstone Art Museum, Billings, Montana

2013:

Re-collecting Memories, The Performance Art Institute, San Francisco, USA
Purification, Galerie E.G.P, London, UK

2012:

Igor Josifov – selected works (2007 -2012), Museum of Contemporary Art, Skopje, Macedonia
Still Life, Galerie E.G.P, Paris, France
2 - Dimensional, Abrons Art Center, New York, USA
2 - Dimensional, Le Quartz dans le cadre du Festival DañsFabrik, Brest (FR)
2 - Dimensional, Museum of Contemporary Arts, Skopje (Macedonia)

2011:

Igor Josifov, Galerie E.G.P, Paris, France
2 - Dimensional, Maraya Art Centre, Sharjah, UAE

2010:

Manumission, National Museum of Art, Cetinje, Montenegro Igor Josifov – selected projects, MAI, San Francisco, USA
2 - Dimensional, Chic Art Fair, Galerie E.G.P, Paris, France
2 - Dimensional, MAI West, San Francisco, USA

2009:

Being you, uses me, Alphonse Berber Gallery, Berkeley, USA
2 - Dimensional, Opening of the Modern Wing at Art Institute, Chicago, USA
Mental prison, Tunnel space, New York, USA
Art Interrupted, Space Gallery, San Francisco, USA

2008:

Face It, Toomey Tourell Fine Art, San Francisco, USA

2007:

Art In Search Of The ‘I’, Translating Space, San Francisco, USA

Group Exhibitions:

2019:

'Personal Structures - Identities' organized by the ECC Venice in the context of La Biennale di Venezia, Palazzo Mora, Venice, Italy
#ПРОСТОКОСМОС, National Centre for Contemporary Art, Kaliningrad, Russia

2015:

Diplomatic Art 2015 –BastionulTheresia, Timisoara, Romania
“Bearing Witness: Surveillance in the Drone Age” - San Francisco International Arts Festival, Fort Mason, San Francisco, CA
Living with endangered Languages, Root Division, San Francisco, CA
OSTEN – 42.Mezinárodníbienálekresby- Galeriekritiků, Prague, Czech Republic

2014:

100 Performances for The Hole – SomArts, San Francisco, CA

2013:

Permutation, Galerie E.G.P, London, UK
Bicycle Will..., Galerie E.G.P, Paris, France
Permutation, Galerie E.G.P, Paris, France

2012:

Igor Josifov, Scope Art Fair, New York, USA
Present Memories Body Still, Low Lives 4, Live Global Web Stream Installation

2011:

Al Ghaib – Aesthetics of disappearance, Al Qasba, Maraya Art Centre, Sharjah, UAE
Present Memories, Perforation Festival NYC, New York, USA
WOR(L)DS, Galerie E.G.P, Paris, France
Pogledi/ Views, Blok Gallery in Belgrade, Serbia. Organized by the Museum of Contemporary Art in Skopje, Macedonia
Elementaires, Galerie E.G.P, Paris, France
Still Life, IXth Biennale of Young Artists, Museum of Contemporary Art, Skopje, Macedonia

2010:

Marina Abramović: The Artist Is Present, MoMA, New York, USA
Works that disturb the moonlight, Alphonse Berber Gallery, Berkeley, USA
This House is empty, The Hunted House of Light, New York, USA
Degeneration – regeneration, Marina Abramović Institute, San Francisco, USA
Lost bodies, Mala Stanica, National Gallery of Arts, Skopje, Macedonia
Pour l’Amour de Goya, Galerie E.G.P, Paris, France
Present Memories, Perforacije at Museum of Contemporary Art, Zagreb, Croatia
Mise en Scène, Galerie E.G.P, Paris, France

2009:

2 – Dimensional, the Art Institute, Chicago, USA
A Touch of Violence, National Gallery of Arts, Tirana, Albania

2008:

Missing Performance, Bridge Art Fair, Miami, USA
Manumission, Bridge Art Fair, Berlin, Germany
Reflection on originality, The Watermill Center, New York, USA
Ten, Toomey Tourell Fine Art, San Francisco, USA
Purification Process, the Bridge Art Fair, New York City, USA
7th Annual Art Auction presented by Visual Aid and Academy of Friends, San Francisco, USA

2007:

Big Bang Art show, 79 New Montgomery Gallery, San Francisco, USA
On the Edge of... Sutter Gallery, San Francisco (USA) Paint Soup, San Francisco, USA
Annual Spring Show, Academy of Art University, San Francisco, USA

2004:

Museum of Skopje, Skopje, Macedonia

2000:

