Born 1964 in Hamburg
Alsterdamm Art School Hamburg 1985–1989 (Graduated in graphic design)
Freelance visual artist with a focus on painting and sculpture since 2012
Membership
BBK Hamburg
Kunstverein in Hamburg
Bild-Kunst
Ateliers für die Kunst
My work spans the disciplines of painting, sculpture, and drawing. I combine various techniques and materials to explore my themes in a multilayered way.
A recurring motif in my art is animal-like figures staged in situations that humans might also experience. This estrangement – the animalistic – creates a distance that opens up new perspectives. A serious scene may appear softened or even humorous, while at the same time revealing a deeper truth. Alongside these abstract creatures, I also portray real human figures, which leads me to describe my work as a form of imaginative realism or surreal narrative space.
My often large-scale works appear from a distance as cohesive compositions with clear narrative structures. Yet up close, finer details emerge: in my paintings, a fabric-like texture becomes visible – created through scraping and reworking layers of paint. In my sculptures, the material seems homogeneous from afar, but upon closer inspection, one discovers hand-sewn textile fragments embedded into the papier-mâché. This depth of detail adds an additional dimension of perception and opens up new levels of meaning.
Technically, my works are elaborate and complex. I layer paint, scrape, and overpaint to uncover what was hidden. My figurative sculptures, made from papier-mâché and hand-crafted textile elements, also evolve through a long and intricate process. There are conceptual connections between the different forms of expression within my work. Many of my works evolve over years and reflect personal experiences as well as the moods and atmospheres of their time.
I use art as a means to gain deeper insights into the nature of human experience. The figures I depict either relate to one another or confront the viewer directly. They are narrative yet never fully decipherable. My creative process is experimental and reflective: often preceded by sketches, linguistic explorations, or research. The choice of technique is guided by the content – aiming to capture moods and questions with subtle precision.
Additional:
One year in Southeast Asia (Research & artistic impulse)
Birth of a son in 1997
Short films and picture stories, NDR Sesame Street 1997–2000
Design and production of textile puppets 2002–2019
Mentor at the art school of the Institute for Child Development with Dr. med. Inge Flehmig 2003–2007