YveYANG Gallery is delighted to present thirteen paintings, a solo exhibition showcasing the work of Düsseldorf-based artist Kim Stolz (b. 1995), marking her debut in the United States. Stolz’s small-scale works, created with watercolor, gouache, and acrylic, will be on view from September 6 to October 19, 2024, with an opening reception on September 6 from 6–8 pm.
Stolz’s intuitive approach and minimalist aesthetic emphasize the interplay of light, color, movement, and negative space. She paints on canvases laid on the floor, gaining control over the flow of liquids and allowing for greater expressive freedom. To capture immediacy while harmonizing all elements simultaneously, Stolz applies only a few layers of paint, enabling natural light to infuse the canvas and evoke an ethereal, luminous effect. Eschewing the use of white, the artist intends for the light to permeate the work, rendering the canvas airy, almost like sheer veils.
Interestingly, voluminous structures and patterns become visible from these thin layers, while overlapping brushstrokes add spatial and colorful depth. Through repetitive gestural actions, lines, grids, circles, and ultimately, paintings emerge. However, these forms are not the primary focus; rather, they serve as tools to explore light, shadow, and intuitive expression. In 13:55, natural circular movements appear without intentionally making a circle, while in 17:51, Stolz used the rim of a glass to create circular imprints, moving further away from deliberate brushstrokes and representational forms.
In Stolz’s practice, each piece is titled based on the time of day it was completed, a nod to scientific processes where dates and times are meticulously recorded. These titles serve not just for archival purposes but also represent moments of discovery and important instances in time, as many works are discarded until all elements of a painting harmonize in a simple and balanced manner.
Through Stolz’s continuous interplay of intuitive movements and analytical considerations, a circle becomes more than a circle, and a grid not merely a grid. The challenge lies in distancing ourselves from familiar forms and focusing solely on the movements and the space, recognising regularity within anomaly and finding harmony in disorder.
Kim Stolz (b. 1995, Berlin) is an artist based in Düsseldorf, Germany. She graduated as a master student from the class of Prof. Andreas Schulze at Düsseldorf Art Academy in 2023 and won the Jubilee Award. Her work, which spans watercolor, gouache, and acrylic on small-scale canvases, is noted for its simple compositions and exploration of form and color through gestural movements.
Her work has been shown in various solo- and group exhibitions including Akademie Galerie, Düsseldorf (GER), West Bund Art Fair, Shanghai (CH), Villa de Bank, Enschede (NL), Super Super Markt, Cologne and Berlin (GER), Linienstrasse, Düsseldorf (GER).
Opening Reception: 09.06.2024, 6-8 PM
