Founding Director, The Sensorium Institute, Berlin, DE, 2019-
Member ƒƒ, 2013 - 2016
Founding Director & Chief Curator of The Wand, Berlin, DE, 2012 - 2014
Founding Member of Secondary Narratives: Bublitz & Lukas Töpfer, Julia Martha Müller & Frederiek Weda, Neue Berliner Räume, and The Wand, Berlin, DE, 2014

melissasteckbauer at gmail.com
​
Education & Research
2008 Independent Research, The Kinsey Institute, Indiana University-Bloomington, Bloomington, IN, US
2008 University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, B.F.A., US
2006-2007 Study Abroad Program, University Utrecht, Utrecht, NL 
2006 Study Abroad Program, Santa Reparata International School of Art, Florence, IT

Selected Solo Exhibitions
2018 The Sonancy of Falling and Standing Repeatedly, curated by Sylvia Sadzinski, Galerie im Turm, Berlin, DE
2016 CADRE, Riccardo Costantini Contemporary, Turin, IT, publication
2015 Melissa Steckbauer, Skopia Art contemporain, Geneva, CH
2014 Trans dans, Launch for Revue-Magazine, Lehrter 17, Berlin, DE
2013 The Architectonics of Love, Liebkranz Galerie, Berlin, DE, catalog
2012 A Sensuist's Guide, LSD Galerie, Berlin, DE
2012 Melissa Steckbauer, Western Exhibitions, Chicago, IL, US
2010 Behind the Curtain and in the Closet, The Bella Building, curated by Isabella Levedag, Munich, DE
2010 I The Hunter, Galerie Saupe, Berlin, DE
2010 Half Camp, Van der Stegen Gallery, Paris, FR
2010 CARTE, Bureau Mathieu Cénac, Paris, FR

Selected Group Exhibitions
2024 69, curated by Mike Rea, Northern Illinois University, Chicago, IL, US
2024 The Sensorium as a part of Touchy-Feely!, West Den Haag, convened by Ji Yoon Yang & Dr. phil. Baruch Gottlieb, Den Haag, NL
2023 Focus On: Melissa Steckbauer & Estrid Lutz, Galerie Kandlhofer, Vienna, AT
2023 BOYS BOYS BOYS, Migrant Bird Space, Berlin, DE
2022 Pornotopia Revised, curated by Sarah Held and Sylvia Sadzinski, Kunsthalle Exnergasse, Vienna, AT
2021 La somme et l’absence, essentiellement, Skopia Art Contemporain, Geneva, CH
2021 O TEMPORA O MORES, Riccardo Costantini Contemporary, Turin, IT
2020-21 XOXO, curated by Julien Carbone & Léo Fourdrinier, Galerie Axolotl, Toulon, FR
2020 Stadt Findet Kunst, art-action in public space, organized by the Department of Culture, Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, Berlin, DE
2020 Deep Contact Ritual Berlin, with J&K, curated by TSAO Yidi & Anna Voswinckel, Mail-Art + Online

