/ Hall of Fame
In 1998 the 1st Bodypainting Festival of Europe took place in Seeboden, in the south of Austria. The event was absolutely unique in its form and was the founding element of the modern bodypainting art movement.
After the first festival, it was already obvious that the event could be very interesting for photographers, so the PHOTO AWARDS were created. The photo competition was in one category in the beginning. Later the category "slide" was added. After a few years not many photographers were using slides any more so we replaced it with the "digital art" category. Since 2008 both the categories "Photo Classic" and "Digital Art" later "Digital Composing" can be attended.
The competition at the beginning amongst the participants was small with 150 photo submissions. Today we have for over 1000 submissions.
Here we present to you the "WBF Photo Hall of Fame" with the top 3 of each year since the beginning of the photo awards.
/ History
27 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE
1997
EBF Plan
Inspiration for an event by Veruschka von Lehndorff (Germany, born 1939). She was the world's first supermodel and pioneer in the art of bodypainting.
1998
Foundation
The 1st Bodypainting Festival took place on one weekend, one day each in the 2 villages Millstatt & Seeboden, in Carinthia, the south of Austria.
1999
First Championships
After a bodypainting showcase in a public park in the first year, founder Alex Barendregt decided to create a competition, the European Bodypainting Awards were born.
1999
Actionpainting
The Viennese artist Ric Motha entertained the audience with his whip-brush-color-performance.
1999
First Photo Competition
Photography was always an essential part of the festival. The first winner of the photo competition was Werner Köstenberger.
2000
New Categories, new Park
The artists already competed in 2 differente categories. The new location was a bigger park in Seeboden.
2001
Special Effects
A new and exciting category was introduced to the competition. With spectacular special effects there were nearly no limitations in the artists creativity.
2002
First photo catalogue
To bundle all the memories and keep them forever, the photo catalogue was launched for the first time.
2005
First fine art exhibition
The first fine art exhibition took place during the festival week.
2006
Festival TV
We introduced the first professional Festival TV with live video editing and daily reviews on the festival highlights.
2008
Colour Splash Paint Party
As Alex's hotel room got too tight, we moved the aftershow party to the main venue. Colors were flying around after Sebastian Langer from Kryolan had decided to spice up the party with colours. "We need some more paint in here!", by DJ Matt Emulsion was born.
2009
Technical Steps
The technical development in all areas of the festival let us do the first flight of a drone. The jury got a special programed software to vote electronic.
2010
Last Festival in Seeboden
With a very atmospheric festival and a huge fireworks on the lake it was time to say goodbye from Seeboden. Politics and problems in the neighborhood forced us to look for a new venue.
2011
New Location
The first year in the new venue Pörtschach at the lake Wörthersee, only a 45 min. ride away from the old venue was domineted by big emotions, turquise water and spectacular shows such as some great music acts (Shaggy).
2013
Installation Art Award
Artists have done installation art projects at the WBF some time before, but in 2013 we introduced another new cateogry, the Installation Art Award. 7 categories were already present at that time.
2015
Make-up Battle
After introducing a new make-up category in 2014, we created another new format for make-up artists, a special live on stage award, the WBF Make-up Battle
2017
Reflection time, new venue
Shortly after the 19th edition, a reflection time came. In the end, we didn't give up and found a new venue, Klagenfurt, that gave us new possibilities with all of their cultural institutions.
2018
WBF Art Partner
After the first year in Klagenfurt we were connecting to many interesting institutions and partners. The festival week was full of opportunities for artists to present their art in galleries and museums.
2020
The COVID pandemic
This positive euphoria for the WBF 2020 was suddenly stopped. Everything changed in one day. Our initally small idea to organize a reduced festival turned into a hybrid event with 600+ participants from 55 nation in 17 time zones.
2021
Double Edition Mag
Because we had no more funding and the pandamic ruled our lives, we decided to combine the magazine #23 & #24 into the first double edition.
2021
World Championships in Camouflage
In the 24th year of existance, we are introducing a brand new format, the World Award in Camouflage Bodypainting. The plan was already in 2020 but due to the COVID pandemic we had to postpone it to 2021. We are welcoming artists from 50+ nations in 14 different categories, plus additionally awards for photography, the model award and a DJ award.
2022
25 Years Anniversary
The 25th anniversary was the first full Live Event after the COVID pandemic. Back in the beautiful Goethepark in Klagenfurt a worldwide community celebrated almost like back in the old days. The russian attack on the Ukraine had also a big effect on the festivals participants, costs in travel and infrastructure. Dispite the big loss of money for the organisation, we organized a big fundraiser to help a hopital in the ukraine by financing emergancy cars.
#wbf25years - it is the END of a story, and the beginning of a new one.
2023
(Again) A new beginning
Generation Next was announced in 2022 and from 2023 we moved into an indoor location. The WBF always had to adapt to new situations and challanges. It showed in 2022 already how hard Covid hit us as a community and event organizer. Keep on fighting for our community was our goal.
The Exhibition ARENA in Klagenfurt should be the beginning of a new format. We decided to focus on the artform with photography and videography. Big music concerts and headliners were not part of the new plan. The indoor location gave contestants a very equal and fair basis for the contest. Amazing works were presented and captured.
The original spirit of the WBF as an outdoor event was missing, the contest though got a higher quality and the layout was benefitial for the World Awards.
/ World Bodypainting Photo Awards
2022 back to 1999
2023
Best Bodypainting Photo
Ellie Hope / UK
Michale Lessard / Canada Bettina Koch / Germany
Best Fashion / Portrait Photo
Michale Lessard / Canada Claudia Friedrich / Germany Peter Weiser / Germany
2022 (first after covid)
Best Bodypainting Photo
Simone Gatterwe /Austria Peter Ziegler / Germany Diana Bivolan / Canada
Best Fashion / Portrait Photo
Anthony Bloxham / UK Michale Lessard / Canada Janis Möckelmann / Germany
2019
Best Bodypainting Photo
Iwo Winterhak / German Julie Böhm / Germany Thomas Albrecht / Switzerland
Best Fashion / Portrait Photo
Carsten Rentz / Germany Michale Lessard / Canada
Enrico Uboldi / Italy
2018
Best Bodypainting Photo
Peter Ziegler / Germany
Sammi Patipat / Austria Pedro Silva / Portugal
Best Fashion / Portrait Photo
Enrico Uboldi / Italy Dmitri Moisseev / Canada Davide Da Damos / Italy
2017
Photo Classic
Carsten Rentz / Germany Gerald Christian Gurakuqi / Austria Ellen Haug / Germany
Digital Composing
Sammi Patipat / Austria Davide Da Damos / Italy Mario Bez / Germany
2016
Photo Classic
Dmitri Moisseev / Canada Andrea Peria / Italy Davide Da Damos / Italy
Digital Composing
Karin Upahl / Germany
Christian Anders / Germany Davide da Damos / Italy
2015
Photo Classic
Carsten Rentz / Germany Andreas Rainer / Austria Manfred Baumgartner Austria
Digital Composing
Julie Böhm / Germany
Mario Spinazze / Italy
Alexander Senchuk / Russia
2014
Photo Single Mario Bez / Germany Julie Böhm / Germany Carsten Rentz / Germany
Collection of 3 Karin Upahl / Germany Julie Böhm / Germany Michael Heinze / Germany
2013
Photo Classic Michaela Pucher / Austria Andreas Rainer / Austria Andrea Peira / Italy
Digital Art Julie Böhm / Germany Michaela Pucher / Austria 
Ben Asif / Israel
2012
Photo Classic Dimitri Moisseev / Canada
Graham Hilling / England Andrea Peira / Italy
Digital Art Ralf Gar / Germany Albert Peer / Austria Alexandr Senchuck / Russia
2011
Photo Classic Andrea Peira / Italy Gabriele Steiner / Austria Tobias Spranger / Germany
Digital Art Alexandr Senchuck / Russia
Orsal Bertrand / France Julie Böhm / Austria
2010
Photo Classic Gerhard Grasinger / Austria Katharina Kamitz / Austria Joe Aichner / Germany
Digital Art Manfred Bauer / Austria
Ragne Sigmond / Denmark Gerhard Grasinger / Austria
2009
Photo Classic
Peter Kemp / Netherlands Gerhard Grasinger / Austria Dimitri Moisseev / Canada
Digital Art Rudolf Christian / Austria Gerhard Grasinger / Austria Josef Kastner / Austria
2008
Photo Classic Gerhard Grasinger / Austria Gabriele Steiner / Austria Manfred Halbweiss / Austria
Digital Art Avi Shabtai / Israel Peter Kemp / Netherlands Christine Steinleitner / Austria
2007
Photo Classic Peter Ziegler / Germany Manfred Halbweiss / Austria Matthias Hau / Germany
Digital Art Ursula Eisl / Germany Ralf Markert / Germany Hans Peter Burchardt / Germany
2006
Photo Classic Gabriele Steiner / Austria
Tim Regas / USA Dietmar Polanschütz / Austria
Digital Art Siegfried Brandstätter / Austria Hans Peter Burchardt / Germany Ursula Eisl / Germany
2005
Photo Classic Alois Endl / Austria Franz Etzenberger / Austria Uwe Nauland / Germany
Digital Art Ursula Eisl / Germany
Remo Forcellini / Italy Orizio Pierangelo / Italy
2004
Photo Print Siegfried Brandstätter / Austria Gabriele Steiner / Austria Franz Josef Kollig / Germany
Slide Steven Kratochwill / Austria Peter Ziegler / Germany Helmuth Gerstbrein / Austria
2003
Photo Print Gabriele Steiner / Austria Uwe Nauland / Germany Jörg Bredemeier / Germany
Slide Christian Sporer / Austria Uwe Nauland / Germany Klaus Vonwald / Austria
2002
Photo Print Leopold Mayer / Austria Hans F. Meier / Germany Konrad Fischer / Germany
2001
Photo Print Gabriele Steiner / Austria Werner Köstenberger / Austria Hans F. Meier / Germany
2000
Photo Print Manfred Lohberg / Austria Leopold Mayer / Austria Gabriele Steiner / Austria
1999
Photo Print Werner Köstenberger / Austria Gabriele Steiner / Austria Gerhart Weihs / Austria
Festival Location
Messezentrum (Convention Center)
St. Ruprechter Strasse, 9020 Klagenfurt, AUSTRIA
