/contact + bio

Lia Sáile

*1985
Interdisciplinary artist
artist, film maker, artistic researcher, curator, lecturer, speaker, micro-activist

Works internationally.
Currently lives in Munich, DE
Studio assistant: Adriana Lemus

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Credit: Arabic handwritten ‘Lia Sáile’ by Raven.

BIO

Lia Sáile (*1985) is an interdisciplinary artist. Her practice interweaves time-based media, installation, performance, objects and large-scale, site-specific interventions in public space. Sáile’s artistic work is rooted in theory, research, and micro-activism, exploring conceptual and manifest borders, their crossings and transitions, thresholds, and liminal spaces within media, (inter)cultural, social and political contexts. By interrelating fragments and concepts of reality, she generates new experiential forms and contexts that make the field of tension between them perceptible. Her practice engages with culturality, tradition, and the construction of individual and collective identity, while interrogating systems of belonging and othering. Mediating historical references with speculative futures the artist constructs alternative imaginaries of belonging and coexistence.

Interwoven with her artistic practice, she develops discursive formats such as lectures, talks and artistic writing that engage audiences in shared reflection, discourse and research.

Sáile’s work has been presented in solo exhibitions and public space interventions in cities including Tunis (TN), Vienna (AT), Valletta (MT), Munich, Cologne (DE), and New York City (USA). She has exhibited at institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art Malta, Picasso Museum Münster, IKOB Museum Eupen, and whiteBOX Munich, as well as in prominent international public spaces. In addition, she has participated in group exhibitions and international film and photography festivals in countries including the USA, Brazil, India, France, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, the Czech Republic, Serbia, Greece, Belgium, and China—such as the Athens Photo Festival (GR), Ji.hlava Documentary Film Festival, (CZ), Kassel Documentary Film Festival (DE), Regensburg Short Film Days (DE), and the Alternative Film/Video Festival in Belgrade (RS).

Over the years, she received numerous prestigious grants and fellowships, including support from KÖR – Public Art Vienna (AT), the C Photo Talent Grant with commissioned work for C Photo Magazine (London, UK/Spain), as well as major institutional project funding. She was nominated for the 2:1 Prize in Munich and the Young Artists Award of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). In 2024, she was invited to apply for the Forum Expanded section of the Berlin Biennale. Her works are held in the National Collection of Malta and the National Museum of Fine Arts, Valletta, Malta.
In October 2025 her work Scattered Sea celebrates its world and Middle Eastern premiere at the 41st Alexandria Mediterranean Film Festival, Alexandria, EG followed by the European Premiere at the 29th Ji.hlava Documentary Film Festival, CZ and two screenings at the 12th Zambia Short Film Festival and the 30th Festival International du Cinema D’Auteur de Rabat, Morocco, selected into each of their competition.

Sáile studied Theatre, Film and Media Studies in Vienna and Malta (Diploma I, Phil.), followed by postgraduate studies in Media Art at the Academy of Media Arts Cologne (Diploma II, Art.), both completed with highest honors. 

CV

(CV -> HTML below is work in progress; see PDF for selected overview CV )

EDUCATION & LIFE

2017–23 Postgraduate studies, post-MFA, Diploma II (art), with distinction, Academy of Media Arts Cologne, DE
2020 Birth of daughter Carla (#motherartist)
2004–09 Diploma, MA (phil.), with distinction, Theatre, film and media studies, University of Vienna, AT
2007–08 Theatre, Film, Art, Philosophy at University of Malta, Msida, MT

