Rubica von Streng

Jan 25

Rubica von Streng - Garden of Earthly Desires, Oil on Canvas, 100x80 cm, 2021, NFS

What inspired you to pursue a career in visual arts?

There were several key experiences. For example, one day I realized how powerful art can be and how many people I could reach with my work as an artist and give them important food for thought for a mindful way of life and sensitize them to conditions in our society. In this respect, I see art as my calling.

*Rubica von Streng, Harvest Moon, Oil on Canvas, 100x80 cm, 2023, NFS*

*Rubica von Streng, Call it Wachtel, Oil on Canvas, 100x80 cm, 2020, Price: 7,500 €*

How would you describe your artistic style and how has it evolved over time?

In the PortLand cycle, which I'm working on since 2018, I am interested in portraying the beauty of the land, aka the beauty of nature – in all its diversity of form and colour – as well as its inter-relationship with human civilization. It is important to me to make many different layers “sound” in one and the same work. For example, the layer of a landscape, which might also refer to an inner landscape. Through the use of fragmentary shapes, sometimes inspired by real landscape formations, but also through depicting different aggregate states – solid, liquid, gaseous –, I am able to express vitality, volatility and decay, among other things. Referring to the question how my artistic style has evolved, here’s what happened since I’m working on PortLand: The cycle started with the series “Towards PortLand” (2018–2019), which is about the fusion and rootedness of individuals in their environment. In the second part of the cycle, “Limits of PortLand” (2020–2021), portraits and moods of the land come together; borders disappear or are fluidly crossed. In “Beyond PortLand” (2022–2023), the third part, the traditional shapes of landscape and portrait increasingly dissolve. Thus, while I was working on PortLand, I was constantly challenged to adapt my artistic style in order to find the appropriate way of treating the subject matter.

Are there any specific themes or subjects that you are particularly drawn to in your work?

I think we all have to take the threat of a looming climate catastrophe seriously and have to deal with it. Obviously, I am referring to these topics in some of my works, for example in “PortLand” and “Totentanz – Dance of the Dead”.

*Rubica von Streng, Arcane Dignity, Oil on Canvas, 150x150 cm, 2022, NFS*

Who are some of your artistic influences, and how have they shaped your work?

Several curators and art historians who worked with me found similarities in works of, f.i., Cy Twombly, Francis Bacon, or even Paul Klee, just to name a few. However, although I've drawn some inspiration from those mentioned artists, my aspiration is and has always been to develop something unique, albeit acknowledging their masterly works. As an artist, methinks, it is absolutely essential to develop your own language. Otherwise, you're only copying your famous role models.

Are there any specific techniques or tools that you find yourself frequently using in your artwork?

The works of the “PortLand” cycle are multi-layered oil paintings (on canvas and paper) that appear watercolor-like and radiate an unusual lightness, however heavy and complex the subjects may be at times. This balancing act is achieved thanks to a special painting process that I developed myself, called “arpeggio painting technique”: wafer-thin layers of highly diluted oil paint are applied one after the other, creating an ensemble of overlapping color spaces and forms. The foundation of those paintings is based on a very old technique that was already applied by the likes of Tizian and Rubens in the 17th century.

*Rubica von Streng, Zest, Oil on Canvas, 100x80 cm, 2020, NFS*

Can you share details about a project or artwork that you are particularly proud of and explain the significance behind it?

One of the most important projects for me in recent years was the completion and exhibition of “Totentanz – Dance of the Dead”, a cycle of works with more than 40 paintings and 14 sculptures. The solo exhibition at Kulturkirche Stralsund, a well-known art institution in Germany, attracted almost 20,000 visitors between May and October 2023. I gave almost a dozen guided tours through the exhibition and was delighted to see how people reacted to the works. In addition, the media

coverage of the exhibition was way beyond my expectations. All in all, this was a great success.

