# Erwin Wurm artist context and auction value notes

Canonical page: https://appraisily.com/artist/erwin-wurm/
Profile generated: 2026-05-18T17:46:10.889Z
Quality: high confidence, strong sources

## Artist identity

- Birth date: 1954-07-27
- Nationality: Austrian
- Movements: Contemporary Art
- Common media: sculpture, photography

## About Erwin Wurm

Erwin Wurm, born in 1954 in Austria, is a sculptor and photographer whose work interrogates the boundaries of the human body, everyday objects, and the definition of sculpture itself. Active since the early 1980s, he has become one of Austria's most internationally recognized contemporary artists, with works held by major institutions including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and Tate in London. Wurm maintains studios in Vienna, Limberg, Hydra, and New York City. His practice spans sculptural installations, photography, and performance-based works, often employing humor and absurdity to challenge conventional expectations of form and material. He is represented in library authority records worldwide, including Getty's Union List of Artist Names, VIAF, the Library of Congress, and the RKD in The Hague.

## Common works and media

Collectors are most likely to encounter Wurm's sculptural works, which range from small-scale objects to large installations, as well as his photographic series. His sculptures frequently involve distorted or inflated human and architectural forms rendered in materials such as polyester, bronze, and mixed media. Photographic works are typically issued in limited editions. Drawings and works on paper also circulate in the secondary market. Auction listings may classify his work under Contemporary Art, Post-War and Contemporary Sculpture, or Contemporary Photography.

## Market and appraisal context

Erwin Wurm's work appears regularly at international auction houses, particularly his sculptural pieces and photographic editions. Key factors affecting appraisal include the work's medium and scale, provenance and exhibition history, edition number for multiples, condition (especially for works using unconventional materials), and whether the piece belongs to a recognized series. His institutional presence at MoMA, Tate, and other major museums supports ongoing collector interest. Appraisers should confirm authenticity, edition details, and provenance through gallery records or estate documentation.

## Appraisily data basis

Appraisily artist pages combine independently sourced artist identity research with auction records, auction-house context, sale dates, realized prices, and comparable lots when those records are available. For Erwin Wurm, identity data is grounded in authority files from Getty ULAN, VIAF, the Library of Congress, RKD, Wikidata, and museum collection records from MoMA and Tate. Market observations are supplementary and should not replace professional appraisal.

## Sources

- RKD: https://rkd.nl/en/explore/artists/85780
- Wikidata: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q78841
- VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/96473313/
- Getty Vocabulary Program: https://vocab.getty.edu/page/ulan/500106209
- The Museum of Modern Art: https://www.moma.org/artists/28865
- Tate: https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/erwin-wurm-9360
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erwin_Wurm
- Library of Congress: https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n82201695