GRANTS & AWARDS

2025 Nomination/shortlist, Grand Award of friends of the Academy of Media Arts Cologne, DE
2023–26 Exhibition grant, Cultural department of the City of Munich, Munich, DE
2022–27 Studio funding, 3 years, Cultural department of the City of Munich, Munich, DE
2021 Studio space, communal Atelierhaus (studio house), 6 years, City of Munich, DE
2019 Cultural Department of the City of Munich, Munich, DE
2018 Cultural Department of the City of Munich, Munich, DE
2018 eon Stiftung, project grant, DE
2018 Erzbistum München und Freising, Munich, DE
2018 Kulturstiftung der Stadtsparkasse München, Munich, DE
2017 Nomination Förderpreis des Landes NRW für junge Künstlerinnen und Künstler, DE
2017 ifa – Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen, grant, DE
2017 Department for International Relations of City of Cologne, DE
2017 innogy Stiftung, project grant, DE
2014 Nomination zweizueins art price, Munich, DE
2014 KHM Diplom II project funding, Cologne, DE
2013 Vienna Kultur, MA7, Interculturality, Vienna, AT
2012 BMUKK – The Arts and Culture Division of the Federal Chancellery of Austria, AT
2012 KÖR – art in public space GmbH, Vienna, AT
2012 Vienna Kultur, MA7 Film and New Media, Vienna, AT
2008 C ACTION Grant, C Int. Photo Magazine, ES/UK

ARTIST TALK, SPEAKER & LECTURER

2025 Femme* Soirée, lecture performance, Atelierhaus Baumstrasse, Munich, DE
2019 Feminist Spaces, Glockenbach Biennale, Munich, DE
2018 (cancelled: covid19): Artist talk, catalogue launch, whiteBOX, Munich, DE
2018 Poetry Powrrr, podium, (Women*)Frauen*Kollektiv Münster, Münster, DE

SOLO-EXHIBITIONS (S) & PUBLIC SPACE INTERVENTIONS (I)

2024 Times Square, guerilla intervention, New York City, US
2022 Kunstinsel Lenbachplatz, Munich, DE (I)
2021 Reaching Across Stars, Pulse of Europe, Munich, DE (I)
2021 In views #4, Conmidea, CO3, Köln, DE (S)
2019 Eastern Munich, whiteBOX/Munich School of Philosophy, Munich, DE (I) (S)
2018 Trans Lucent, JazzFest Berlin, Berliner Festspielhaus, Berlin, DE (I)
2018 In Between Lights, Collumina, Cologne, DE (I)
2017 In Between Lights, Interference, Tunis, TN (I)
2017 M/Taking Space, CityLeaks, Cologne, DE (I)
2016 The Other Sound, CityLeaks, Cologne, DE (I)
2016 Home Away From Home, Sightfenster, Cologne, DE (S)
2014–15 Con-Texture, KHOJ Int. Artist Association pop up, New Delhi, IN (S)
2014 Largest Common Divider, Vienna, AT (I)
2013 Blank Space, Vienna, AT (I)
2013 Borderline, Hans Reh Gallery, Vienna, AT (S)
2013 Politoys, parte.co, New York, USA (S)
2008 Silence, Museum of Fine Arts, Valletta, MT (S)