*Rubica von Streng, Hidden Diversity, Oil on Canvas, 100x80 cm, 2021, NFS*

How do you navigate the balance between artistic expression and commercial viability in your work?

There is no need to do that. If I spent time thinking about the market or audience, prior to starting a project, a painting, a sculpture, or whatever –– it would be a waste of time. You see, I'm creating works of art. And I don't care about the audience in the first place. There will be people out there who'd like to buy, exhibit, or write about those works, and I wouldn't want to design them according to their tastes. Have you participated in any exhibitions, workshops, or artist residencies that have contributed to your growth as an artist? Back in 2018, the curator of the international group show “Taking Root” at KIT Kunsthalle, Düsseldorf, invited me to participate in it, when he saw some works of the “PortLand” cycle in an exhibition at Universität der Künste, Berlin. Literally, I was spotted right after I had passed my exam as a masterclass student. If it hadn't been for the Corona pandemic, my career as an artist would have had a kickstart at that time. Instead, I could spend two more years refining my technique and created many more “PortLand” paintings. Also during the pandemic years, I had the chance to show selected “PortLand” works in a virtual place: the Musee Dezentral, an art institution in the metaverse. An amazing experience altogether, because people could navigate their avatars through the museum and even interact with me, respectively my avatar. Worth mentioning as well: In 2019, I participated in an interdisciplinary art project in Italy and gathered vital experience in an international team of artists from different fields, such as photography and film making. Rather than taking part in mostly expensive artist residencies, I prefer to explore different cultures and places on my own. This enables me to gain more personal and independent experience. In 2022, for example I traveled a few weeks through Scotland, and subsequently painted a series of so-called Highlandscapes. Also, when I spent a couple of weeks in Japan in early 2020, I gained significant insights into the culture and saw many impressive landscapes – that, upon returning, sublimated in a series of ink drawings, called “Tayona Fukei”, which was exhibited in a museum in Germany last year.

*Rubica von Streng, Just Like Primeval Rocks II, Oil on Canvas, 150x90 cm, 2021, NFS*

What are your aspirations and goals as a visual artist in the coming years?

In the near future, I will be focusing on further developing the “PortLand” cycle. After the first three parts have been completed, I am already working on the fourth part, which again deals with post-contemporary issues. Moreover, and more generally speaking, I will address a broader audience with my works –– by participating in international exhibitions and projects, and by traveling to places abroad in order to link up with like-minded individuals. Conseuently, I am very happy to having been invited to show selected paintings from “PortLand” in a group exhibition at CICA Museum, South Korea, opening in August this year. This, and a few more shows in Switzerland, Austria and the UK, will most likely increase the visibility of one of my main bodies of work.

About the Artist

Artist Statement
In her oeuvre, Rubica von Streng examines topics such as nature conservation, biodiversity and climate change. Hence the "PortLand" cycle of works, which she began in 2018 and which now consists of three consecutive parts with a total of more than 100 paintings and a sculpture. The cycle begins with the series "Towards PortLand" (2018-2019), which deals with the merging and rooting of individuals within the environment. Four works from this series were shown in the international group exhibition "Taking Root" at KIT (Kunsthalle, Düsseldorf) in 2019/20. In the second part of the cycle, "Limits of PortLand" (2020-2021), portraits and moods of the land come together; borders disappear or are fluidly crossed. In "Beyond PortLand" (2022-to date), the third part, the traditional forms of landscape and portrait increasingly dissolve and take on a fleeting, at times even gaseous form.

Abstract portrait and landscape painting enter into an exciting liaison in von Streng's artistic practice. The works of her "PortLand" cycle are exceptionally multi-faceted, aesthetically composed oil paintings that appear watercolor-like and thus radiate an unexpected lightness - even if the themes they deal with may be heavy and complex at times. The artist achieves this balancing act with the help of her self-developed arpeggio painting technique. She applies wafer-thin layers of highly diluted oil paint one after the other, thus creating a powerful ensemble of color spaces and shapes.

Joseph Bounds