The paintings of Uta Koslik are closely connected to the loquacity of the objects that surround her. And to how she engages with these objects.
She is often on the move, engaging with her environment through careful and unpreju- diced observation. From things, places, and moods that linger in her memory, ideas for images emerge. Sensory impressions are being transformed into drawn gestures that structure her paintings. Gradually, she works out the relationship between surface and space, as well as between different image planes. Her compositions reveal structures that feel both personal and familiar.
Some of her paintings resemble faces. As we look at them, we get the uncanny feeling of being “looked at” in return. Other works evoke floor plans or maps. What makes these places and spaces feel so approachable? Is it because our perception of the world—and the way we shape it—is rooted in knowledge etched into us over millennia? Or because Uta Koslik’s images create a sense of recognition without ever becoming overly concrete?
The ability to see meaningful shapes—like faces in clouds or figures in rock formations —accompanies many of us throughout our lives. This way of seeing also unlocks a range of creative possibilities in art. The brain “mistakenly” links sensory impressions with specific meanings: loose lines form a face, outlines suggest a figure. Could the joy we feel in these moments come from an instinctive awareness of how deeply connected we are to the world around us?
In Uta Koslik’s studio, several paintings are usually displayed on the walls at the same time. Some are finished; others are still in progress. She alternates between focusing in- tently on them and observing them more casually, reflecting as she goes. She rearranges their positions, sets certain works aside for a while, or rotates a canvas by ninety degrees before continuing her work. Her pieces are interconnected but also stand strong on their own. In a process that is at once active, observant, and thoughtful, she moves fluidly between them.
When we look at Uta Koslik’s work, we notice the interplay between an inward gaze and an outward perspective, between the painting and the artist. In the exhibition space, we move among her paintings and uncover these relationships. And as we return to our own paths, we might occasionally become aware of the many ways we, too, are connected to the world around us.
Franciska Zólyom, January 2025