2019 Elaeudanla Teïtéïa, Skopia Art contemporain, Geneva, CH
2018 Accrochage d’été, Skopia Art contemporain, Geneva, CH
2017 The Blind Leading the Blind #2, curated by Yann Perol and Christian Gattinoni, CAC La Traverse, Centre d'art contemporain d'Alfortville, FR
2016 Survival Kit, Paul Philipp Heinze, Linards Kulless, Christoph Mühlau, J&K, Melissa Steckbauer, Magda Tothova, & Suse Wächter, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, Riga, LV
2016 Empty Bellies, Galerie Axolotl, based on a novel by Anne-Laure Bonte, curated by Yann Perol, Toulon, FR
2016 Stage diving in Luleå, with ƒƒ collective at Galleri Syster, Lulea, SE
2016 DIRTY MIND, Helge Leiberg, Reinhard Stangl, Hans Scheib, Sofie Bird Møller, Melissa Steckbauer, Sonja Alhäuser, curated by Christoph Tannert, Galerie Alte Schule Adlershof, Berlin, DE
2016 HUG, TUCK, FOLD, PACK, ritual and performance by J&K (Installation), Christine Borch, Isabella Lewandowski, Melissa Steckbauer (Sensorium), part of Turm Turm Turm - die Galerie in drei Kapiteln: Formen, Erfahren, Verfassen, curated by Celina Basra & Melina Gerstemann, Berlin, DE
2016 Accrochage d’été, Skopia Art contemporain, Francis Baudevin, Franz Gertsch, Alex Hanimann, Thomas Huber, Jean-Luc Manz, Claudio Moser, Melissa Steckbauer, Geneva, CH
2016 HITZE IM HERZEN, SAND IN DEN AUGEN, tête, Berlin, DE
2016 The Sensorium presented as a part of Mathilde ter Heijne’s, It Will Be!, Haus am Lützowplatz, Berlin, DE
2016 The Sensorium, with Paul Philipp Heinze, Neu West Berlin, Berlin, DE
2015 Mending and Bending Remedies Beneath The Palm Tree, a durational happening with Paul Philipp Heinze, Linards Kulless, Christoph Mühlau, Janne Schäfer / J&K, Melissa Steckbauer, & Magda Tothova, Part of Vienna Art Week--Studio Visits, Palme13, Vienna, AT
2015 Growing Silent by Frisk Flugt, collaboration with J&K, New Shelter Plan, Copenhagen, DK
2015 A Night With ƒƒ: Help It Grow, an ƒƒ project organized by Janne Schäfer & Melissa Steckbauer, Haus am Lützowplatz, Berlin, DE
2014 SIND WIR BERLINER? (persone, animali, oggetti), Riccardo Costantini Contemporary, Turin, IT
2014 Art in Odd Places - Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, US
2014 TAZ 3, A project by ƒƒ curated by Barbara Piwowarska, Teatr Studio at the Palace of Science & Culture, Warsaw, PL
2014 Painting was a lady, Wonderloch Kellerland, New York, NY, US
2014 Auftakt, organized by Secondary Narratives, Kunstsaele, Berlin, DE
2014 Bilder, die wir behalten / Elisabeth, curated by Manuel Wischnewski, Neue Berliner Räume, Berlin, DE
2014 Deep Play: Double M Consultancy, organized by The Wand, Double M Consultancy, Berlin, DE
2014 Deep Play: Korede, Corazón, organized by The Wand; venues include: Plakatwand-Moabit, Eisbox, La Dolce Vita, Otto-Spielplatz, Neue Heimat, Berlin, DE
2014 Tribal Tribu-te, curated by Yann Perol, Metaxu, Toulon, FR
2014 Mensch - inszenierte Fotografie - Erzählung, curated by Leo de Munk, Raum für Fotografie, Berlin, DE
2014 Female Intervention, featuring ƒƒ and curated by Conny Becker, Kleine Humboldt Galerie, Berlin, DE
2014 Life & Times: Lampedusa, A project made possible by Viva con Agua, Millerntor Gallery #4, Hamburg, DE, publication
2014 Present, Organized by Michaela Zimmer, Projektraum Bethanien, Berlin, DE
2014 Intimate Interactions, Curated by Ladislav Kesner, City Gallery, Ostrava, CZ; catalog
2014 Die Ästhetik des Widerstands, curated by Moira Zoitl und Julia Lazarus, IG Bildende Kunst, Vienna, AT; Galerie Im Turm, Berlin, DE
2013 Let it Go, curated by Anne Fäser, Christine Nippe, and Heike Fühlbrugge, Souterrain, Berlin, DE
2013 Passage, curated by Yann Perol in conjunction with Mois Européen de la Photo à Sofia, Fabrik, Sofia, BG
2013 The History of Painting Revisited, performative event with ƒƒ, Deutsche Bank KunstHalle, Berlin, DE
2013 ƒƒ / Forma, KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin, DE
2013 Sleep Disorders, Atelier C3, Cité internationale des Arts, Paris France, & Manzoni Schäper Projekt, Berlin, DE; catalog
2013 The Oracle, a project by ƒƒ, organized by Melissa Steckbauer & Mathilde ter Heijne, The Wand, Berlin, DE
2013 Dissident Desire, a project by ƒƒ, District, Berlin, DE
2013 ƒƒ Collaborations, curated by Antje Majewski & Melissa Steckbauer, Körnerpark, Berlin, DE
2013 Pounds, Shillings, Pence, LSD Galerie, Berlin, DE
2013 Erogenous Zone, curated by Mathilde ter Heijne & Juliane Solmsdorf, Körnerpark & Pony Royal, Berlin, DE
2013 Appel Artists Exhibition, University of Wisconsin, Marathon-County, Wausau, WI, USA; catalog
2012 After Image: The Photographic Process(ed), Cerritos College Gallery, curated by James MacDevitt, Norwalk, CA, US; catalog
2012 31 Women in Photography, Hasted Kraeutler, New York, NY, US 
2010 HIDDEN, Van der Stegen Gallery, Paris, FR
2010 Jerk Offestival, with Superm (Brian Kenny & Slava Mogutin), Marion Auburtin, Van der Stegen Gallery, Paris, FR
2009 Home n’Gone, Van der Stegen Gallery, Paris, FR
2009 Hello World, Ito Folk Museum, Fukuoka, JP
2009 I Mostri, Van der Stegen Gallery, curated by Yann Perol with Federico Solmi, Pesce Khete, Vanessa Fanuele Paris, FR, catalog
2008 Real Presence, Castello di Rivoli--Museum of Contemporary Art, Rivoli, IT
2008 Real Presence, Legacy House, Belgrade, RS
2008 Animalia #1, Van der Stegen Gallery, Paris, FR
2007 Girl to Woman, Featuring Filter Translation Device, Overture Center Madison, WI, US
2005 Humans At War, curated by Harrell Fletcher, Ahrnsbrak Gallery, University of Wisconsin-Marathon County, Wausau, WI, US