GROUP-EXHIBITIONS & SCREENINGS, selection

2025 12th Zambia Short Film Festival, Lusaka, ZM
2025 41st Alexandria Mediterranean Film Festival, Alexandria, EG
2025 29th Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival, Prague, CZ
2025 30th Festival International du Cinema D’Auteur de Rabat, Rabat, MA
2025 Empty Spaces IV, curator Mara Sporn, Düsseldorf, DE
2025 Open Studios, Munich City Studio House, Munich, DE
2024 Das K&K Streiklokal, performative Installation | K&K – Bündnis Kunst und Kind München
2024 Diploma show at Academy of Media Arts Annual Show, Cologne, DE
2024 Empty Spaces III, curated by Mara Sporn, Düsseldorf, DE
2024 IFFFD Int. Frauen*Film Fest Dortmund, Dortmund, DE
2024 Ich schreib dir von zuhause, dst.Galerie, Münster, DE
2023 Secret Garden, Weyer 51, Cologne, DE
2023 Giardino Segreto, La Felce, Cologne, DE
2023 BBK member Annual Show, Munich, DE
2022 Spek/trum, Werksviertel Mitte Kunst, Munich, DE
2022 Ich schreib‘ dir von zuhause, Raumprogramm, Münster, DE
2022 Bodies In Between, IKOB, Eupen, BE
2022 Awarehouse, Studio For Artistic Research, Düsseldorf, DE
2022 Ich schreib‘ dir von zuhause, Baustelle Schaustelle, Düsseldorf, DE
2021 Ich schreib‘ dir von zuhause, Superraum, Dortmund, DE
2023 Beauty Is A Line, Pablo Picasso Museum, Münster, DE
2022 Collumina Light Art Festival, Cologne, DE
2022 Ich schreib dir von zuhause, dst.Galerie, Münster, DE
2022 Leikela, Annual Show, Cologne, DE
2021 36th Kasseler DokFest, Kassel, DE
2021 Zebra Poetry Film Festival, Berlin, DE
2021 7 (Seven), Raum Vollreinigung, Berlin, DE
2021 Kölner Literaturnacht, Köln, DE
2021 Annual Show, Academy of Media Arts, Postgradual, Cologne, DE
2020 Leikela, Annual Show, Berlin, DE
2019 Collumina Light Art Festival, Galerie Seippel, Cologne, DE
2019 Eine Schifffahrt, EMAF 2018, Osnabrück, DE
2019 Haus für Poesie, Berlin, DE
2019 Zebra Poetry Film Festival, Münster, DE
2018 Eine Schifffahrt, Düsseldorf Photo, Düsseldorf, DE
2018 29th Athens Photo Festival, Refugee Route, Benaki Museum, Athens, GR
2016 Alternative Film / Video Festival 2015, competition, Belgrad, RS
2015 13th Int. Festival Signes de Nuit, Paris, FR
2015 es bist du, studio.es, Vienna Design Week, Brotfabrik, Vienna, AT
2014 42nd Athens Intl. Film + Video Festival (Ohio), competition, Athens, US
2014 21st Intl. Regensburger Kurzfilmtage, Sonderprogramm, Regensburg, DE
2013 Borderlines, Athens Photo Festival, Hellenic Centre for Photography, House of Cyprus, GR
2013 Beyond Love, St James Cavalier, Valletta, MT
2012 Cinerama.BC, Vivo, Santa Maria, Balneário Camboriú, BR
2012 Prairies Urbaines, Orbital Garden, Bern, CH
2011 Festival TONSPUREN, Irsee, DE
2011 WUESTEN, Tojo Theater, Bern, CH
2011 Palmenhaus Kultur März, Vienna, AT
2010 WUESTEN, Schwere Reiter Theater, Munich, DE
2010 Palmenhaus Kultur Januar, Vienna, AT
2007 Polaroid, easy art?, festival, Mailand/Ventimiglia, IT
2007 C Action Photo Virus, Lang Hans Gallery, Prag, CZ
2007 THEY Magazine, LA/CA, USA
2006 Beijing Spring Festival 2011, Beijing, CN
2006 Impossible Collection, New York City, USA
2006 Instinct(s) Générique(s), Dijon, FR
2006 Polanoir, Polanoir Galerie, Vienna, AT

WORK STAYS

2024 Work stay New York City and Washington DC, USA
2019 Artist in residence, whiteBOX, Munich, DE
2015 Work stay Durban & Cape Town, SA
2013 Artist in residence Hochseegalerie, Helgoland, DE
2012 Work stay and art residency Cairo, EG
2010 Work stay New York City, The Impossible Project (Polaroid), USA
2007 University studies and workshops, Msida/Xemxija/Valletta, MT

SOLO- (S) & PUBLICATIONS

2026 Scattered Glossary (working title) (tba) (S)
2025 Mara Sporn – Empty Spaces […], Kunstforum, DE
2024 Mutterschaft, Kunstforum, Larissa Kikol, DE
2023 Public Art 2022, Stadt München, Munich, DE
2021 Bodies in Between, IKOB, BE
2020 Unfolding Eastern Munich, Munich, DE (S)
2019 10 Jahre Jagla Ausstellungsraum, Cologne, DE
2017 CityLeaks, Cologne, DE
2015 Public Art Vienna 4, KÖR Kunst im öffentlichen Raum Wien 2014–2016, Wien, AT
2013 es bist du, Katalog, Studio Es, Vienna, AT
2011 101 Ways, Impossible, Vienna, AT
2011 FRAIL, book + limited edition with Polaroid, Impossible, Vienna, AT (S)
2010 Beijing Spring Festival 2011, catalogue, Beijing, CN
2009 Polaroid: easy art?, Katalog, Mailand/Ventimiglia, IT
2008 C ACTION, C Int. Photo Magazine, #8, ES/UK
2007 Fragments, Lines and Shapes, Vol. 7 Break, NYC, USA
2007 C Int. Photo Magazine, #7, ES/UK
2006 The Shot of the Day Book, Schwarzer Freitag, Berlin, DE
2006 Polanoir, catalogue, Galerie Polanoir, Vienna, AT

