Michael Najjar is one of the most important international photo artists of his generation. In his works he deals in a complex and critical way with the technological developments that are defining and drastically changing the early 21st century. Najjar develops his photographic and video works from an interdisciplinary understanding of art. He combines science, art and technology to create artistic visions and utopias of future social orders emerging under the influence of new technologies.
Najjar’s works are grouped in thematic work series. In terms of content, these range from the transformation of global megacities through increasingly dense information networks, the transformation of the human body by means of biogenetic interventions, and the virtualization of financial markets through intelligent algorithms, to the influence of the latest space technologies on our future in space, and our planetary future in times of climate change and geoengineering.
For decades now, Najjar has undertaken journeys and expeditions around the globe. He has climbed seven-thousand-metre high peaks, scaled skyscrapers, trekked on erupting volcanoes, crossed glaciers, descended into ice caves, traversed deserts, taken astronaut training, and intends to be the first artist to fly into space. To create his images, Najjar exposes his body to extreme experiences and tests his mental and physical limits in the context of highly complex natural or technological environments.
Najjar´s work has been shown in numerous international gallery and museum exhibitions for the past 25 years.