Maja
Babič Košir

Born in 1978, Ljubljana (SI) 
Lives and works between Ljubljana (Sl) and Porto (PT)

Maja Babič Košir (1978) graduated and obtained her Master’s degree in sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Ljubljana. She completed her postgraduate studies in creative illustration and visual communication techniques at the EINA University School of Design and Art in Barcelona. Her creative process is based on the principle of meditative introspection. She draws subject matter from her environment and personal history, especially from her rich family archives holding a wide array of materials; this enables her to use intuitive artistic interventions in translating her intimate stories into a visual form. She takes regular part in international contemporary art fairs & shows, for example, ARCO Lisboa, SPARK Vienna, Berlin Art Week, Vienna Contemporary, SWAB Barcelona and Zürich Art Weekend 2022. She won several awards and acknowledgments, and her works are housed in private and public collections. She lives and works between Porto and Ljubljana.

︎︎︎ EDUCATION

2010  
MFA in Sculpture, Academy of Fine Arts and Design, Ljubljana, SI

2007  
MFA in Creative Illustration and Visual Communication, School of Design and Art of Barcelona EINA, Barcelona, ES

2005  
BFA in Sculpture, Academy of Fine Arts and Design, Ljubljana, SI

2002  
Erasmus, Exchange study program, Faculdade de Belas Artes da Universidade do Porto, PT

︎︎︎ AWARDS, GRANTS AND RESIDENCIES  

2022
International Art Residency, Gornji Grad, SI

2020
Artist in Residence feat. Rijeka2020, Omisalj, Island Krk, HR

2010, 2013, 2016
Funding award given by the Association of the Slovene Fine Artists’ Societies, SI

2012 
Premi de pintura innternacional Guash Coranty, Centre d'Art de L'Hospitalet, Barcelona, ES

2007
First prize for the cover book In Vacanza, Panos Karnezis, llystories, Barcelona ES/IT)

2000 - 2007 
Awarded Zois foundation scholarship for Talented Students, SI

2004, 2005 
Ljubljana City Hall Award for Obuvalnica Butanoga as the best shop design, SI

2000 
1st prize award by Slovenian Cinemateque, bronze bust of Slovenian actress Ita Rina, Divaca, SI

︎︎︎ PUBLICATIONS

2016 
Frida’s book, self publishing, SI

2015 
Pisi mi, ko ti bo najlepse, Nina Kokelj, Litera, SI

2013 
Crystalline poems, Alma Glumac, Ljubljana, SI
Hosting words, Slovenian Writers Association, Ljubljana, SI

2012 
Shipwrek in the nursery, Jana Kolaric, Genija, Ljubljana (Sl)
Straw land, Nina Kokelj, Goga, Novo mesto, SI

2009 
Summer with a clown, Nina Kokelj, Beletrina, Ljubljana (Sl)  

2007 
In Vacanza, Panos Karnezis, Illystories, ES/IT

2006 
Unfinished story, Luna Jurancic Sribar, Vitrum, Ljubljana, Sl

︎︎︎ SOLO SHOWS

2024
TBA, (AV17) Gallery, Vilnius, LT
You are beautiful even when you cry, RAVNIKAR GALLERY, Ljubljana, SI

2023
ARCO Lisboa, Lisbon, PT

2022
International Art Residency, Gornji Grad, SI
My Familiar Unfamiliar (Nevena Aleksovski & Maja Babič Košir): I Dreamed there was an Island, RAVNIKAR GALLERY, Ljubljana, SI
Call Me Series, Cukrarna, Ljubljana, SI
SPARK Art Fair Vienna, Vienna, AT

2021
Turnmeon, RAVNIKAR GALLERY, Ljubljana, SI

2020
SWAB Barcelona, Swab on Paper, curated by Carolina Diez-Cascón, ES
Vienna Contemporary, New perspectives with Z-Series, curated by Francesca Gavin, AT
Artist in Residence feat. Rijeka2020, Omisalj, Island Krk, HR

2018  
R / EDITIONS: Such a Star, RAVNIKAR GALLERY, Ljubljana, SI
I have to go. Bollocks!, RAVNIKAR GALLERY, Ljubljana, SI

2016  
From my family album II (collaboration with Diana Tamane) Y Galeriis, Tartu, EE
It was nice today, Thank you. LOVE LETTERS, O! Gallery, Lisbon, PT

2015  
Love me tender (collaboration with Tanja Vergles), Galeria dos Leos, Porto, PT
Love me tender (collaboration with Tanja Vergles), UGM Studio, Maribor, SI

2013  
Flash/Flush, O! Gallery, Porto, PT

2012  Its not just about Rabbits and the Bears, Galeria dos Leos, Porto, PT
I will eat you for breakfast I love you, O! Gallery, Porto, PT

2011 
Pedro explained to me that fuck sounds worse than foda-se, gallery Dama Aflita, Porto, PT

2005  
It hurts, I do not feel anything, Gallery Kapelica, Ljubljana, PT

2000  
Permanent public installation of bronze bust of Slovenian actress Ita Rina, Divaca, SI

︎︎︎ GROUP SHOWS

2023
TBA, Museum of Contemporary Art Metelkova MSUM, Ljubljana, SI

2022
Zürich Art Salon, Zürich, CH
viennacontemporary, Vienna, AT
Positions Berlin Art Fair, Berlin, DE
Artists in Dialogue with a Collection of Poems by Anja Golob, Kresija Gallery, Ljubljana, SI

