Kristian Kožul
Kristian Kožul (b. 1975, Munich) is a Croatian artist whose interdisciplinary practice explores the visual language of power, the dynamics of desire, and the symbolic architecture of contemporary mythologies. Drawing on strategies of forensic aesthetics, baroque theatricality, and speculative fiction, Kožul constructs fantastical yet critically charged works that reflect the contradictions of the present moment. His sculptural objects and installations—often evoking themes of security, luxury, and ideological iconography—function as hyper-stylized and fetishized markers of collective anxiety and aspiration.
He has exhibited at MoMA PS1 New York, the Beijing International Art Biennale, the Jeju Biennale Korea, the IMPAKT Festival Utrecht, the Haifa Museum of Art, the Museum of Contemporary Art Zagreb, the National Museum of Modern Art Zagreb, the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Rijeka, Galerie Anhava Helsinki, Exile Gallery Berlin, and Goff+Rosenthal Gallery New York, among others.
Kožul studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb and the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf. His work is held in numerous public and private collections, including the Museum of Contemporary Art Zagreb, the National Museum of Modern Art Zagreb, and the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Rijeka.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2026 The Carnival, Božidar Jakac Gallery, Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Kostanjevica na Krki
2026 Kajgod kadgod bilo, opet je tak bilo, kak je bilo, tak je i tak bude bilo, Muzej suvremene umjetnosti, Zagreb
2025 Degenerates, Monsters, and Traitors (1573), Trotoar, Zagreb
2023 Recollections – 20 Years, Lauba, Zagreb
2021 Intercisus, Josip Račić Gallery, National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb
2019 Open Studio, GMK Gallery, Zagreb (duo Žižić/Kožul)
2019 SintArt 11: Kristian Kožul – Sisyphus Exalted. Exercising Repetitions, Richter Collection, Museum of Contemporary Art, Zagreb
2018 Amazing Moments, 90-60-90 Gallery, Pogon Jedinstvo, Zagreb (duo Žižić/Kožul)
2018 Amazing Moments, Waldinger Gallery, Osijek (Žižić–Kožul)
2018 Forensic Folklore: The Archipelago, Bačva Gallery, HDLU, Zagreb
2017 Recurring Landscapes, MKC Gallery, Split (duo Žižić/Kožul)
2017 Forensic Perpetuality, Galženica Gallery, Velika Gorica
2015 Wonderful Things Will Happen, Mali Salon, Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Rijeka (duo Žižić/Kožul)
2015 Temporary Landscapes, Koprivnica Gallery, Koprivnica City Museum (duo Žižić/Kožul)
2015 Inflatable Realities, permanent public installation, plateau of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Zagreb (duo Žižić/Kožul)
2015 Cabinet, Waldinger Gallery, Osijek (duo Žižić/Kožul)
2014 Spectrum, NO Gallery, Museum of Contemporary Art, Zagreb (duo Žižić/Kožul)
2014 Untitled, Lauba House, Zagreb (duo Žižić/Kožul)
2014 0.50, Karas Gallery, Croatian Association of Artists, Zagreb (duo Žižić/Kožul)
2013 Cabinet 1, Apoteka Gallery, Vodnjan
2012 Misinterpretations, Lauba, Zagreb
2011 Idée Fixe – Tale of Obsession, Pablo’s Birthday Gallery, New York
2010 Untitled (Current Protagonists), SLAG Gallery, New York
2009 Subsidized Realities, KIBLA, Maribor
2009 Subsidized Realities, Kranjčar Gallery, Zagreb
2009 TZR / Kai Brueckner Gallery, Düsseldorf
2008 Edle Zier, Stiller Schauder, Minoriten Galleries, Seminary, Graz
2008 Art Salon, Celje
2008 Americana Playground, Anhava Gallery, Helsinki
2007 Americana Playground, Goff + Rosenthal Gallery, New York
2005 Discoware, Anhava Gallery, Helsinki
2005 Asylum, Extended Media Gallery (HDLU), Zagreb
2005 Morality Zone, Mimara Museum / Museum of Contemporary Art, Zagreb
2004 Sweet Afterlife, TZR / Kai Brueckner Gallery, Düsseldorf
2003 Feast, Vladimir Nazor Gallery, Zagreb
2003 Cornucopia, Miroslav Kraljević Gallery, Zagreb
