Irene Anton

Irene Anton, *1966 Darmstadt

After successfully graduating from the UdK, formerly UdK Berlin, in 1994 for fashion and textile design, a longer stay abroad in Barcelona - E followed, which included a trimester at the art academy "Escola Massana", an intensive course for lead glazing, working in the design department of the fashion designer Toni Miró, working as a freelance designer, as well as organizing exhibitions at the cultural centre La Santa. Later followed the curatorial work for the "Kunstkreuz Friedrichshain", as well as the completion of a master's degree in Art in Context at the UdK Berlin with a focus on museums and exhibitions and art in public space. Artistic focuses are currently: relief, object, installation and 'site-specific art'. Sources of inspiration for my work are e.g., topographies, maps and plans, urban (infra)structures, architecture, landscapes, natural structures, aerial photographs, cultures, ethnicities, politics, etc. ... Since 1996 participation in exhibitions, residencies, symposia, scholarships and art awards at home and abroad, as well as commissions. Since 2005: various project-oriented art workshops for textile art and land art from 2008 to 2011 teaching at the Kurt-Schwitters-Oberschule in Berlin.

The range of my work includes various artistic disciplines, such as painting, collage lead glazing, object, installation, and relief, as well as photographic and sound experiments, although my clear focus is on installation and object art.
In recent years I have been mainly concerned with objects and outdoor and indoor installations, often involving the power of the elements and often using textile materials for this purpose. Although my work is characterized by textiles, I do not see myself as a textile artist.
I use traditional techniques to create contemporary objects. I also use textiles in such a way that they are not immediately recognizable as such, but only at a second glance. I appreciate the materiality of textiles because they can be used and designed very flexibly.
The recycling aspect is important too, as well as playing with the elements by activating the senses of the viewer through artistic worlds of experience. The sensual aspect is generally a central component of my work - textures, structures, sound, and light reflections. A work should be perceived with all the senses and my relief series would literally be perfect for an exhibition for the blind.
My works can be conceptual in nature as well as works in progress.
Art in public space is also an important matter, as it is no elitist white cube art, and reduces threshold fears.