Kathrin Graf (*1984) explores the relationships between different materials in order to sharpen awareness for the body with all its entanglements and vulnerabilities. Materiality and corporeality are directly connected for Graf, as they make the body experienceable and tangible. Her sculptural and spatial works question the common notion of subjectivity as a self-contained individual and, by experimenting with different combinations of materials, explore how bodies interact in the tension between autonomy and connectedness. Material properties are given as much freedom as possible to develop new surfaces and forms.
Graf uses plaster, wax, silicone, mortar, lime, paste, pigments, shaving foam and artificial snow to create fragile objects that are not interested in any kind of representation, but rather seek the processual, the changeable and transformable. For her the physical, visceral experience of the work is a central aspect.
In collaboration with the painter Bettina Marx she is part of the artist duo tiefkeller. Since 2019 she works together with Mariah Blue (US/NL), Lana Murdochy (GB), Younwon Sohn (KR) and Amy Winstanley (GB).
Education
2017 - 2019
MA Fine Art, Sandberg Instituut, Amsterdam. She studied with Lucy Skaer, Gabriel Lester and Gintaras Didziapetris.
2003 - 2007
Diploma painting, Alanus University of Arts and Social Sciences, Bonn
Grants
2022
Working grant, City Bonn
2021
Project scholarship NEUSTART für Bildende Künstlerinnen und Künstler, BBK/ BKM (Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and Media)
2017
Studio scholarship CAWA, Amsterdam
2017
Project scholarship, Stiftung Kunstfonds, Bonn
2014 - 2017
Studio scholarship by City of Bonn, Atelierhaus Bonner Kunstverein
Collaboration/ Projects
since 2019
Collaboration with Mariah Blue (US/NL), Lana Murdochy (GB), Younwon Sohn (KR) and Amy Winstanley (GB)
since 2015
tiefkeller | a collaborative and ongoing work by Kathrin Graf and Bettina Marx
2009
senseLAB | Interdisciplinary art project | Instituto Superior de Arte | Havanna, Cuba
Publication
2021
What thoughts think thoughts | A riso printed book of images compiled by Mariah Blue, Kathrin Graf, Lana Murdochy, Younwon Sohn, Amy Winstanley
2020
What ties ties, ties | A collection of essays by Mariah Blue, Kathrin Graf, Lana Murdochy, Younwon Sohn, Amy Winstanley
2017
tiefkeller Zine, Special edition to tiefkeller -3
Exhibitions
(selection)
2022
Strangers | rongwrong | Amsterdam (G)
2022
Silver Skin | Museum Haus Opherdicke | Unna (S)
2021
- 5 | tiefkeller | Arboretum Obergaiching - Baumsammlung Wolfgang Reiffenstuel, Artist Mukbang and tiefkeller | Bonn | in collaboration with Bettina Marx (S)
2021
Potluck | Gallery 17717 | Seoul, South Korea (G)
2020
Jubel Jubel - Es rolle der Rubel | tiefkeller | Bonn (G)
2020
- 4 | tiefkeller | with works from the Spoon Collection by Deutsches Klingenmuseum Solingen and by Lana Murdochy, Younwon Sohn and tiefkeller | Bonn | in collaboration with Bettina Marx (S)
2019
hello shallow | Kunsthaus Eurode | Herzogenrath, with Bettina Marx (S)
2019
Festival of choices | Zone2Source, Het Glazen Huis | Amsterdam (G)
2018
FUGUE LOUNGE | neverneverland | Amsterdam (G)
2018
Torpor / A Bliss / A Slump | Staircase Haarlemmerweg 613 | Amsterdam (G)
2018
A_EMET | Radion | Amsterdam (G)
2017
Bonner Kunstverein Jahresgaben 2017 | Bonn (G)
2017
