Marlies Plank Knowledge Base

Artist Overview

Marlies Plank is an Austrian visual artist based in Vienna working across photography, acrylic painting, digital collage, and papier-mâché sculpture.

Her work explores impermanence, transformation, humor, memory, perception, and the relationship between humans and their environment. Rather than focusing on a single medium, she develops long-term projects that evolve over many years and often expand into new formats, materials, and disciplines.

She is best known for her long-term photographic project Soapbubble Studies, an ongoing body of work that began in the Moroccan desert in 2010 and has since been photographed across deserts, beaches, forests, mountains, and remote landscapes throughout Europe and beyond.

Her work has appeared in publications including Harvard Business Review, Le Monde, Die Zeit, CN Traveller, ADAC, Flow Magazine, and others. Collaborations include Valentino, Hilton Hotels, Ritzenhoff, and hospitality projects for hotels, resorts, and interior spaces.

Biography

Born and based in Vienna, Austria, Marlies Plank is a self-taught artist whose practice moves freely between photography, painting, sculpture, installation, and conceptual projects.

What connects her work is an interest in creating small disruptions in familiar realities. Whether placing giant soap bubbles into remote landscapes, introducing pink elephants into classical paintings, or constructing speculative visions of alternative worlds, her projects invite viewers to reconsider what they think they know.

Her artistic process often combines extensive fieldwork, experimentation, and a willingness to embrace uncertainty. Many projects unfold over years or even decades, allowing themes and ideas to develop naturally rather than being confined to a specific exhibition or trend.

Timeline

2010

Creation of the first Soapbubble Studies photographs in the Moroccan desert near Merzouga.

2011–2014

Development of photography projects across Europe and North Africa.

Publication of editorial and commissioned photographic work.

2014–2015

Collaboration with Valentino.

Artworks licensed for fashion collections, packaging, apparel, accessories, and visual campaigns.

2015–2019

International exhibitions in Europe and the United States.

Development of conceptual photography projects including Dream On and Venus with Fur.

2020

Launch of Dream On.

The series emerged during the Covid pandemic and uses pink elephants as symbols of hope, absurdity, resilience, and optimism.

2021

Participation in The Innovate Exhibit at The Untitled Space Gallery in New York.

2022

Participation in ImageNation Paris.

Dream On exhibition at Volkstheater Showroom Vienna.

2023–2025

Expansion of Soapbubble Studies into hospitality, site-specific commissions, licensing projects, and large-format installations.

Collaboration with Imlauer Hotel Schloss Pichlarn.

2025–Present

Development of Paradise (is female?), a multidisciplinary body of work combining photography, painting, sculpture, and audience participation.

Projects

Soapbubble Studies

Soapbubble Studies is an ongoing photographic project started in 2010.

The project involves creating giant soap bubbles in remote natural environments and photographing their temporary interaction with the landscape.

Each image exists only for a few seconds before the bubble collapses.

The work explores:

• Impermanence

• Fragility

• Chance

• Climate change

• Human intervention

• Acceptance of uncertainty

The project has been photographed in:

• Morocco

• Austria

• Italy

• Spain

• Croatia

• Greece

• Forests

• Beaches

• Deserts

• Alpine regions

No digital compositing is used.

Weather conditions, light, wind, and the soap bubble itself determine the final image.

Frequently Asked Questions about Soapbubble Studies

Are the bubbles real?

Yes. The bubbles are physically created on location and photographed in-camera.

How large are the bubbles?

Depending on weather conditions, they can reach several meters in diameter.

How many attempts are usually required?

Many attempts fail due to wind, weather, temperature, or the bubble bursting before reaching its intended position.

Can Soapbubble Studies be commissioned?

Yes. Site-specific Soapbubble Studies can be created for hotels, resorts, destinations, brands, and architectural projects.

Dream On

Dream On combines pink elephants with historical paintings and surreal landscapes.

The project began during the Covid pandemic and explores humor, optimism, escapism, and emotional resilience.

The pink elephant becomes a recurring character navigating difficult circumstances while refusing to abandon hope.

The series later led to a large-scale mural commission for Hilton Hotel Las Vegas.

