Carolin Rechberg is an interdisciplinary artist who works at the intersection of varied mediums and ideas. Born in Starnberg, Germany, her creative pursuits span a wide range of forms—ceramics, drawing, installation, illustration, painting, performance, printmaking, photography, poetry, sculpture, sound art, textile design, and voice work. For Rechberg, the process of making art is as significant as the finished piece, if not more so. She emphasizes the multisensory nature of her work, valuing how it informs not only her creative output but also her approach to life.
Rechberg’s art feels less like a series of discrete works and more like an ongoing exploration. It’s a dialogue between materials, the body, and the world around her. This mindset shapes the way she engages with her mediums, where the act of creation becomes an act of discovery. She invites viewers into this process, showing that art can be a way to access deeper truths about the self and the universe.
One of the key elements in Rechberg’s practice is the idea of multisensory experience. This goes beyond the visual; it’s about touch, sound, movement, and emotion. Her work often demands active engagement, whether through physical interaction or introspection. For Rechberg, the act of making is tactile and immersive, drawing attention to how sensations and materials intertwine to shape meaning. This approach ensures her creations are not just seen but felt.
Rechberg’s versatility allows her to explore themes from multiple angles. Whether she’s molding ceramics, layering soundscapes, or weaving textile designs, her work always centers on the process. Each medium brings its own challenges and opportunities, and she embraces them all with curiosity. Her practice reflects an openness to what the materials themselves suggest, treating them as collaborators rather than tools.
One of her standout pieces, Initiation, reflects her commitment to creating art that resonates on multiple levels. Described as “the womb of creation, out of which art, the self, the universe is born,” the work combines painting and performance. Created with gesso and tempera on raw canvas, the piece is monumental in scale—215 x 383 cm. The sheer size commands attention, but it’s the concept behind the work that lingers.
In Initiation, Rechberg connects themes of birth, transformation, and the cyclical nature of existence. The act of painting itself becomes a performance, with each stroke representing a moment of becoming. The raw canvas evokes a sense of immediacy, while the tempera and gesso lend the work a timeless quality. It’s as though the piece exists in conversation with both the present and the eternal.
The performance aspect of Initiation adds another layer to the experience. By involving her own movements and gestures in the creation process, Rechberg underscores the relationship between the body and the artwork. The result feels alive—dynamic and evolving, rather than static or fixed. This interplay between creation and creator embodies her philosophy of art as a way of life.
For Rechberg, art isn’t just about making objects—it’s a means of generating insights. Her creative process encourages reflection, both for herself and for those who engage with her work. By working across so many disciplines, she pushes against boundaries, inviting viewers to expand their own understanding of what art can be.
This focus on insight extends to the themes she explores. Rechberg’s works often delve into the universal: identity, existence, and transformation. Yet they do so in a way that feels deeply personal. She balances the macro and the micro, showing how the two are interconnected. This duality—between the individual and the universal, the tangible and the ephemeral—defines much of her practice.
Ultimately, Rechberg’s art is inseparable from her life. The principles that guide her creative process—openness, curiosity, and engagement—also shape her worldview. She approaches each medium, each project, as an opportunity to learn and grow. This sense of experimentation and playfulness infuses her work with energy, making it both accessible and profound.
By valuing process over product, Rechberg shifts the focus away from traditional notions of success or perfection. Instead, she emphasizes the journey, the insights gained along the way. This perspective encourages a deeper connection to her work, allowing viewers to see themselves reflected in the creative act.
Carolin Rechberg’s art invites us to reconsider our relationship with creativity, materials, and even ourselves. Whether through a painting performance like Initiation or a quiet moment of textile design, her work reminds us that creation is a fundamental part of being human. And in that, it offers a kind of initiation for us all—a chance to engage, reflect, and grow.
