Anne Wölk

My aim is to evoke a profound emotional response in those with a creative spirit and a passion for what lies ahead. For I am convinced that the power of imagination surpasses that of mere knowledge.

Anne Wölk, a skilled painter from the former East Germany, utilizes traditional techniques and materials to create stunning and realistic depictions of the night sky, complete with vast and intricate galaxies. She draws inspiration from contemporary artists Vija Celmins and Russel Crotty. She expertly blurs the line between art and reality by incorporating imagery sourced from Space telescopes and digital photography resources.

Wölk's paintings take you on a captivating journey through the universe, showcasing its mysteries and realities in a stunning array of blues and stretching galaxies. Each piece exhibits precision, skill, and passion, spanning from the tiniest details to the vast expanses of the cosmos. Her starscapes invite the viewer on a mesmerizing voyage into the universe, where they can witness the breathtaking beauty of gaseous cloudscapes from the Nebulae series, marvel at the intricacies of three-dimensional Planet Spheres, and discover the enchanting natural landscapes and unique architecture of new planets in the Starscape series.

Wölk's artwork inspires us to question our connection with nature by merging astronomy and science fiction to create a unique and thought-provoking experience that blurs the line between reality and imagination.

In 2006, Anne Wölk made her entrance into the international art world at the Contemporary Istanbul Art Fair. The collector Can Elgiz purchased one of her large-scale paintings, Doggirl, for the Elgiz Museum of Contemporary Art in Istanbul. Her work was displayed in several group exhibitions alongside famous artists Cindy Sherman, Tracy Emin, and Sarah Morris. Anne Wölk went on to study abroad at the Chelsea College of Art and Design in London and earned an MFA from the School of Art and Design Berlin.
Following graduation in 2009, she became known for her large-scale landscape paintings and was shortlisted and selected for several international competitions and scholarships.

Her accolades include the Neustart/Kultur Scholarship of Stiftung Kunstfons, the national Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes scholarship, the Alpine Fellowship grant at Aldourie Castle, Scotland, UK, a residency at Bodensee Art Fund, and an artist-in-residence grant in Goriska Brda, Slovenia, awarded by the German Embassy, Ljubljana. Her work has been exhibited at various international institutions, including the Elgiz Museum of Contemporary Art, Istanbul, Turkey, the CICA Art Museum South Korea, the Zeiss-Planetarium Berlin, Germany, Tirana Art Gallery Museum, Tirana, Albania, the Accra Goethe-Institut Ghana, and the Kyrgyz National Museum of Fine Arts, Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic.

Furthermore, Wölk has exhibited and sold her work on the international art market, including Art Eindhoven, The Netherlands, Swab Art Fair Barcelona, Spain, Viennafair in Vienna, Austria, KIAF Seoul in South Korea, and Contemporary Istanbul in Turkey. She has also exhibited her work in private gallery shows, including CSR. Contemporary Berlin, Galería Luis Adelantado, Valencia, Spain, Arebyte Gallery, London, UK, Galerie Wolfsen, Aalborg, Denmark, Pantocrator Gallery, Shanghai, China, Alfa Gallery Miami, USA, and The Residence Gallery, London, UK.

What is it about your studio space that inspires you?

I love the effects of the sun moving through the studio at different angles during the day. Sometimes direct sunlight lends to the mood of the artwork, especially when dealing with the light of interstellar objects.

What is your favourite material to work with? How has your use of it evolved throughout your practice?

I love oil paints. They are king of the ring when blending colors together. One great property of oil paints is that they don't change color when they dry as opposed, for example, to acrylics or watercolor. Oils stay pretty-much the same for a long period of time. I start a painting with a sketch. I carry out this preliminary drawing with black or white charcoal. When I work in a large format, I sometimes draw a grid to be able to transfer a cluster of stars more precisely. I always work on about three to five works of art at the same time.

What themes do you pursue?

The exploration of space and the quest for discovering life beyond our planet is what drives me. Since 2017, I have been dedicated to capturing the vastness of cosmic space and its incredible distances, like light-years. The stars in my artwork may seem small, but they represent entire worlds in far-off galaxies. I draw inspiration from both sci-fi and scientific research on potentially habitable planets and the complex power dynamics surrounding them.

What advice has had the biggest impact on your career?

Being a full-time artist could be tough. Keep your artist friends close to you. Support them whenever you can. They will do the same for you.

What are your favourite places besides your studio?

My favorite place, aside from my studio, is the Spanish region of Andalusia. When I set foot in southern Europe, I can't help but feel a sense of wonder and awe. One particular destination that has captured my heart is Cadiz. The city's special light seems to breathe life into everything around it, bringing out the vibrant hues of every color. But it's not just the beautiful scenery that makes Cadiz one of my favorite locations. It is also about the sandy beaches, the stunning old town, and the delectable cuisine. Especially the Playa de la Caleta, the beach in the old town, often strikes me with its bright light, especially after coming from a long, dark northern winter.

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