Awards
2020 Stadt Findet Kunst, Berlin, DE
2020 Kulturprojekte Berlin, Berlin, DE
2015 Ox-Bow Residency Award, Saugatuck, MI, US
2007 Artist Award, Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT, US
2006 Illuminations’ Artist Award, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, US
2006 William F. Vilas Grant, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, US
2006 Study Abroad Travel Grant, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, US
2005 Donors Award for Purchase, University of Wisconsin-Marathon County, Wausau, WI, US
2005 Committee Choice Award 77th Annual Juried Student Art Show, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, US
2005 Edith L. Gilbertson Scholarship, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, US
2004 Anita Appel Artist Award, University of Wisconsin-Marathon County, Wausau, WI, US
2004 UW Madison Alumni Association Matching Scholarship, University of Wisconsin-Marathon County, Wausau, WI, US
2003 Festival of the Arts Award, University of Wisconsin-Marathon County, Wausau, WI, US
2002 Appel Award, University of Wisconsin-Marathon County, Wausau, WI, US

Bibliography
2018 Berlin Art Link, "On Human Connectivity: A Conversation with Melissa Steckbauer," Jess Harrison; 03.17.2018
2018 Coven Berlin, "We Could Be Having So Much Fun: An Interview with Melissa Steckbauer," Lorena Juan, 05.04.2018 
2015 Berlin Artists, Till R.D. Cremer
2015 Sentimental Magazine, "Siren" A project by Melissa Steckbauer and Manuel Wischnewski, Issue 1, 2015
2014 The Architectonics of Love, catalog, with texts by Julia Strebelow & Jennifer Coates, published by DICKERSBACH KUNSTVERLAG
2014 Wanda, die internationalen Künstlerfanzines mit wechselndem Namen
2014 tip, Berlin, Kuratoren und Kunsträume: Secondary Narratives, Philipp Koch, 01.09.2014
2013 Revue - Magazine for the Next Society, Featured Artist, "Naher. This incredible desire to share and be touched," Manuel Wischnewski; Issue 14
2013 Kunstmagazin, "The Architectonics of Love," Florence Reidenbach; 07.10.2013
2013 Berlin Art Link, "Exhibition // Melissa Steckbauer and The Architectonics of Love," Alexandra Borras; 07.03.2013
2012 Ein Magazine, "I have nothing to say," Issue 1, 2012 
2012 Art LA Weekly, "after image: the photographic process(ed)," 11.05.2012
2012 Le Revue Monstre, Numéro 4 -- Testodrama
2012 Square Magazine 2.4, 01.15.2012
2011 Connect and Grow: Melissa Steckbauer 05.12.2011
2011 Berlin Art Link, "Between Intimacy and Form: Conversations and Connections with Melissa Steckbauer," interviewed by Elizabeth Feder, 06.28.2011
2010 Télérama, Laurent Boudier
2010 Access & Paradox, catalog, Published by SBO, Paris, FR
2009 The Benefactor, "Melissa Steckbauer," interviewed by Cessa Cantrell, Late Summer, 2009
2009 I Mostri, Yann Perol, catalog, Published by Van der Stegen Galerie, Paris, FR
2007 Art Neutopia – Summer – "Private Public" Minneapolis, MN, US, Issue 1, Volume 1
2005-2006 Illumination: The Undergraduate Journal of Humanities – Spring Issue

Artist-in-Residence, Professional Workshops, & Panels
2017 April 26, Beauty, roundtable with Chris Fenwick, Christina Dimitriadis, Joshua Fineberg, and Melissa Steckbauer; moderated and organized by Dennis Schep; Spektrum, Berlin, DE
2016 September 14, On Radical Vulnerability: Hit the Ground, artist talk with Sadie Lune, on the occasion of DIRTY MIND, curated by Christoph Tannert, Galerie Alte Schule Adlershof, Berlin, DE
2015 Ox-Bow, Artist-in-residence, Saugatuck, MI, US
2014 May 30, a panel discussion organized by Viva con Agua and curator Fabian Jentsch, Millerntor Gallery #4, St. Pauli, Hamburg, DE 
2014 September 4th, Artist talk on the occasion of the exhibition Bilder, die wir behalten / Elisabeth, with Dana Linkiewicz, Antje Majewski, Sonya Schönberger, and Melissa Steckbauer, Berlin, DE
2014 December 1st, It's All in the Game a panel discussion on arts and politics, Verein Berliner Künstler, featuring: Manuel Wischnewski, Lukas Töpfer, Melissa Steckbauer, Julian Malte Schinde; moderated by Julia Müller, Frederiek Weda, and Kristina Hinrichsen, Berlin, DE
2013 November 26th, The Art Lover's Club & ƒƒ, at The Wand with panelists: Jen Ray, Melissa Steckbauer & Manuel Wischnewski; moderated by Birgit Rieger, Berlin, DE
2012 December 15th, Ecstasy, Iconography of Desire, and the Future of Transgression, at LSD Galerie with panelists Antje Majewski, Jeni Fulton, & Dennis Schep; moderated by Melissa Steckbauer, Berlin, DE
2010 Private Residency, Livorno, IT
2008 Real Presence-Rivoli, IT
2008 Real Presence-Belgrade, RS
2008 Studio Kura, Fukuoka, JP
2007 Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT, US

Curation
2013 The end is the beginning, co-curated with Ana Sanchez de Vivar, featuring AnimalNacht, Marion Auburtin & Benjamin L. Aman, Sergio Belinchón, Barbara Breitenfellner, Damien Cadio, Konstantino Dregos, James Edmonds, Leif Elggren, Juliette Fontaine, Thierry Fournier, Marc Freeman, Daniela Fromberg & Stefan Roigk, Juan Garaizabal, Agnès Geoffray, Stefan Kaminski, Laura López Paniagua, Marta Marcé, Myriam Mechita, Irina Novarese, Leandro Quintero, Jean-François Robardet & Simon Hitziger, Ruben Rodrigo, Bosse Sudenburg and Santiago Ydañez, November 29, 2013 - January 18, 2014, The Wand, Berlin, DE
2013 The Oracle, a project by ƒƒ co-curated with Mathilde ter Heijne.  Featuring over 200 participants, for a complete list please visit The Oracle. September 12 - October 6, The Wand, Berlin, DE
2013 Color Sharks, featuring Enrico Bertelli, Claudia Chaseling, Jared Lindsay Clark, Olivier Guesselé-Garai, Silke Kästner, Iwan van 't Spijker, and V&B (Alex Jacobs and Ellemieke Schoenmaker), June 6 - 30, The Wand, Berlin, DE
2013 Imaginary Landscapes, co-curated with Katharina Raab, featuring Artur Frank, Peter Freitag, Friedrich Herz, Antje Majewski, and Susa Templin, May 10 - 26, The Wand, Berlin, DE
2013 ƒƒ Collaborations, co-organized by Antje Majewski & Melissa Steckbauer, featuring Magdalena Bichler, Melanie Bonajo, Nine Budde, Alice Cohen /ƒƒ, Cullinan Richards, Ahu Dural, Memo Glitzer Trixi, Delia Gonzalez /ƒƒ, Lydia Hamann, Mathilde ter Heijne / ƒƒ, Eva Hettmer, J&K (Janne Schäfer and Kristine Agergaard), Julia Lazarus, Antje Majewski /ƒƒ, Kaj Osteroth, Amy Patton, Katrin Plavcak /ƒƒ, Jen Ray /ƒƒ, Mathilde Rosier, Tanja Schomaker, Ulrika Segerberg, Juliane Solmsdorf /ƒƒ, Melissa Steckbauer /ƒƒ, Alex Tennigkeit, Mirjam Thomann, Körnerpark, Berlin, DE
2012 Things Take Time, featuring Anna-Katarina Gravgaard, William Wheeler, and Ayman Oghanna, October 14 - 19, The Wand, Berlin, DE
2012 LEAP, featuring Frank Eickhoff, Friedrich Herz, and Fabian Knecht, September 14, The Wand, Berlin, DE
2012 Sleep Disorders, co-curated with Marion Auburtin and Benjamin L. Aman, featuring Michael Barthel, Enrico Bertelli, Barbara Breitenfellner, Mirja Busch, Leif Elggren, Agnès Geoffray, Marthe Krüger, Benjamin L. Aman, Daniel Löwenbrück, Jean-François Robardet, August 2 - 16, The Wand, Berlin, DE
2012 Cognitio Arsphobiae : Show Therapy, co-curated with Alex Tennigkeit, featuring Caitlin Berrigan, Peter Böhnisch, Jean-Ulrick Désert, Sven Drühl, Anneke Eussen, Felix & Mumford, Robert Gschwantner, Sarah Goodrum, John Isaacs, Stefan Kaminski, Annegret Kellner, Kelly Kleinschrodt, Anna Lehmann-Brauns, Catherine Lorent, Antje Majewski, Veronika Schumacher, Ulrika Segerberg, Caro Suerkemper, Klaus-Martin Treder, and Klaus Winichner, July 14 - July 29, The Wand, Berlin, DE
2012 The Destructibles, featuring Anna Kostreva, Elizabeth Feder, Irina Novarese, Robert Gorny, Barbara K. Prokop, DJ Señor Eskimo Goldberg with a talk by architect Anna Weilhartner, June 22 - July 7, The Wand, Berlin, DE