every word left unspoken during the exhibition is the title | neverneverland | Amsterdam (G)
2017
- 3 | tiefkeller | with works from "St. Patrick's Zine Library" and by Rosilene Luduvico, Jörg Obergfell, Tammy & The Broken Nails | Bonn | in collaboration with Bettina Marx (S)
2017
TEXTtour | art quarter budapest | Budapest (G)
2016
layers | Center for Interdiciplinary Research | Bielefeld (S)
2016
-2 | tiefkeller | with works from Herbert Schröder's Walking and Hiking Stick Collection and by Anne Carnein, Peter Sauerer, Julia Weißenberg | Bonn | in collaboration with Bettina Marx (S)
2016
QUOVADIS | Kunst & Denker Contemporary | Dusseldorf (G)
2016
Argelanders Erben - Von der Bonner Durchmusterung bis zur modernen Himmelsforschung | Universitätsmuseum Bonn (G)
2016
-1 | tiefkeller | with works from the Moulage Collection by the Berlin Museum of Medical History at the Charite and by Wytske Averink, Louisa Clement, Sabrina Fritsch, Lukas Schmenger und Paloma Varga Weisz | Bonn | in collaboration with Bettina Marx (S)
2015
0 | tiefkeller | with works from the Collection of Historical Sky Photography of the University of Bonn and by Kristina Berning, Jascha Fidorra, Dietrich Helms, Daniela Neuhaus, Felicitas Rhoden | Bonn | in collaboration with Bettina Marx (S)
2015
Science + fiction. Über das Verhältnis von Vorstellung und Wirklichkeit | Städtische Galerie am Abdinghof | Padernborn | together with Alexandra Knie (S)
2014
Ornamente - mit allen Sinnen | Künstlerforum Bonn | Bonn (G)
2012
11. Biennale Havanna | Instituto Superior de Art | Cuba (G)
2011
Skulpturale Konstanz 2011 | Constance (G)
2010
Enthüllung | KleppArt. Räume für Textiles und Kultur | Paderborn (G)
2010
- grenzART 1 - das Oberland Performance Festival | obART | Kirschau (G)
2009
nähe gegen neun | d-52 Raum für zeitgenössiche Kunst | Dusseldorf (G)
2008
Souvenirs from Earth | Art TV Station for Video Art, Film and Music | Cologne, Paris (G)
2008
ARTRMX COLOGNE VOL: 01 "Where is my mind?" | artmx e.V. | Cologne (G)
2008
Emy Roeder-Preis 2008 - Junge Rheinland-Pfälzer Künstlerinnen und Künstler | Kunstverein Ludwigshafen a. Rh. (G)
Solo (S), Group (G)
Kathrin Graf (*1984) explores the relationships between different materials in order to sharpen awareness for the body with all its entanglements and vulnerabilities. Materiality and corporeality are directly connected for Graf, as they make the body experienceable and tangible. Her sculptural and spatial works question the common notion of subjectivity as a self-contained individual and, by experimenting with different combinations of materials, explore how bodies interact in the tension between autonomy and connectedness. Material properties are given as much freedom as possible to develop new surfaces and forms.
Graf uses plaster, wax, silicone, mortar, lime, paste, pigments, shaving foam and artificial snow to create fragile objects that are not interested in any kind of representation, but rather seek the processual, the changeable and transformable. For her the physical, visceral experience of the work is a central aspect.
In collaboration with the painter Bettina Marx she is part of the artist duo tiefkeller. Since 2019 she works together with Mariah Blue (US/NL), Lana Murdochy (GB), Younwon Sohn (KR) and Amy Winstanley (GB).
Education
2017 - 2019
MA Fine Art, Sandberg Instituut, Amsterdam. She studied with Lucy Skaer, Gabriel Lester and Gintaras Didziapetris.
