When I first encountered online the works of artist Stephanie Jünemann, I thought they must have been the vital organs of some fantastical art creature. Yet as I hold a piece of her work of a monotone fist punching an opalescent kidney, I'm happy to report that no unicorns were harmed in the making of the artwork. I have to hand it to Jünemann: this screams to be something iconic.

The Collector Becomes The Artist?

Finding her tucked away in a far corner of Berlin took some time (which she did warn me would happen). Waiting to be let into her Adlershof studio, I found myself in front of some giant red doors with the sound of violins hanging onto the breeze – courtesy of the music school next door. I immediately felt the good art Feng Shui. Upon entering, Jünemann’s colorful past work was stacked and racked like cords of wood. My thoughts debated: was this a studio or an archive of rainbows?

I was surrounded by many pops of art, yes, but is it pop art? In Jünemann’s eyes, she sees her work in a different spectrum. “I've always been interested in colors, how they interact, the relationship of both good and bad, but with this [recent] project I wanted to give color a form and give rise to various impressions of consistencies.” Simply put: what would a color feel like? I ponder the thought: what would it be like to hold red or to play with yellow? To engage not only my eyes but all the other senses. How could it feel in my hands, weighted and balanced or slippery and coy; would this feeling be unique to me?

The unique part of making these works is the fact that the creation process is not reserved to the artist alone. Jünemann's project is one that will involve the buyer. Her intention is to have people that are interested in art participate in production and placing them beyond the role of a recipient. With your purchase of a work, you will become a co-producer, not just a collector (something we’ve already taught you to be with our popular article: Damn, how do I become an art collector). She wants to include the collector in all aspects. So, the monotone hand that will be holding the color form? Yours of course! Choosing the colors and seeing the interaction will be a first hand experience. Jünemann reveals that it has been even one step further than expected. "I had requests from people asking if they are able to come and create this with someone else or with their son or daughter – that's a nice idea."

So not only will you influence her art yourself but perhaps of the entire art scene. Jünemann believes these types of present-day developments and ideas are increasingly influencing contemporary art by contributing something personal to the realization of the work and simultaneously something to the global art world. If you’re looking to get your hands on some change, you will find Jünemann at this year’s Preview Berlin Art Fair, sharing her ideas and her philosophy. So roll up your sleeves – this might just be the time to get your hands dirty!

Stephanie Jünemann [Price range of works: 500 – 5000 Euros]

Article by Tristan Boisvert

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Painting by Catrin Walz Stein

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