1999 Asylum, Raum für Kunst, Graz
1999 TZR / Kai Brueckner Gallery, Düsseldorf
1998 – Avoiding, Matica Hrvatska Gallery, Zagreb
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2025 Afer First Comes Second, Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Rijeka
2025 15th Triennial of Croatian Sculpture, Zagreb
2025 60th Zagreb Salon: Choreography for the Finish Line, Oktogon, National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb
2025 Acquisitions / Donations 2020–2025, Oktogon, National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb
2023 Where Is This Cloud Sailing, exhibition from the MMSU collection, Rijeka
2023 Panorama 40+, Bažato Gallery, Ljubljana
2023 Constellations, Apoteka Gallery, Vodnjan
2023 Between Figuration and Abstraction, University Gallery, University of Split, Split
2022 14th Triennial of Croatian Sculpture, Zagreb
2021 – Visita Interiora Terrae: Myth and Alchemy as Artistic Practice, Prsten Gallery, HDLU, Zagreb
2017 Tourism, Jeju Biennial, Jeju, Korea
2016 Impakt Festival, lecture and presentation within the panel discussion Authenticity?, Utrecht (duo Žižić/Kožul)
2015 As Long as Work Lives, Pogon Jedinstvo, Zagreb (duo Žižić/Kožul)
2015 I Am Here to Please You, Lauba House, Zagreb (duo Žižić/Kožul)
2015 Apocalypse / Rohkunstbau, Schloss Roskow, Potsdam, organized and invited by HDLU (duo Žižić/Kožul)
2014 Filip Trade Collection (permanent display), Lauba House, Zagreb (duo Žižić/Kožul)
2014 Industrial Art Biennial, Labin Art Express XXI, Labin (duo Žižić/Kožul)
2014 T-HT@MSU.HR, Museum of Contemporary Art, Zagreb (duo Žižić/Kožul)
2013 53rd Poreč Annale, Poreč (duo Žižić/Kožul)
2010 Summer Camp, Exile Gallery, Berlin
2010 Bandits, Pirates & Outlaws, Lost Coast Culture Machine, Fort Bragg
2009 Turn On, SLAG Gallery, New York
2009 Mercury Retrograde: Animated Realities, Big Medium, Austin
2008 imMaterial, Black & White Gallery, New York
2008 Pulse Art Fair, solo presentation
2008 Summer Group Show, Samuel Freeman Gallery, Santa Monica
2008 The Other Side, The 58 Gallery, Jersey City
2007 BoysCraft, curated by Tami Katz-Freiman, Haifa Museum of Art, Haifa
2006 The Sanctuary and the Scrum, Black & White Gallery, New York
2006 Sci-Fi Lullabies, Michael Steinberg Fine Art, New York
2006 Paper Show, Paul Kopeikin Gallery, Los Angeles
2006 Seventh Annual Winter Auction, DUMBO Arts Center, New York
2005 Künstlervereinigung MAERZ, Linz
2005 Beijing Biennial of Contemporary Art, Beijing
2005 ISCP Residency, New York
2005 PS1 International Projects, New York
2005 1st Biennial of Quadrilateral – Relativism, MMSU, Rijeka
2005 Criss-Cross, Museum of Contemporary Art, Zagreb
2005 Materika, International Sculpture Exhibition, Castello di Gorizia, Gorizia
2005 Post-Sculpture, HDLU, Zagreb
2005 The Blue Salon, group exhibition, Zadar
2004 Side Effects, Museum of Contemporary Art, Belgrade; Nova Gallery, Zagreb
2004 Youth Salon, HDLU Gallery, Zagreb
2004 Filip Trade Collection, Art Gallery, Dubrovnik
2004 Radoslav Putar Award Exhibition, Gliptoteka HAZU, Zagreb
2004 Queer Festival, Image Haddad boutique, site-specific installation Tease, Zagreb
2004 New Croatian Sculpture, Kazamat Gallery, Osijek
2003 Camp Craft, Kortil Gallery, Rijeka
2003 Triennial of Croatian Sculpture, Gliptoteka HAZU, Zagreb
2002 International Video + Media Prize, ZKM, Karlsruhe
2002 Update 2.0 – current selection of a media package for ZKM and Goethe-Institut
2001 Bochum Video Festival, Bochum
2001 Osnabrück Video Festival, Osnabrück
2001 Guest Art Work, Matica Hrvatska Gallery, Zagreb
2001 Media + Architecture Biennial (unofficial program), Graz
1999 Biennial of Young Artists, Rome
1998 Class Show, Bunker, Cologne
1998 Day + Night Show, Passagegalerie, Vienna
1998 Salon, Zagreb
1998 Tokyo Video Festival, Tokyo
1998 International Video Prize, ZKM, Karlsruhe
1997 Impakt Festival, Utrecht
1997 SGG Festival, Geneva