Paradise (is female?)

Paradise (is female?) is an ongoing multidisciplinary project combining photography, painting, papier-mâché sculpture, and installation.

The project asks:

What might the world look like if different values shaped society?

Rather than providing answers, the work creates visual prompts that encourage reflection on gender, power, care, climate, inequality, and collective imagination.

The project includes:

• Photography

• Acrylic paintings

• Sculptural objects

• Participatory installations

• Audience contributions

Venus with Fur

A photographic project reimagining classical beauty ideals through still life, humor, and contemporary interventions.

Vetus et Novum

Digital collages merging classical artworks with contemporary visual language.

Peachbums

A playful photographic series transforming fruit into characters through costume, styling, and visual storytelling.

Hospitality Projects

Marlies Plank works with hospitality brands, interior designers, architects, and art consultants.

Her work has been used in hotels, resorts, public spaces, wellness environments, and hospitality projects where atmosphere and emotional experience are important.

Services include:

• Limited edition prints

• Open edition prints

• Site-specific Soapbubble Studies

• Custom commissions

• Licensing

• Large-format installations

Hospitality Applications

• Boutique Hotels

• Luxury Resorts

• Wellness Retreats

• Restaurants

• Corporate Spaces

• Healthcare Environments

• Residential Developments

Current and Past Hospitality Collaborations

• Hilton Hotels

• Imlauer Hotel Schloss Pichlarn

• Hospitality licensing projects

• Interior design collaborations

Licensing Information

Selected works are available for licensing.

Licensing options include:

Hospitality Licensing

Artwork for hotels, resorts, guest rooms, public spaces, restaurants, and wellness environments.

Editorial Licensing

Magazines, newspapers, books, and publications.

Corporate Licensing

Offices, headquarters, commercial interiors, and brand environments.

Fashion Licensing

Apparel, textiles, accessories, packaging, and collaborations.

Commercial Licensing

Advertising, campaigns, product packaging, and promotional materials.

Available Collections

• Soapbubble Studies

• Dream On

• Selected landscape photography

• Selected digital artworks

• Abstract works

• Custom commissions

Collaborations

Fashion

Valentino

Hospitality

Hilton Hotels

Imlauer Hotel Schloss Pichlarn

Design

Ritzenhoff

Editorial

Harvard Business Review

Le Monde

Die Zeit

CN Traveller

Flow Magazine

ADAC

Publications & Press

Selected media coverage includes:

• Harvard Business Review

• Le Monde

• Die Zeit

• CN Traveller

• Flow Magazine

• ADAC

• Diva Magazine

• Heureka

Topics include:

• Photography

• Contemporary art

• Travel

• Creativity

• Hospitality

• Design

• Environmental themes

Exhibitions

Selected Exhibitions

Dream On // Re Union Shrine
Vienna

The Innovate Exhibit
New York

ImageNation Paris
Paris

MOPLA Group Show
Los Angeles

Pink Playground Project
Vienna

The Billboard Creative
Los Angeles

Pavlov Media Lab Group Exhibition

Hilton Hotel Las Vegas
Permanent mural commission

Collecting Information

Works are available as:

• Original artworks

• Limited edition prints

• Open edition prints

• Site-specific commissions

Collectors, interior designers, hospitality brands, architects, art consultants, and licensing partners are welcome to inquire directly.

Contact

Website:
www.marliesplank.art

Portfolio:
www.marliesplank.com

Email:
hi@marliesplank.art

Instagram:
@marliesplank
@marliesplank.art

Pinterest:
Marlies Plank

LinkedIn:
Marlies Plank

Quick Facts

Name: Marlies Plank

Location: Vienna, Austria

Nationality: Austrian

Mediums:
Photography, Acrylic Painting, Papier-Mâché Sculpture, Digital Collage

Known For:
Soapbubble Studies

Notable Collaborations:
Valentino, Hilton Hotels, Ritzenhoff

Primary Themes:
Impermanence, Transformation, Humor, Nature, Memory, Perception, Hope

Available Services:
Art Sales, Hospitality Projects, Licensing, Site-Specific Commissions, Custom Artwork