A shift in rhythm

Carolin Kreutzer

What pieces or projects have you been working on lately?
In the first half of the year, I was working on a body of work that explores subtle shifts in our relationships and inner lives. I translate these into color and geometric forms. Right now, I’m continuing these themes in smaller works on paper. The format is opening up new possibilities within my practice.

What did you learn (or unlearn) while working on it?
Working on paper changed my relationship with the material. It has a certain vulnerability that requires more care in handling, especially in relation to moisture and surface stability.

It also made me more aware of the surface itself in my painting. By avoiding visible brushstrokes, the color becomes a continuous field, allowing for a more focused experience of the color itself.

Working on paper feels more immediate and physically closer, which influences how I approach the work as a whole. In the end, I returned to acrylic because of its density and the way it supports this kind of flat, minimal surface.

What words, ideas or emotions were running through your head?
I’m interested in the space between who we think we have to be and who we already are. This thought keeps returning in different ways while I work.

With these smaller works on paper, I approach color more directly. There is less pressure in each decision, and if something doesn’t work, it is easier to start again. This creates a sense of lightness and experimentation.

In a way, I look into the work and beyond it, in its spatial presence, but also as a way of reflecting.

Were there any conversations, movies, music, or books that made their way into that work?
A lot of my impressions come from very ordinary routines. I often go for walks around the house, and even in this same environment I notice how light and shadow constantly shift from day to day. These subtle differences stay with me and build up over time.

Sometimes I share these walks with friends, and we talk about how we perceive things and how this perception changes over time.

What’s been the most difficult thing you’ve faced recently in your creative process?
A temporary injury meant I had to adapt my way of working for a while and work on smaller formats on paper.

This shift changed my working rhythm and opened up a more immediate process. It allowed me to approach decisions with less distance, which made the work feel more direct.

Over time, this led to a different openness in how I work.

What is your favorite coffee shop and why do you like going there?
There is a café right across from my studio in the small city where I live and work.

I usually meet friends there, since I spend most of my time working alone. In winter, I also go there when the studio gets too cold.

Next to it is a small flower shop run by friends, so sometimes I leave with coffee and flowers.

If your life were a movie this month, what would it be called and who would write the soundtrack?
I’m not sure this month had a clear title or soundtrack. It felt more like a shift in rhythm than a narrative.

Due to the injury, my daily movement slowed down, which also affected the way I work. This created a different tempo in both everyday life and the studio.

Working on smaller pieces became a way to stay in the process within this slower rhythm. Over time, this shift made me more attentive to pacing and to how work develops over time, rather than pushing it in a fixed direction.

Which studios, laboratories, or workshops have you collaborated with recently or would you like to collaborate with in the future?
Recently, I’ve been collaborating with am designs in Antwerp, creating works in response to their space, atmosphere, and design philosophy.

After getting to know their approach and experiencing the environment, I developed pieces that grew out of those impressions.

I will also be part of a project in Seoul through Rise Art, where my works will be presented in collaboration with Shinsegae.

I enjoy working in dialogue with architects and interior designers, as it closely reflects my way of thinking about space and atmosphere.

I see these collaborations as a natural extension of my work and would love to continue developing projects in this context.

Recommend one or more artists you follow who inspire you, and tell us what you like most about their work or their way of working.
I’m inspired by artists who explore color, perception, and reduction with precision, each in their own distinct way. I’m particularly drawn to Anna Mac’s work for her sophisticated use of color, and I especially admire her color studies.

René Tromburg inspires me through his interplay of shape and shadow, as well as his refined approach to color. I also deeply appreciate the quiet simplicity of Eva Jablonsky’s work.

A key reference for me is Josef Albers, whose teachings on color interaction made me aware of what color is capable of in its relational impact.

I also often return to the simplicity of Ellsworth Kelly, Henri Matisse, Mark Rothko, and Agnes Martin, whose work continues to shape how I think about color, structure, and visual balance.