1996 Videonale 7, Bonn
1996 Youth Salon, Zagreb
1996 Crossing Over, festival and workshop, Sofia
Selected Press
Flash Art. Michela Ceruti. “Kristian Kožul — Degenerates, Monsters, and Traitors (1573).” (review). 2025. [Link]
Les Nouveaux Riches. “Interview with Kristian Kožul.” (artist interview/profile). 2025. [Link]
ArtViewer. “Kristian Kožul at Trotoar Gallery, Zagreb.” (exhibition feature / review). 2025. [Link]
Journal.hr — “Kristian Kožul: Razgovor s umjetnikom povodom izložbe… (Interview) 2025. [Link]
Vizkultura — VK Podcast: “Kristian Kožul”. Podcast interview. 2025. [Link]
Mood.hr — “Kristian Kožul o čudovištima, mitovima i tankoj liniji…” Written interview / feature. 2025. [Link]
Vizkultura — “Razgovor: Kristian Kožul”. Written interview / artist Q&A. 2022. [Link]
ArtForum. Sutton, Kate. “Critic’s Pick: Kristian Kožul.” Review. 2021. [Link]
ArtViewer. Kristian Kožul at Bačva Gallery. 2018. [Link]
Blok Magazine. “’Forensic Folklore: The Archipelago’ by Kristian Kožul at Bačva Gallery.” (review / exhibition text). 2018. [Link]
Ikon Arts Foundation. “Kristian Kožul: Transformation through Ornamentation.” (artist feature / profile). 2013. [Link]
Publications
Boban, Tihana. Munivrana, Martina. Šimunić, Andrea: The 15th Triennial of Croatian Sculpture. Group exhibition catalogue. Zagreb: Museum of Contemporary Art, Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, 2026.
Šimunović, Luja; Petrović, Klara. Kristian Kožul: Degenerates, Monsters and Traitors. Solo exhibition. Zagreb: Trotoar Gallery, 2025.
Franceschi, Branko. Šimić, Lorena. Acquisitions I Donations. 2020-2025. 120 Years of NMMU. Exhibition catalogue. Zagreb: National Museum of Modern Art, 2025.
Rodrigues, Martina. Kristian Kožul: Recollections. Solo exhibition. Zagreb: Lauba – House for People and Art, 2023.
Štefančić, Klaudio. Kristian Kožul: Intercisus. Solo exhibition. Zagreb: Josip Račić Gallery, National Museum of Modern Art, 2022.
Meštrić, Vesna. Kristian Kožul: Sisyphus Exalted – Exercising Repetitions. Solo exhibition. Zagreb: Richter Collection, 2019.
Štefančić, Klaudio. Kristian Kožul: Forensic Folklore – The Archipelago. Solo exhibition. Zagreb: Meštrović Pavilion, 2018.
Gluić, Jasna. Kristian Kožul / Damir Žižić: Amazing Moments. Two-person exhibition. Zagreb: Gallery 90-60-90, Pogon Jedinstvo, 2018.
Gluić, Jasna. Kristian Kožul / Damir Žižić: Recurring Landscapes. Two-person exhibition. Split: MKC Gallery, 2017.
Orelj, Ksenija. Kristian Kožul / Damir Žižić: Inflatable Realities. Two-person exhibition. Zagreb: Museum of Contemporary Art, 2015.
Salomon, Sabina; Orelj, Ksenija. Kristian Kožul / Damir Žižić: Wonderful Things Will Happen. Two-person exhibition. Rijeka: Mali Salon, Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, 2015.
Jakšić, Jasna. Kristian Kožul / Damir Žižić: 0.50. Two-person exhibition. Zagreb: Karas Gallery, Croatian Association of Artists, 2014.
Štefančić, Klaudio. Kristian Kožul / Damir Žižić: Untitled. Two-person exhibition. Zagreb: Lauba – House for People and Art, 2014.
Topić, Leila. Kristian Kožul / Damir Žižić: Spectrum. Two-person exhibition. Zagreb: NO Gallery, Museum of Contemporary Art Zagreb, 2014.
Jakšić, Jasna. Kristian Kožul: Misinterpretations. Solo exhibition. Zagreb: Lauba – House for People and Art, 2012.
Pintarić, Snježana; Mudrinić, Ivica; Janković, Radmila Iva. T-HT Nagrada @MSU.hr Exhibition catalogue. Zagreb: Museum of Contemporary Art, 2010.
Kristian Kožul: Subsidized Realities. Solo exhibition. Maribor: Kibla Gallery, 2009.
Kovač, Leonida; Štefančić, Klaudio; Jakšić, Jasna (eds.). Kristian Kožul: Morality Zone. Solo exhibition. Zagreb: Mimara Museum / Museum of Contemporary Art, 2006.
Franceschi, Branko. Kristian Kožul: Cornucopia. Solo exhibition. Zagreb: Miroslav Kraljević Gallery, 2003.
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Standards
Meadow 1
Gargoyle 1 & 2
Bishop
Tears
Gargoyle 3
Ferenz Tahy
