The Space is Yours

In her new exhibition, Anna Maria Schönrock (1989) builds an enchanted world without leaving no doubt about its unreality. The juxtaposition of seemingly unrelated objects allows her to create an unexpected, often dreamlike image with a certain mystery level. Furthermore, combining different motifs provides an opportunity for personal exploration of a wide range of themes - from the most trivial, everyday-like to the core ones.

For instance, a cactus in a cage is a powerful symbol of entrapment, restriction, and isolation. It can represent the feelings of being stuck or blocked in a particular area of one's life. Combined, they can create a powerful image that speaks to the struggle of being trapped in a situation while still dreaming of a better future. It can also explore the idea of breaking free of the environment's restrictions and discovering inner beauty.

The Nuremberg-based artist reflects in her paintings both the aspects of playfulness and joyfulness on one hand and melancholy and sadness on the other. Yet, in terms of color notes, there is more warm sentiment than gloomy comfort. Delicately, she masters the balance between plain surfaces and the radiant scheme of one color floating to another and uses color as a medium to highlight the fictional atmosphere.

A recurring motif in Schönrock’s works is lifeless gloves and hands. Unlike the former, the hands are either staged in anticipation or almost ready to grasp something or perform an action. With her fruitful imagination and unique poetic power, she invites the spectator to dive into the pool of their internal memories and get lost in their fictional worlds. Now, the space is yours to reflect on the intangible experience.