The International Museum Children’s Art, Oslo, Norway

Awards

2015:Young Artist of the Year - Osten’s Artists of the Year, Skopje, Macedonia
2015:Apollonia Award -OstenBiennial of Awarded Artists, Skopje, Macedonia
2015:Golden Osten Award -OstenBiennial of Awarded Artists, Skopje, Macedonia
2014: First Award for Original Work on Paper - OSTEN BIENNIAL OF DRAWING, Skopje, Macedonia
2011: 1st Prize | IXth Biennale for Young Artists - NI Museum of Contemporary Art, Skopje, Macedonia
2005: Full Tuition Portfolio Grant |Academy of Art University Portfolio Grant Program, San Francisco, CA
2003: 1st Prize, International Art Exhibition, 13 Noemvri, Skopje, Macedonia
2000: Award for Single Creation “Vision of the future” at the 14th International
Exhibition The Small Montmartre of Bitola, Bitola, Macedonia
1ST Prize for Successful Creation, State Art Exhibition, Cultural Center, ‘Ilindenski Denovi’ Bitola, Macedonia
1999-2003: Scholarship from the Macedonian Ministry of Culture for the School for Applied Arts ‘Lazar Licenoski’, Skopje, Macedonia
1998: Special Diploma for “Society seen through the eyes of children" at The International Museum of Children’s Art, Oslo, Norway - In cooperation with the Norwegian Ministry of Education and the Norwegian Council for Cultural Affairs.
1995: Best Exhibition Award, City of Skopje International Art Exhibition, 13 Noemvri, Skopje, Macedonia

Residencies

2015: Golden Osten | Biennial of Awarded Artists,Gevgelija, Macedonia
2015: InSpace Curatorial|Artist in Residence, San Francisco, CA
2015: Spring of 2015 Wit-ess SFIAF Performance, San Francisco, CA
2015: Winter 2015 Wit-ess Film Production, Miles City, MT
2014: Igor Josifov, Yellowstone Art Museum, Billings, USA
2013: Re-collecting Memories, The Performance Art Institute, San Francisco, USA
2008: Reflection On Originality, The Watermill Center, New York, USA
Manumission, performance, The Watermill Center, New York, USA
Emit, performance, The Watermill Center, New York, USA
Flooded, performance, The Watermill Center, New York, USA
Art Copy Copy Art, lecture and exhibition, The Watermill Center, New York, USA

Bibliography

2015: Wit-ness Booklet, text by Hanna Regev, LatifaMedjdoub, Andrew Wood, Igor Josifov, Published by Al’myra Communications San Francisco, CA
2014: Taming Fire, essay by Hanna Regev, published by Al’Myra Communications
2012: Igor Josifov - Selected Works 2007-2012, NI Museum of Contemporary Art Skopje, Published by Lazov Group
2011: Al Ghaib – Aesthetics of disappearance, Gaia Serena Simionati, Published by Silvana Editoriale, 2011, p. 21, 84, 85 b.pdf
2010: Igor Josifov, published by Galerie E.G.P, 2010 Paris, France
The Artist is Present | Marina Abramovic, essays by Klaus Biesenbach, Arthur C. Danto, Chrissie Iles, Nancy Spector, and Jovana Stokic. Published by Museum of Modern Art, NYC
2009: Manumission, text by Igor Josifov, dedicated to Marina Abramović, published by Toomey Tourell, June, San Francisco, CA

COLLECTIONS:

Art in Embassies - U.S Department of State
Imago Mundi – Luciano Benetton Collection
The Graphic Arts Loan Collection at the UC Berkeley Library, University of California
Yellowstone Art Museum, Montana
National Museum of Montenegro
Maraya Art Centre, Sharjah, UAE
Museum of Contemporary Art - Skopje, Macedonia
Modern Wing - Art Institute of Chicago
Private Collections: United Kingdom, United States, Spain, Germany, France, Switzerland, Macedonia, Hong Kong, Mexico, Serbia, Croatia, Netherlands,