COOPERATIONS & COLLABORATIONS

2022 Monuments of The Future, Research Team, Goethe Institut Washington, US/DE/CA
2020 #otherbeats, pandemic collaboration, Marcel Zaes, via Brown University, Providence RI, US
2018 Sonne auf Erden, Lisa Domin-Alouane, Sound on set, Munich/Cologne, DE
2016 Laquered Ghost, Laura Engelhardt and Florian Dedek, Assistant Director, Cologne, DE
2015 White Noise by Am Kap, Music video by Lia Sáile, CH/DE
2014 Due To My Absence, Album art, vinyl edition, for Am Kap, CH
2014 Cut low from Above, Video projection, with Marcel Zaes, Anna Schölß, Lia Sáile, Bern, CH
2014 Im_flieger – Artists Association / Eva Engelbert (AT) / CROSSBREEDS 14_platform for artistic positions inbetween_ZEITRÄUME / Dum-Association of Artists (SI) / The Unnoticed (with Lia Sáile’s Largest Common Divider, USA/Mexico Border, 2014)
2013 WUESTEN, Camera, for Marcel Zaes, Nela Adam, Anna Schölß, Bern, CH
2012 SJÖ, Video projection, Marcel Zaes, Anna Schölß, Lia Sáile, Bern, CH
2012 Prairie Urbaine, Camera + editing, for sound artist Marcel Zaes, Basel, CH
2011 WUESTEN, Camera, for Marcel Zaes, Nela Adam, Anna Schölß, Munich, DE
2009 Noreia, Album art (Polaroids & Design), for Samuel Rohrer, arjunamusic, CH
2009 WUESTEN, Camera + Photographer, for Marcel Zaes, Nela Adam, Anna Schölß, Cairo, EG
2009 Intents, Camera, for Anna Schölß, Munich, DE
2009 Wueste, Camera, for performer Nela Adam, Vienna, AT

PAST & CURRENT AFFILIATIONS

  FACES gender, technology, art — international feminist discourse and community for media artists (1997 Diana McCarty, Kathy Rae Huffman, Ushi Reiter, Valie Djordjevic)
  BBK Bayern (Professional Association of Visual Artists of Bavaria)
  Fair Share for Women e.V. – Berlin
  K&K Bündnis Kunst und Kind – Munich (initiative by and for artists with children, discourse and activist interventions)
  VG Bildkunst (German Visual Artists’ Copyright Collecting Society)
 

Formerly: And She Was Like: BÄM! – Cologne (Queer-feminist initiative for equal rights in the art scene NRW, discourse and workshops)

PUBLIC COLLECTIONS

 
National Collection of Malta, Valletta, MT
National Museum of Fine Arts, Valletta, MT

PERFORMANCE–WORKSHOP PARTICIPATIONS

  (selection) Performing arts workshops with Frans Winther, Torgeir Wathal (Odin Teatret by Eugenio Barba, based on Grotowski), MT, performer Dr. Giuliano Campo (Balinese theatre, Commedia dell’Arte, Grotowski), Canterbury & London, UK and Milón Melá (Indian Performative Arts Company directed by Abani Biswa), Canterbury, UK & Udine, IT among others.

Old work: https://liasaile.tumblr.com

Impressum

All rights reserved. The copyright for any and all material published on this website is reserved. Any duplication or use of objects such as but not limited to images, videos, audio files and texts, is not permitted without expressed written permission by artist Lia Sáile.

The artist is not responsible for any contents linked or referred to from this website, and accepts no responsibility for its presentation in the websites of third parties. The information and contents have been carefully researched and checked, and can change at any time. The artist cannot accept any liability for the correctness, completeness, or topicality of its contents.