2021
Vienna Contemporary, Vienna (AT) 
AIR4, RAVNIKAR GALLERY, Ljubljana, SI
The Future of Living, Museum of Architecture and Design Ljubljana, Traveling exhibition (32 cities: South America, Europe and Middle East)

2020  
Favorite Things, O! Gallery, Porto, PT

2019  
Vienna Contemporary, Vienna, AT
Last Christmas I gave you my Art, RAVNIKAR GALLERY, SI
Sketchbooks in residence, Molo Longo Rijeka, HR
PopUpstart, RAVNIKAR GALLERY, CZK Maribor, SI
Ex tempora, Eko Drava, Vetrinjski dvor, Maribor, SI
AIR4, RAVNIKAR GALLERY, Ljubljana, SI
Bee or not to Bee, O! Gallery, Porto & Lisbon, PT
What do you do?, permanent collection, Rokodelski center Ribnica, SI
Art for sale, UGM, Center for creativity, Maribor, SI
That is to say, everyone, RAVNIKAR GALLERY, Ljubljana, SI 
MENT festival, appointMENT music poster exhibition, DobraVaga, Ljubljana, SI

2018  
Contemporary graphic # Printing, RAVNIKAR GALLERY collaboration with DobraVaga, Ljubljana, SI
Last Christmas I gave you my Art, Ravnikar Gallery, Ljubljana, SI
Milagro, O! Gallery, Porto & Lisbon, PT
Jungle fever, O! Gallery, Porto & Lisbon, PT
IV Illustration fair, Vodnikova domacija Siska, Ljubljana, SI
AIR4, RAVNIKAR GALLERY, Ljubljana, SI

2017  
Something Ending, Something Beginning, RAVNIKAR GALLERY, Ljubljana, PT
Genderbender, O! Gallery, Porto & Lisbon, PT
UIVO, Forum Maia Illustration show, Maia, PT
Women's day, Vodnikova domacija Siska, Ljubljana, SI

2016  
Imaginary friends, O! Galeria, Porto, PT
UIVO, Forum Maia Illustration show, Maia, PT

2015  
Peep Show, O! Gallery, Porto, PT 
Summer time, O! Gallery, Porto, PT
Butafix for adults, Drama, Ljubljana, SI
Last Christmas I gave you my heart, O! Gallery, Porto, PT

2014  
Backstage, Objectos Misturados, Viana do Castelo, PT
Love boat, O! Gallery, Porto, PT

2013  
What the hell is Bootsbau, Bootsbau gallery, Berlin, DE
Limites e Intercepcoes, Espaco Cultural SILO, Porto, PT
Loose Holes, Les Jeux Interdits, International Queer festival, AXA, Porto, PT
0 XX 20, Plano B, Porto, PT
GNRation - creative festival, Ó! Laboratorio de Ilustracao, Braga, PT
Zoo, O! Galeria, Porto, PT
Dupla Face, Objectos misturados, Viana do Castelo, PT

2012  
Fantomas, Hotel 555, Porto, PT
Premi de pintura innternacional Guash Coranty, Centre d'Art de L'Hospitalet Tecla, Sala, Barcelona, PT
Before we die, Galeria dos Leões, Porto, PT

2011  
2nd Lessedra international painting & mixed media competition, Lessedra Gallery, Sofia, BG
Jamais Vista, Lofte, Porto, PT
46th Golden Pen of Belgrade, Bienale of Illustration, Belgrade, RS

2010  
9th Slovene Biennial of Illustration, Ljubljana, SI
3rd Croatian Biennial of Childrens Illustration, Zagreb, HR

2009  
45th Golden Pen of Belgrade, Bienale of Illustration, Belgrade, RS
15 women for 15 years, Sititeater BTC, Ljubljana, SI
Reanimation - Maio Claro 2009, Hospital D.Lopo de Almeide, Porto, PT
Ilustra_Underground, International exhibition in Illustration, Lisbon, PT

2008  
Sentidos, Photo exhibition, Famalicão, PT
Creaturas, Barra de Ferro, Barcelona, ES

2007
2.m: Parallel practices,
Miklova hisa, Ribnica, SI

2006  
Normalnull project, Singing Bather, sound installation in Berlin subway, Berlin, DE
VIDEOTAPETA 2 (video art) & MCVPLATA 2, MC Velenje, SI
Sun's Walk, Trentino, IT
Slovenian artists, cooperation with Martina Giuliatti, Bratislava, SK
Leleopoz, cooperation with Martina Giuliatti, Theatre Glej, Ljubljana, SI
Woman Dialogue, Yerevan, AM

2004
 City of Women, Yerevan, AM
Fresh, Gallery A+A, Venice, IT
Fresh, Art Gallery Maribor, SI
Tango, video installation, Kodeljevo Castle, Ljubljana, SI

2003  
Atelje Clobb z gosti, No.14, Grohar Gallery, Skofja loka, SI
Od Skofje Loke do Prlekije, Anton Trstenjak Gallery, Ljutomer, SI
Museum of Cerklje, Cerkno, SI
Funky boy is dead, 7th international festival of computer art, Maribor, SI

2001  
Gallery outside, Makalonca, Ljubljana, SI
Sculpture exhibition, City house of Ljutomer, Ljutomer, SI

2000  
Sculpture exhibition, Art gallery Maribor, Rotovz, Maribor, SI