Petra Kleinherne: Transformations

In "Im Gespräch" we hear from Petra Kleinherne, a German-Australian visual artist currently exhibiting at the Jacob Hoerner Galleries in Melbourne. The exhibition is called "Wandlungen" or "Transformations", which is a transformation from abstraction to figuration, to which Petra Kleinherne is now increasingly turning in this work.

Die Künstlerin Petra Kleinherne bei der Ausstellungseröffnung von "Wandlungen" in den Jacob Hoerner Galleries, Melbourne

Abstract expressionism is one of Petra Kleinherne's most important influences, and she intuitively paints colorful landscapes and objects directly onto canvas without making sketches beforehand.

Wolkenkuckucksheim, 2022 Credit: Tim Gresham

Thus, through the "chaos on the canvas," she does depict the brokenness and ambivalence of the time in which we live, but sees herself as apolitical and believes that for an artist to make a political difference in the sense of "art as agency," is "rare and difficult."

Blue Tree, 2022, Petra Kleinherne Credit: Tim Gresham

The exhibition runs until November 12, when there will also be a finissage in the afternoon at 15:30, where the artist will talk about her work, some of which is pictured here. The address is Jacob Hoerner Galleries, 1 Sutton Place Carlton Melbourne.

Handbag Landscape, 2022, Petra Kleinherne Credit: Tim Gresham