Press

Игор Јосифов за првпат ќе го изложи заробеното дело за Нелсон Мандела во Венеција
Igor Josifov - par Séverine Grosjean
Igor Josifov en The Nomad Creative Projects
FOCUS ON: IGOR JOSIFOV
Игор Јосифов: Фасциниран сум од руската култура и почитта кон уметноста
Калининград ќе ги види делата на македонскиот уметник Игор Јосифов
Дела на Игор Јосифов ќе патуваат и за Москва
Игор Јосифов во Моклиште ќе создава уметнички центар
Art and Culture in Italy, Macedonia, and Greece
Igor Josifov's 'Taming Fire' headlines at Sanchez Art Center
A l’avant-garde : Igor Josifov – Autoportrait – 2014, Dauphine De Cambre
Igor JOSIFOV - GOLDEN OSTEN / Young Artist of the Year
Scenes of Surveillance » Igor Josifov’ “‘Wit-ness”
Igor Josifov's 'Taming Fire' headlines at Sanchez Art Center
A l’avant-garde : Igor Josifov – Autoportrait – 2014, Dauphine De Cambre
Igor JOSIFOV - GOLDEN OSTEN / Young Artist of the Year
ПРОЕКТ „WIT-NESS“: Игор Јосифов во центарот на светската уметност
Scenes of Surveillance » Igor Josifov’ “‘Wit-ness”
Taming Fire, Igor Josifov | Art Practical
Igor Josifov poses with his art during the Paris Art Fair at Le Grand Palais on March 26, 2014 in Paris, France.
San Francisco International Arts Festival at Fort Mason Center: Bearing Witness - Surveillance in the Drone Age. Curated by Hanna Regev and Matt McKinley
LIVING WITH ENDANGERED LANGUAGES IN THE INFORMATION AGE
OSTEN – 42.Mezinárodníbienálekresby, Skopje 2014
Art, theater and dance galore at S.F. International Arts Festival
Igor Josifov - US Department of State - Art in Embassies
Igor Josifov - Getty Images
An artist’s reinvention
Igor Josifov | Perforacije
City Wide Artists
The Art of Working with Fire – Igor Josifov ,Nebojsa Antic, May 2014
ИНТЕРВЈУ ИГОР ЈОСИФОВ - ЗАДОВОЛЕН СУМ ОД РАЗВОЈОТ НА КАРИЕРАТА, KaterinaBogoeva, May 2014
ИгорЈосифовгипретставиделатаработенисооган, May 2014
Јосифовсоделата “Огненарефлексија“ предпубликатавоСкопје, May 2014
ART PARIS ART FAIR 2014 : UNE ÉDITION PRESQUE SANS COULEURS AVEC LE DESSIN ET LA CHINE À L’HONNEUR, March 2014
Жена гледаше во мене 15 минути и непрекинато плачеше,Мирјана Мукаетова, April 2014
Foired'ArtContemporain: ART PARIS ART FAIR 2014, Eric Simon, March 2014
МакедонскиотуметникЈосифовќеизведеперформансвоАтина, March 2014
Billings Gazette, Burning man: Artist uses fire to liberate figures, find peace with the past - Jaci Webb, Feb 2014
ИНТЕРВЈУ СО ИГОР ЈОСИФОВ, МАКЕДОНСКИ УМЕТНИК КОЈ СОЗДАВА УНИКАТНИ УМЕТНИЧКИ ДЕЛА,ДраганаПетрушевска, March 2014
ИГОР ЈОСИФОВ ИЗЛОЖИ ПОРТРЕТ НА „МАНДЕЛА“ ВО САД,KaterinaBogoeva, Dec 2013
Billings Gazette, Let’s Talk Billings: Opening up about teen suicide and mental health issues, Eddie Gregg, Sept. 2013
The New York Times, Trappings of Art, From Tank to Coffin, Claudia La Rocco, June 2012
Игор Јосифов - Моите дела се комуникација со публиката, Љупчо Јолевски, Sep 2012
Body Works: The Rapid Pulse International Performance Art Festival, Britt Julious, June 2012
Culture of one world, Walk over me | Stepping over Balkan performance artist Igor Josifov is both a work and a walk of art, Randy Gander, Jun. 2012
Изненадување, шок, неверување на перформансот на Игор Јосифов! Sep 2012
Diapo., An Interview with Igor Josifov and Yozmit, Lily Lyons, Ap. 2010
ТЕЛОТО - ЕКСКЛУЗИВЕН МЕДИУМ ЗА УМЕТНОСТ, МаријаСтојческа, Sep 2012
Art21, Seuild’Observation, Klaus Speidel, Winter 2011
Изгубените тела“ на Игор Јосифов во Париз, Jan 2011
Artist Igor Josifov at MSU Billings
Најдобар проект на Биеналето: “ИЗГУБЕНИ ТЕЛА” – Игор Јосифов, 2011
Critical Stages: the IATC Webjournal, To Visualise the Invisible, the Inbetween Space, Randy Gener, Jun. 2011, Issue 4
ArtéMédia, Mise en Scène: Irina Ionesco, Igor Josifov, Pierre Molinier, Nov. 2010,
Les Flâneurs, Halfslant at CHiC Art Fair: Interactive Projects, Nov. 2010
Connaissance des Arts, L’OmbreEnigmatique de Goya, Valérie de Maulmin, Oct. 2010
Swide, A Chic Dimension With Igor Josifov, DelphineHervieu, Oct. 2010
DW.DE, PoštoKilaPerforamansa? Oct. 2010
The Berkeley daily Planet, Alphonse Berber Gallery Opens On Bancroft, Peter Selz, Jul. 2009