Rome. Until next January, 23th 2027, Federica Schiavo gallery will host the Svenja Deininger‘s exhibition.
New works where a clean beginning is refused. What does it mean? When you are approaching the painting, there is no a unique starting point to view and analyze it. It could be you can find a detail only when you are very close to it, instead another detail is visible and understandable only far from the painting.
Moreover, during the creation phase there is no preparatory certainty: the final work arrives through repeated attempts, forms are placed, altered, partially covered, allowed to persist, then reconsidered. Accumulation becomes a method of creation and looking.
We had the great opportunity to analyze this way of work interviewing the artist: below the dialogue and here the reference to Federica Schiavo gallery: https://www.federicaschiavo.com/en/svenja-deininger/exhibition/2026 .
UTV
First question for today, vernissage. What is, in your opinion, the best distance to see your paintings?
SD
Oh, there is no best distance. This is actually exactly what it plays with, that I put the large painting so that you can see it also from outside, and even that probably during the day there will be some shadows from the window frames: that was intended. And also then you are kind of, you cannot go further than probably 7 meters back, so in a way you cannot even see it from a real distance, so you’re always in slightly too close to it. So it means that you really have to enter the painting, and it’s exactly the same with all the other works, like they play with certain kind of forms which are repeating, and so you have to anyway move, go back and forth to compare, have it in mind, go back, compare it.
And so also with the installation. Within more installative work, it’s of course, it plays more of how you enter the space, what you see, how you go inside, when you look up, when you go around. So it is, there is no perfect distance. It is about moving within the space.
UTV
So in this case we are in front of a very large painting, but if you are going to be very close, we can see the texture and then we can make an interpretation about that, very personal.
SD
Yes.
UTV
And also the colors: in this case, many of these colors are more or less referring to the fall/winter season.
SD
Ah, okay. No, that wasn’t intended. I mean, it’s a play with colors, and so I have a certain range for one show. And so, of course, within one show, there are like repeating colors because all paintings refer to the others or go into a relationship with all the other works. Since all works are always produced new for each show. So it is clear that there are some repetitions and maybe one part could be like a very large detail of another one, but this is up to the interpretation of the viewer, I would say.
UTV
Also, the density of the colors is our interpretation, or are there any ideas from you?
SD
The density of the colors?
UTV
Yes. For example, it’s red, but from an italian point of view, it’s rosso di Siena.
SD
Yes, it could be.
UTV
But are there any ideas behind this choice?
SD
Yeah, the choice is actually that this refers to, so when you go outside and you see actually already the red form, so it is one of the repeating forms. So there is another one and this is kind of like a part of the red. It’s not exactly the same red, but it deals with, so there’s certain moments which come into your mind. So, you first enter and you see these like kind of red forms, which could be something concrete or even just a red stripe or, I don’t know, line. And then you go further and you see something which is appears.
UTV
In this case, this kind of relationships are…
SD
Within the works.
UTV
..within the works, are saving you from being interpreted like Mark Rothko inspiration.
SD
Yes. I didn’t think about it.
UTV
No, because there are tone over tone, color over color. In my opinion, I remember Mark Rothko.
SD
Yes, but I never do any references consciously. Of course, during the working process, then you end up thinking of somebody, but I wouldn’t even want to name it because I don’t want: you know, once you name certain things, then people can only see what you said before. And they kind of forget, they cannot see it even differently.
UTV
But in this case, can we talk about like a Western inspiration?
SD
I have to tell you, this is more: I mean, it ended up to be as it is due to the architecture of the space. I knew I needed it because I have this, and then you go further. It could be something like a very big detail of one of the other paintings, and it is definitely not. And I wouldn’t give any hints of whom I think while working. This is I really don’t want.
