Valie Export: key obituary facts
Is Valie Export dead? Yes. Valie Export died on May 14, 2026, at age 85.
Cause of death: Valie Export's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was Valie Export known for?
She was known as Austrian media artist (1940–2026).
More about Valie Export
Born: 17 May 1940.
Place of birth: Linz.
Place of death: Vienna.
Gender: female.
Occupation: film director, visual artist, university teacher, screenwriter, photographer, sculptor, filmmaker, photojournalist.
Nationality: Austria.
Employer: Academy of Media Arts Cologne.
Notable work: VALIE EXPORT SMART EXPORT, The Practice of Love, Invisible Adversaries, Aspects of Feminist Actionism, Time and Countertime.
Awards: Decoration of Honour in Gold for Services to the State of Vienna, City of Vienna Prize for Fine Arts, Austrian Decoration for Science and Art, Great Golden Medal of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria.
Also known as: Waltraud Höllinger, VALIE EXPORT, Waltraud Lehner.
Known for: Artist.
Valie Export, Austrian artist, died on May 14, 2026, at the age of 85.
Born Waltraud Lehner in Linz, Austria, she became known as an avant-garde artist whose work included provocative public performances and expanded cinema. Her practice also extended to video installations, computer animations, photography, sculpture and publications on contemporary art.
In 1967, she changed her name to VALIE EXPORT. She studied painting, drawing and design at the National School for Textile Industry in Vienna.
Valie Export, 85, Austrian artist.