About the artist
Julia Benz’ distinctive artistic style epitomizes the painting of a new generation. She resolutely resists the cool distance and rationality of artistic directions which are based on theoretical contexts and follow strict formalisms. Her demand for a new and expressive freedom in painting is striking in its directness. Working mostly in large formats, Julia Benz manages to imbue the exciting and complex worlds she creates with great dynamism. Her self-assured way of combining colours, and of dissolving concrete forms into abstract images play an important role here. “For me, colours are emotions. They shock me and fascinate me at the same time. They constantly challenge me to mediate between the dominance of colours and the sensuality of painting.” This ambivalence inspires her working process, superimposing layers and continuing, supplementing or completely dissolving surfaces. Julia Benz studied painting at the KunstakademieDüsseldorf and at the Universität der Künste Berlin, and graduated as a master student in painting. She lives and works in Berlin.