In April, during a month-long residency in Wrocław, we will host Karen Koschnick, a graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Dresden, painter and creator of artistic printing techniques. In turn, the person who will go to one of the oldest and most important printmaking studios in Europe – Grafikwerkstatt – will be announced in June, after the end of the open call for local artists (recruitment starts on May 8).

Who is the Dresden artist?

Koschnick is an emerging international author. She has received numerous awards and scholarships, including in South Korea, Greece, Austria and Hamburg, and her works have been shown at individual and group exhibitions in Ohio, Dresden, Berlin, Kassel, Erfurt and Coventry. The basic theme of Karen’s work is captivated by the magic of the nineteenth-century architecture of tombs as the eternal resting place of humanity. In her paintings there are views of cemeteries in harmony with the surrounding, often overgrown, nature. Koschnick creates by referring to mythical characters (Thanatos, angels), and the works themselves are characterized by ironic multicolor, in spite of the negative connotation of death. The artist deals with oil painting, acrylic painting and mixed techniques on paper, graphics (screen printing, lithography, woodcut), collage and sculpture.

Artistic residency in Eugeniusz Get-Stankiewicz’ studio

While in Wrocław, Karen will focus on artistic workshop work in The Copperplate Engraver’s House, where the atelier is equipped with two large presses, which asrtist will use to print linocuts. She also plans to learn the mezzotint technique taught by Marek Stanielewicz. Furthermore Karen will be a frequent guest at several studios of the Department of Artistic Graphics at the Academy of Fine Arts in Wrocław. As a result, a series of graphics will be created – the postcards portraying life on the Oder River and pictures printed in the color linocut technique.

Karen Koschnick was chosen by the City of Dresden. The organizers of the residency are the partner cities of Wrocław and Dresden. Exchange partners: Grafikwerkstatt in Dresden, Wrocław Institute of Culture, Eugeniusz Geppert Academy of Fine Arts in Wrocław, the City Gallery in Wrocław and The Copperplate Engraver’s House.