Arteles Catalogue 2023-2020

Silence Awareness Existence program / FEBRUARY 2020
Karolina Rupp
South Africa / Germany
www.karolinarupp.com
About
Karolina Rupp (b. 1988, Germany) grew up in Pretoria,
South Africa. With a background in sociology, anthropology
and photography, Karolina worked in a Pretoria-based art
studio and as of early 2016 is living in The Netherlands.
Currently in her final year of the BFA at the Royal Academy
of Arts (The Hague), Karolina’s work has shifted from relying
entirely on lens-based media to an artistic practice rooted
in sculpture and installation. Imbued with phenomenological
undercurrents as well as the elements of chance and
surprise, her interest lies in the intuitive artistic process
itself as a potential catalyst to discover and make sense of
the unknown. Her work has been shown in various group
exhibitions both in South Africa and The Hague.
Seeing what comes
Travelling to Arteles without a plan or specific project felt
liberating but also a little daunting. The first two weeks I
was experimenting with different materials and techniques
that fall outside of my usual artistic practice while
simultaneously diving into shadow psychology, dreams
and texts on reconnecting with the natural environment. I
felt safe, understood and curious during this special time
which allowed me to work without pressure and expectation
in an artistic community that left nothing to be desired. I
contemplated my working process, my relation to art and
how work and maker are paradoxically always interlinked but
still separate(d) and how this tension moves continuously.
Also, for the first time I was able to test some of my work
in nature rather than an indoor setting which was incredibly
interesting and insightful. Most importantly though, I started
trusting the unknown, the mystery again.