My artistic work reveals a deep pursuit of the unknown by embracing risk as a guiding principle and leaving the comfort zone of security in favor of exploring the unpredictabilities of existence. My preference for engaging with the unfamiliar rather than the familiar creates an inner dynamic aimed at uncovering and deconstructing hidden layers of reality.  

 

Embedded within a social fabric of norms and structures, my own biography is marked by early experiences of exclusion and the suppression of my identity. Within this tension, psychological conflicts emerged, transporting me into a surreal and fragmented reality, where the search for a firm anchor and a place of belonging became the central theme of my artistic practice.  

 

The necessity to escape the constraints of these societal constructs led to the manifestation of a deeply rooted desire for an alternative reality—one freed from oppressive systems of order, allowing space for my authentic self-expression. Amidst the seeming hopelessness of existential confinement, my creative ability revealed itself as a catalytic force, shaping a new reality and foregrounding the indispensable freedom of individual expression.  

 

My works serve as artistic manifestations of this alternative reality. They function not only as depictions of absolute freedom but also as activators of a transformative discourse, offering a sensory and existential experience beyond linear categorizations and rigid definitions.  

 

My artistic process involves a deep commitment to intuiting something without fully grasping it. The selection of materials, as well as the translation of my thoughts into form and image, results from an intense engagement with experimentation and chance. My sculptures, in particular, hold significant meaning, featuring recurring folded forms that evoke associations with patterns and repetition. At the same time, they exude an organic aesthetic, enabling a tangible experience of physicality.  

 

The folded form of my sculptures symbolizes infinity and the ethereal nature of the unconscious world, giving them a transcendent quality. They exist at the threshold between the inner and outer worlds, breaking through the ambiguous boundaries of these spheres. Through their aesthetic presence and symbolic meaning, they invite viewers to reflect on the complexity of human consciousness and its connection to the surrounding world.  

 

My paintings emerge from a demanding process of graphite painting, in which I create large-scale visual spaces that possess a unique three-dimensionality. These spaces are brought to life through a distinctive combination of silkscreen printing and graphite pigment, resulting in a rich materiality and texture.  

 

The aesthetic of my paintings is rooted in a captivating interplay between the everyday object of tangled fabric and a profound metaphor for human experience. For me, fabric serves as a symbol of the hidden layers of consciousness, where discarded clothing can be seen as carriers of past moments, accumulating into a mountainous form.  

 

The metaphorical structure of fabric enables a reflective analysis of the relationship between the inner and outer world, pointing to the complexity of my personal experiences. My works can be viewed as X-rays of the psyche, exposing the hidden layers of the human mind. My artistic process requires a state of productive dizziness, where my clear and alert mind gives way to a dream-like state of consciousness. In this phase, I turn my gaze inward and follow the traces on the paper, engaging in direct communication with my unconscious. My hands act as mediators between inner emotions, thoughts, and images, shaping and transforming the work through drawing, erasing, and smudging. This process gives rise to new works that reflect a profound connection between my conscious and unconscious mind.  

 

For me, turning toward the unconscious is a way to approach artistic forms that have neither been conceived nor imagined before. Overcoming the known is a challenge when consciousness encompasses only what is familiar. Yet, the mere intuition of unknown dimensions is enough to explore new paths.  

 

The search for the unknown always carries risk—the risk of not finding it, of enduring struggle, and of facing disappointment, especially when the sought-after remains elusive. When the place of exploration lacks tangible reality, the journey takes on an even more peculiar character. Nevertheless, belief, hope, and the knowledge of an undiscovered realm are sufficient to propel this search forward.  

 

**Marlen Tennigkeit**