The State Gallery of Lower Austria serves as a home for visual artists from Lower Austria. A fixed part of the annual exhibition program is the presentation of the Lower Austrian Award of Recognition winners in the field of visual arts.

Iris Andraschek (born in Horn, Lower Austria, in 1963) is one of the most renowned Austrian artists of her generation. She works in the fields of photography, drawing, installation, and public art. Her works deal with the interplay between public and private spheres, social utopias, the culture of remembrance, and the relationship between humans and nature. The artist lives and works in Vienna and Lower Austria.

The scent of laurel oil hangs in the air. It comes from Aleppo soap, which Syrian refugees made in the Turkish border region during the war. Andraschek has researched this process artistically and makes it visible through drawings, photographs, films, and an installation. Her artistic perspective provides new insights into human experiences and social and political contexts.

The artistic fields Andraschek works in are diverse and interrelated. Photographs of Waldviertel farmers' wives can be found alongside galvanized plants, to which she gives a voice.

In Krems, Andraschek is known for her carpets as stencil paintings or mosaics in public spaces. She knows how to transform everyday objects in such a way that they are seen in a new light and redefine places familiar to us.

The exhibition at the State Gallery of Lower Austria refers to the artist's various working methods and, based on national and international projects, provides insight into the soul of people and the inner workings of our world.

Curator: Hubert Nitsch

Since 1960, the state of Lower Austria has presented cultural awards for exceptional achievements and initiatives. Expert juries confer recognition and distinction awards every year in various disciplines—from architecture to music, to adult education. They reflect the wide range of artistic creativity in Lower Austria. The awards also underline the transregional importance of the honorees.

The Lower Austrian Documentation Center for Modern Art (DOK) in St. Pölten will present this year's winners of the cultural recognition award in an exhibition from November 27, 2025, to January 11, 2026.