About Svenja Maaß

Why would someone refer to a squirrel as a little furball, when they’re not round at all? Well, how would they look if they were? Why are sirenians or manatees commonly referred to as sea “cows”? Svenja Maass’s paintings depict a parallel reality. Every change of perspective opens up new possibilities–the seemingly familiar appears strangely foreign, the seemingly commonplace enters the realm of the mysterious. The protagonists of these intricate oil paintings are mainly animals: furry figures that may appear familiar to us at first, but upon closer inspection, open up a myriad of timeless questions…

Svenja Maass, born in Bielefeld in 1977, studied art at the Braunschweig University of Art (HBK Braunschweig), where she graduated with honors in 2003. In 2004 she was the master student of Prof. Klaus Stümpel, which was followed by teaching positions for painting in Flensburg, Braunschweig, and Hamburg. She has received various awards and grants for her painted work, including the Düsseldorf Art Prize. Artworks by Svenja Maass are regularly shown in various exhibitions and have also been published in numerous catalogues.