Director of Programming
2014 Voyage Voyage, Curated by Antje Majewski with assistant Curator Maria Dabow, featuring: Michel Aniol, Bianca Benenti, Maria Dabow, Tatiana Echeverri Fernandez, Yusuf Etiman, Simone Gilges, Olivier Guesselé-Garai, Antje Majewski, Dirk Peuker, Mathilde Rosier, Philip Shafer, Jaro Straub, Sophie-Therese Trenka-Dalton, Katharina Wulff, Hendrik Zimmer, January 30 - February 22, The Wand, Berlin, DE
2013 Why art resembles manic depression, curated by Lukas Töpfer, November 29 - January 18, The Wand, Berlin, DE
2013 So Abstrakt!, curated by Christine Nippe & Sebastian Schemann, featuring: Isabelle Borges, Clara Brörmann, Mirja Busch, Ronald de Bloeme, Oliver Godow, Ulrich Hakel Holstein, Wonkun Jun, October 12 - November 17, The Wand, Berlin, DE
2013 Discipline(!), curated in three parts by Anna Redeker, featuring: Mariana Hahn, Dafni Barbageorgopoulou, and Eli Cortinas, July 7, 14, 21, The Wand, Berlin, DE
2013 Na, du alte Sau, curated by Stefan Kaminski, featuring: Tom Biber, Matthias Dornfeld, Carola Ernst, Franziska Hufnagel, Stefan Mannel, F. Muser, Alex Tennigkeit, Dominic Wood, March 17 - 31, The Wand, Berlin, DE
2012 Laughing, in the Mechanism., curated by Max Schrier, featuring: Stefan Saalfeld, Viktor Timofeev, and Marcelina Wellmer, October 26 - December 5, The Wand, Berlin, DE
2012 Cutting In Soma, featuring: Emmy Skensved and Grégoire Blunt, Wolfgang Ganter, Melissa Steckbauer, Sara-Lena Maierhofer, Sabine Dehnel, Marion Auburtin, TBASS ROBOT, with a performance by The Furious Golden Shower, May 4 - May 18, The Wand, Berlin, DE
2008 Who are the People in Your Neighborhood, curated with Grown Up Goddess Transformation Process, featuring: Fredrick Ajode, Nathalie Becher, Sandra Becker, Johanna Bruckner, Petra Couwenbergs, Tjasa Ferme, Marlies Poeschl, Melissa Steckbauer, Marius van Berloo, Anna Weilhartner, BIKO Room, Brooklyn, NY, US