Nadine Schemmann

Nadine Schemmann (*1977, Solingen, DE) lives and works in Berlin. She studied at the International School of Design in Cologne and the University of the Arts in Berlin. 

The colours and patterns of Nadine Schemmann’s textile works seem to exist in a temporality and spatiality of their own. Through her practice, she addresses the essence of what encounters, conversations and experienced moments are all about. Working with fabric canvases and occasionally large-format textile sculptures, she uses various techniques, first dyeing or bleaching the fabrics, then applying ink, diluted oil paint and chlorine bleach to create abstract paintings and sculpture. The colors bloom, fade and transform in unpredictable ways, reflecting the fluid nature of human interactions. 

Much like interpersonal relationships, Schemmann’s works evolve over time – they are never fixed entities. She does not always stretch her canvases on frames, preferring to leave them open to elements which will influence the fabric’s colour and surface. This dynamic quality challenges the viewer to question the boundaries and contingency of the artwork.

Schemmann finds inspiration in color field painting, although she focuses on the in-between spaces of color that represent the core of encounters as defined by philosopher Martin Buber, who said: “All human life is about confrontation.” Each of her individual works reflects those accidental correspondences in multiple ways, transforming them into profound and honest forms of dialogue. 

Initially working as a successful illustrator, Nadine Schemmann has continuously developed her artistic practice. She has had numerous solo exhibitions in recent years and has been part of a large number of (group) exhibitions (selection): STUDIO BERLIN, Berghain, Boros Foundation, Berlin, DE; Museum Wiesbaden, DE; Schlossgut Schwante, Berlin, DE; Galerie Ann Mazzotti, Basel, CH; Haus Kunst Mitte, Berlin, DE; Kunsthalle Rostock, DE; Headbones Gallery, Vernon, CA; Bittel von Jenisch, Hamburg, DE.