2003 - 2007
Diploma painting, Alanus University of Arts and Social Sciences, Bonn
Grants
2022
Working grant, City Bonn
2021
Project scholarship NEUSTART für Bildende Künstlerinnen und Künstler, BBK/ BKM (Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and Media)
2017
Studio scholarship CAWA, Amsterdam
2017
Project scholarship, Stiftung Kunstfonds, Bonn
2014 - 2017
Studio scholarship by City of Bonn, Atelierhaus Bonner Kunstverein
Collaboration/ Projects
since 2019
Collaboration with Mariah Blue (US/NL), Lana Murdochy (GB), Younwon Sohn (KR) and Amy Winstanley (GB)
since 2015
tiefkeller | a collaborative and ongoing work by Kathrin Graf and Bettina Marx
2009
senseLAB | Interdisciplinary art project | Instituto Superior de Arte | Havanna, Cuba
Publication
2021
What thoughts think thoughts | A riso printed book of images compiled by Mariah Blue, Kathrin Graf, Lana Murdochy, Younwon Sohn, Amy Winstanley
2020
What ties ties, ties | A collection of essays by Mariah Blue, Kathrin Graf, Lana Murdochy, Younwon Sohn, Amy Winstanley
2017
tiefkeller Zine, Special edition to tiefkeller -3
Exhibitions
(selection)
2022
Strangers | rongwrong | Amsterdam (G)
Silver Skin | Museum Haus Opherdicke | Unna (S)
2021
- 5 | tiefkeller | Arboretum Obergaiching - Baumsammlung Wolfgang Reiffenstuel, Artist Mukbang and tiefkeller | Bonn | in collaboration with Bettina Marx (S)
Potluck | Gallery 17717 | Seoul, South Korea (G)
2020
Jubel Jubel - Es rolle der Rubel | tiefkeller | Bonn (G)
- 4 | tiefkeller | with works from the Spoon Collection by Deutsches Klingenmuseum Solingen and by Lana Murdochy, Younwon Sohn and tiefkeller | Bonn | in collaboration with Bettina Marx (S)
2019
hello shallow | Kunsthaus Eurode | Herzogenrath, with Bettina Marx (S)
Festival of choices | Zone2Source, Het Glazen Huis | Amsterdam (G)
FUGUE LOUNGE | neverneverland | Amsterdam (G)
Torpor / A Bliss / A Slump | Staircase Haarlemmerweg 613 | Amsterdam (G)
A_EMET | Radion | Amsterdam (G)
2017
Bonner Kunstverein Jahresgaben 2017 | Bonn (G)
every word left unspoken during the exhibition is the title | neverneverland | Amsterdam (G)
- 3 | tiefkeller | with works from "St. Patrick's Zine Library" and by Rosilene Luduvico, Jörg Obergfell, Tammy & The Broken Nails | Bonn | in collaboration with Bettina Marx (S)
TEXTtour | art quarter budapest | Budapest (G)
2016
layers | Center for Interdiciplinary Research | Bielefeld (S)
-2 | tiefkeller | with works from Herbert Schröder's Walking and Hiking Stick Collection and by Anne Carnein, Peter Sauerer, Julia Weißenberg | Bonn | in collaboration with Bettina Marx (S)
QUOVADIS | Kunst & Denker Contemporary | Dusseldorf (G)
Argelanders Erben - Von der Bonner Durchmusterung bis zur modernen Himmelsforschung | Universitätsmuseum Bonn (G)
-1 | tiefkeller | with works from the Moulage Collection by the Berlin Museum of Medical History at the Charite and by Wytske Averink, Louisa Clement, Sabrina Fritsch, Lukas Schmenger und Paloma Varga Weisz | Bonn | in collaboration with Bettina Marx (S)
2015
0 | tiefkeller | with works from the Collection of Historical Sky Photography of the University of Bonn and by Kristina Berning, Jascha Fidorra, Dietrich Helms, Daniela Neuhaus, Felicitas Rhoden | Bonn | in collaboration with Bettina Marx (S)
Science + fiction. Über das Verhältnis von Vorstellung und Wirklichkeit | Städtische Galerie am Abdinghof | Padernborn | together with Alexandra Knie (S)
2014
Ornamente - mit allen Sinnen | Künstlerforum Bonn | Bonn (G)
2012
11. Biennale Havanna | Instituto Superior de Art | Cuba (G)
2011
Skulpturale Konstanz 2011 | Constance (G)
2010
Enthüllung | KleppArt. Räume für Textiles und Kultur | Paderborn (G)
- grenzART 1 - das Oberland Performance Festival | obART | Kirschau (G)
2009
nähe gegen neun | d-52 Raum für zeitgenössiche Kunst | Dusseldorf (G)
Souvenirs from Earth | Art TV Station for Video Art, Film and Music | Cologne, Paris (G)
ARTRMX COLOGNE VOL: 01 "Where is my mind?" | artmx e.V. | Cologne (G)
Emy Roeder-Preis 2008 - Junge Rheinland-Pfälzer Künstlerinnen und Künstler | Kunstverein Ludwigshafen a. Rh. (G)
Solo (S), Group (G)
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