Hildegard Skowasch

Whenever the label expressionist is used to describe an artist’s work, it could be understood with a certain amount of irony. What would the opposite of expressionism be for an artist? Artworks that express nothing? …and yes if so, that would be decoration.

When we choose participants in our residency program we try to not make to much of a judgment on the artistic quality of the applicant, it would, as we see it, be all too difficult to make such conclusions based on a mail, a website or sent images which is the most common way we receive stuff. Instead we focus on the sincerity of the applications, does this seam as a person that would appreciate to stay here, is there a plan for the time staying here, what is the objective for the stay?

That might be why the majority of the applicants that stayed at BRUNAKRA has been artists not working with objects, but rather with concepts, which mostly taken form in installations or performances. In this perspective Hildegard is an exception, her work is physically present and clearly expressive already when seen in an image. In one way she reminds us of the Wild Art from Berlin’s and New York’s eighties but foremost this expressions reached out to us instantly as we received Hildegards application. We’re very glad to welcome Hildegard as resident in April/May 2017.

Hildegard’s Artist Statement


They are improvisations. I combine elements which normally do not belong together and rework them until they become a compatible whole.

They develop intuitively and are drawn from personal experience. Errors and accidents are an inherent part of the work process and open up other avenues of exploration. Everything is in motion, nothing is fixed. Each work represents a single illustration and can lead to other examples.
Paper is the primary material but other materials can be used in combination.

Amorphous bodies form the basis for shaping three-dimensional forms. By adding small details they undergo a metamorphosis which can be poetic, magical, witty or even disturbing, producing unexpected insights.

My works comprise both figurative and abstract pieces which act reciprocally and are co-determining. The figures can be viewed as characters in an imaginary play. Together with abstract elements and drawings, they act as an ensemble on stage creating their own scenes and tableaus. This interaction becomes improvisation itself.

More info is found on Hildegards own website http://www.hildegardskowasch.de

Hildegard Skowasch residency at BRUNAKRA is supported by: