Anja Wülfing (b. 1969) hails from Cologne, Germany, where she currently lives and works. Her artistic practice centers on the exploration of contrasts and oppositions, which she attributes to the duality of her creative impulses - one drawn to the traditional forms of Baroque, Rococo, and Neoclassicism, and the other to the abstract styles of painting.

Wülfing’s works are characterized by the harmonious fusion of opposing elements - figuration meets abstraction, tradition meets progression - achieved through the combination of different surfaces and painting techniques. By sewing together fine and coarse canvas fabrics and painting classic elements in oil and abstract ones with acrylics, pencils, and markers, the artist creates a unified whole out of seemingly disparate parts.

In the composition and coloration of her works, Wülfing employs oppositional contrasts, such as light/dark, dynamic/static, strict/playful, and crowded/empty. Yet, she maintains a delicate balance between the two opposing elements, avoiding the dominance of one over the other. The styles seem to be competing for attention, but ultimately, they mutually benefit from each other’s presence.

The painting process is planned and meticulous, with the artist referring to the tried and tested, the familiar, the slowly grown, the matured, and the old. The figures are painted in oil, while the free abstract elements are added with acrylic paint, pencils, and markers. By merging the expressive possibilities of modern painting with the timeless techniques of the old masters, Wülfing creates unique “frequencies” of attitude or mood through the interplay of shapes and colors.

(London Paint Club / Kell Forster)