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@isabell_sterner
In her artistic practice, Isabell Sterner deals with the human subject, its body and its tension complexes. The word tension complexes can be understood as a topos and emotions, physical and mental states ore influences from the environment are exemplary parts of it. With the help of sculptures, she generates fictitious bodies in which she materially evaluates these states. The creative process, which is strongly focused on material confrontation, resembles a psychological process: a constant alienation with the object, an appropriation, rejection or reworking. At the same time, this intense relationship is also linked to a kind of care and the question of where these dysfunctional entities, which are always alienated to their surroundings, belong.
* 2001 in Schweinfurt, Germany
Education
since 2020 Dresden Academy of Fine Arts
2021-2025 Class of Wilhelm Mundt, Dresden Academy of Fine Arts
2023-2024 Exchange semester at Zürcher Hochschule der Künste
since 2025 Class of Judith Hopf, Dresden Academy of Fine Arts
2026 Slade School of Fine Art London, MFA sculpture
Prizes and Scholarships
2021 Artist in Residence, Künstlerstadt Kalbe
since 2022 Scholarship by the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung
2022 EU4Art Short Term Workshop
at Latvijas Mākslas akadēmija (Riga, LVA) and
Magyar Képzőművészeti Egyetem (Budapest, HUN)
2023-2024 SEMP Scholarship for International Students
at Swiss Universities
2025 Perron art grant for graphic and drawing
(promotion prize)
2025 „Küsse-Berlin” consultation prize
2025 Freundeskreis HfBK Dresden work development grant
2026 Franconian award for young literature (first prize)
2026 International Summer Academy scholarship, Salzburg
2026 German academic exchange service (DAAD)
2026 Yitzhak Danziger Award (UCL)
Publications
2024 Publication for “Dirty Teeth, Denim Dreams”,
Gallery Stephanie Kelly, Dresden
(Johanna Seidel, Isabella Engelhardt M.A.)
2024 Feature in “Where Flowers bloom”, Issue “Symbiosis”,
magazine for Contemporary Art, Lucarno, Switzerland
2025 Feature in Munchies Art Club, Issue 2, 2025, online blog
2025 Feature in “Under my skin”, Osservatoriomaree, Paola,
Italy
2025 Feature in Dresdner Neuste Nachrichten,
“in good hands only”, Galeriespiegel
2025 Feature in “Karusell”, magazine for young literature,
issue 3, 2025 Wuppteral
Archives and public collections
2020 5 poetry collages, public libary Nuremberg
2025 3 drawings, series „no no no“, Kunstsammlung der
Moderne, Ruhruniversität Bochum
2025 private collection, Anton / Tieves, Uzés (FR)
Published texts
2020-2022 divers texts in “Literarische Blätter”,
magazine for contemporary literature
2021 Anthology “Block Blogger - Poesie in Quarantäne”,
Mitteldeutscher Verlag, Halle (Saale)
2025 “say yes to the dress”, in: Schleier, Dresden 2025,
Martin Bertelmann
2025 “Wiegenschwindel”, in: collective literature magazine Würzburg, issue 15 with “Sterner & Leonhardt”,
2025 “Sequenzen im Liegezustand”, in: “Zerstörung und
Streicheln”, 1pp1, Berlin 2025, with ibd.
Curation
2022 „Scribbles on tension“, Gallery Stephanie Kelly
2022 „Eine Nuance zwischen rot und blau, vielleicht purpur“,
Galerie Stephanie Kelly (text)
2023 „Animalia“, Galerie Stephanie Kelly (text)
2024 „not quiet as it seems“, Galerie Stephanie Kelly (text)
2025 „Tongue and Cocoon”, Galerie Stephanie Kelly (text)
2025 „Kisses to Paradise”, Galerie Stephanie Kelly
2025. „Vessels under similar conditions”, C. Rockefeller Center
for contemporary art, Dresden (text)
2021
E.O. Plauen – junior competition for handdrawing, Plauen
7. european artist competition, Europa union Leverkusen, online exhibition
„Hundstage“, Schrebergarten, Offenbach am Main
Rundgang Künstlerstadt Kalbe
2022
„Image fétiche“, Gallery Stephanie Kelly Dresden
„A Galla“, pop up exhibtion, class of Wilhelm Mundt, Waldschlösschenbrücke, Dresden
2023
„Chasing Waterfalls“, Senatssaal, university of fine arts Dresden
„no fun, no fun”, annual exhibition, university of fine arts Dresden
„What´s your lover´s language”, Kunstverein Dresden
„Von Amtswegen“, Localize Festival, town hall Potsdam
„What´s your lover´s language II”, Galerie a-topos´, Paris
„take care“, (Performance) Spitäle, VKU Würzburg
“Dummy”, Zurich university of the arts
“Gift”, Zurich university of the arts
2024
„The struggle of living in Babylon“, Zürcher Hochschule der Künste
„Lost in a very big sauce”, KuGu, Hamburg
„To cure, find solace in“, Helmut, Leipzig
„Das Geschrei”, annual exhibition, university of fine arts Dresden
“Semi-living Artifacts”, Toxi, Zürich
“Dirty Teeth, Denim Dreams”, Galerie Stephanie Kelly Dresden (duo)
2025
„Echo Echo Echo”, Kunstsammlungen der Moderne, Ruhruniverstität Bochum
„:p“, Mars, Frankfurt am Main
Perron Kunstpreis Grafik, Kunstmuseum Frankenthal
„Hailandt“, annual exhibition, university of fine arts Dresden
„in good hands only“, Werkgalerie Dresden (solo)
„Welcome to my crib”, Glue, Berlin
„Perspektiven. Blickwinkel deiner Welt”, Kunsthalle Bremen
„Mundt und Wolff”, Oktogon HfBK Dresden
Jahresgaben, Kunstverein Ludwigshafen, Altes Volksbad Mannheim
„Laufmaschen”, Museum Gunzenhauser, Chemnitz
2026
“From Monsters to Monuments”, Frappant Gallery, Hamburg
“oh you love me, oh you love me not”, Stadtgalerie Radebeul
“from monsters to monuments”, Curva Pura, Rome
Diploma show, Oktogon, University of Fine Arts, Dresden
other activities
since 2020 text and reading performance collective „Sterner &
Leonhardt” performances at Wiener Konzerthaus,
Meistersingerhalle Nürnberg, Leipziger Gewandhaus,
Schauspielhaus Bochum i.a. (Poetry Slams)
2025 reading performance „ich wurde niemals
schwankend” „Sterner & Leonhardt” with Johann
Grillenbeck; Theater Chambinzky Würzburg, Kulturraum 405 Cologne, Hole of Fame, Dresden
2024 costume designs for „Dido und Aeneas“, co-production
Zurich university of the arts and Zurich chamber orchestra
2024 costume design for dance-theater „meant to be together“,
Merge Dance Collective, Zurich, tournee production
2024 assistant director for KS Brigitte Fassbaender
at Gärtnerplatztheater München,
„Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor” (O. Nicolai);
at Tiroler Festspiele Erl, re-adaption whole
„Der Ring des Nibelungen“ (R. Wagner)
all images used ©Isabell Sterner, unless otherwise stated