Memory mapping of an imaginary world Painting

Working with a variety of mediums, such as found objects, transformed objects, installations, drawing, and painting, Naomi Middelmann explores the process in which we remember things and the subjectivity of those memories depending on context. Middelmann says: “I am interested in how we assemble and disassemble our memories depending on who we are talking to and the context in which we remember things. Remembering is not a process that gets us from point a to point z, but rather a process in which we imagine, we tell stories, we construct and deconstruct in order to make sense of who we are.” The space between memory and imagination is nearly invisible. Her interest in the ambiguity of perception and in what we think we know, as well as in how artists can contribute to scientific study on perception and understanding the creative process have led her to actively collaborate, teach, and design research projects with neuroscientists in Switzerland and the USA. ​ In 2021, she received a grant from the Swiss government to do an artist residency in a neuroscience lab. Her work is exhibited in the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design. In 2021, she was invited to do an artist residency at the Jenisch Museum in Switzerland where she explored the question of memory and imagination on a 25m long piece of Gauze that was shown in 2022 at the CHUV in Switzerland. In 2022, she had three museum exhibits one at the Dreilander museum in Lorrach Germany, one at the Kunstraum Hochdorf in Switzerland and one at the Museu dela dona in Spain. In 2024 she presented her work at the Westbeth art center in NYC and Coravallis Art Center in Oregon (USA). ​​​​​Born in Switzerland, Middelmann moved to New York when she was 16. After earning a degree in Creative writing and International Relations from Johns Hopkins University (with a 4 year scholarship for Outstanding Academic achievement), she worked in publishing. She chose to return to Europe and earned a postgraduate degree in visual arts from the Visual Art School in Basel in 2009. ​​​​Since graduating from art school, her work and process has been shown in over 80 solo and group shows museums, galleries and art fairs in Europe, USA and Switzerland. Her work is featured in public and major private collections in Switzerland, Europe, Australia, Canada and the USA. ​​She is represented by the Glaab Gallery in Bern (CH), the Post Collapse gallery in Seattle (USA) and Zurich (CH), and by the CDAC (Desmoines, USA).