@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
2020-2026
2023-2024
2026
since 2026
Prizes and Scholarships
since 2022
2023-2024
2025
2025
2025
2026
2026
2026
2026
Residencies
2021
2022
Publications
2024
2024
2025
2025
2025
Archives, public and private collections
2020
2025
2025
Published texts
2020-2022
2022
2025
2025
2025
Dresden Academy of Fine Arts, class of Wilhelm Mundt and Judith Hopf
Exchange semester at Zürcher Hochschule der Künste
Diploma degree
Slade School of Fine Arts, London (MFA Sculpture)
Scholarship by the Friedrich- Ebert-Stiftung
SEMP Scholarship for International Students at Swiss Universities
Perron Kunstpreis Grafik (promotion prize)
„Küsse-Berlin” (consultation prize)
Freundeskreis HfBK Dresden work development grant
Franconian prize for young literature (first prize)
International Summer Academy Scholarship, Salzburg
German academic exchange service (DAAD)
Yitzhak Danziger Award (UCL)
Artist in Residence, Künstlerstadt Kalbe
EU4Art Short Term Workshop at Latvijas Mākslas akadēmija (Riga, LVA) and
Magyar Képzőművészeti Egyetem (Budapest, HUN)
Publication for “Dirty Teeth, Denim Dreams”, Gallery Stephanie Kelly, Dresden
(Johanna Seidel, Isabella Engelhardt M.A.)
Feature in “Where Flowers bloom”, Issue “Symbiosis”, Magazine for contemporary art, Lucarno, Switzerland
Feature in Munchies Art Club, Issue 2, 2025, online blog
Feature in “Under my skin”, Osservatoriomaree, Paola, Italien
Feature in “Karusell”, magazine for young literature, Issue 3, 2025, Wuppertal
5 poetry collages, public libary Nuremberg
3 drawings, series „no no no“, Kunstsammlung der Moderne, Ruhruniversität Bochum
private collection Anton / Tieves, Uzés (FR)
diverse texts in “Literarische Blätter”, magazine for contemporary literature
Anthology “Block Blogger - Poesie in Quarantäne”, Mitteldeutscher Verlag, Halle (Saale)
“say yes to the dress”, in: Schleier, Dresden 2025,
Martin Bertelmann
“Wiegenschwindel”, in: collective literature magazine Würzburg, issue 15 with “Sterner & Leonhardt, text collective
“Sequenzen im Liegezustand”, in: “Zerstörung und Streicheln”,
1pp1, Berlin 2025, with “Sterner & Leonhardt”, text collective
Selected exhibitions
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”, Gallery Stephanie Kelly Dresden (duo)
2025
„Echo Echo Echo”, Kunstsammlungen der Moderne, Ruhruniverstität Bochum
„:p“, Mars, Frankfurt am Main
Perron art prize, 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
“How to catch a monster”, Curva Pura, Rome
Diploma show, University of Fine Arts, Dresden
Textperformance
since 2020 text and reading performance
collective “Sterner & Leonhardt”
performances at Wiener
Konzerthaus, Meistersingerhalle
Nürnberg, Leipziger Gewandhaus,
Schauspielhaus Bochum i.a. (Poetry Slam)
since 2025 “ich wurde niemals schwankend”,
35min Reading-Performance by
“Sterner & Leonhardt” and composer Johann Grillenbeck, Theater
Chambinzky Würzburg, Kulturraum
405 Cologne, Hole of Fame Dresden
other activities & comissions
2024 costume design for
„Dido und Aeneas“, co-production
Zurich university of the arts and Zurich chamber orchestra
2024 costume design, 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 Festpiele Erl,
re-adaption whole “Der Ring des Nibelungen” (R. Wagner)
all images used ©Isabell Sterner, unless otherwise stated