Artworks by Daniela Schweinsberg

My paintings are large-scale, abstract and raw. They are gestural, physical and at times uncompromising. Traces of the creative process remain visible; breaks and contradictions are not smoothed over. Powerful gestures meet quieter passages, soft areas meet hard lines, spontaneous splashes meet deliberate marks. Drawing-like fragments appear and disappear without taking shape as recognisable forms.

I work intuitively and experimentally, in direct dialogue with the work and material. The overarching theme of my work is contrast. In life as in painting, contrasts create tension – it is about the coexistence of opposing impulses, and about a kind of beauty that develops its own character through imperfection. This idea shapes my compositional decisions.

For me, painting is also a way of thinking. Social questions, personal observations and moods find their way into my work without determining the outcome. As the work develops, perspectives shift, new connections emerge, and ideas are layered over, discarded or developed further. Some works evolve into series – such as “She Paints Outside the Lines” or “Sow What?” – while others remain independent visual statements. The titles offer clues, but no answers.

I work with acrylic paint, ink, spray paint, charcoal, pastels and pencils on raw canvas, linen or paper. Sometimes canvases are sewn together, layers are built up and traces are left visible. The material is not merely a support, but part of the expression itself.

My aim is to create works that, through their physical presence and distinctive character, develop an appeal that goes beyond the purely aesthetic. I want them to hold the viewer's fascination over time, encouraging an ongoing relationship with the works. At the same time, the titles open up another layer, allowing viewers to engage with the themes and ideas embedded in them.