Stefanie Moshammer

The jury is pleased to unanimously award the Images Vevey Broncolor Honourable Mention to Stefanie Moshammer for Her Sweet Poison, an extensive research project on alcoholism among women, which exists as a layered visual narrative.

Jury Statement

“Using her personal experience with her mother and childhood memories as a point of departure, Moshammer combines staged photographs with images from her family archive, and also draws on art historical references, commercial pictures, and scientific illustrations. Her Sweet Poison avoids a sentimental view of its difficult subject, treating it with a candor and sometimes also a subtle humor that made it stand out. The jury was impressed by the complexity and the scope of her investigation, as well as by its potential as an installation.”

When Stefanie Moshammer was around seven or eight years old, she wrote a letter to “baby Jesus”, somewhat like a child’s request to Santa Claus, wishing that her mother be cured of her alcohol addiction. This letter went on to initiate Each Poison, A Pillow. Interweaving research and personal memories, the installation bears witness to the deep but tenuous affection binding mother and daughter. Between them lies the infamous letter; a pile of cushions on the floor revert to the title of this project, evoking both the comfort sought in alcohol, and a home, the place where alcohol misuse among women is most common. This Viennese artist took her personal story as the starting point for an approach without any judgement to the rarely discussed topic of alcohol addiction among women.

The installation Each Poison, A Pillow by Stefanie Moshammer is presented at the Musée Jenisch, alongside other projects awarded by the Grand Prix Images Vevey 2021/2022.

When Stefanie Moshammer was eight years old, shewrote a letter to “baby Jesus”, somewhat like a child’srequest to Santa Claus, wishing that her mother becured of her alcohol addiction. This letter went on toinitiateEach Poison, A Pillow, a substantial projectinterweaving research and personal memories. As adialogue with her mother, this artist presents a ta-boo topic: alcoholism in women. The installation sheprepared specifically for L’Appartement uses variousmeans to evoke the distinctive characteristics of thisaddiction. The cushions scattered on the floor drawa link with the title of her project and evoke both thecomfort sought in alcohol, and a home, the place hid-den from prying eyes and judgement where alcoholmisuse among women is most common. The rest ofthe project calls on social networks, family archives,performances filmed by the artist’s mother, scientif-ic equipment, fabrics, bottles and glasses, colouredliquids, sexist advertisements, photographs, videosand, of course, the famous letter, a silent witness tothe deep and fragile relationship between mother anddaughter in the midst of one of life’s ordeals. After thepreliminary version ofEach Poison, A Pillowpresentedat the 2022 Images Vevey Biennial, L’Appartement nowstages the complete project designed specifically forthe CHAMBRES and as a book published by ÉditionsImages Vevey.