Sonja Heller

I have been working for a long time in the supposedly opposing fields of image and object. Leaving nothing out, allowing a lot is an important aspect of my way of thinking and working. Many things count for me, many things are important, set something in motion – or are perhaps simply beautiful. It doesn't matter if it's the 1x1m picture or a snapshot of my feet on a manhole cover. Aesthetics often lie in the very small things.

Object scanography
I like to combine image and object to something completely new and in these fusions I appreciate the tension of contradiction and also the unexpected, which makes the viewer wonder and raises questions. This is clearly shown in the Object scanography, because here I completely fuse the two controversial artistic areas of image and object: three-dimensional objects that I create from various materials are transferred into a two-dimensional photo by means of an old Agfa tube scanner from 1998.

Printmaking & Drawing
For the realisation of my typo-portraits I use my own texts and portraits. Sometimes these elements lie on several picture levels and thus take on an object-like character.
I use self-created portrait photos and transform them graphically or by drawing.
In the texts, I imagine f...

Born in april 1968
Art baccalaureate
Trained information graphic designer and graphic artist
Study object design
Co-founder of the artist group "Freudenhaus" (2004 – 2010), with producer showroom

Scholarships
2022/21/20 Ministry of Culture and Sciences NRW

Professional world
2020 Listed in "Artist of the Week" of the Saatchi ArtGallery, curated by Chief Curator Rebecca Wilson

Prizes/successful participation:
2023
- 2nd prize in the art competition "Walk of fame" of the city of Gelsenkirchen
- Nominated for the Art Prize of the Sparkassen Foundation Karlsruhe

2022
Nominated for the Erna Suhrborg Prize of the City of Wesel 2023

2013
2nd prize at the art award "ART-spanner" of the gallery Axel Schöber, Dortmund

2003
- Copy-Light-Revival by the design studio Klein & More with photographs
- Seat art project by Schöner Wohnen/imm cologne

literature:
- 2003 erotic short story competition of Ubooks
- 1993 Cultural initiative Iserlohn with poetry

Solo exhibitions
2021
"From the Inside and the Outside", Municipal Gallery Torhaus Rombergpark, Dortmund

Collective exhibitions (excerpt)
2023
"State of the World", Art Association Gmünd, Schwäbisch Gmünd
"Erna Suhrborg Prize", Municipal Gallery Wesel, finalist

2022
"But after 100 years", Industrial Museum Rödinghausen, Menden
"Ten years after", BIG gallery, BBK Dortmund
"Wetterleuchten", Art Association Unna
"Klare Kante", BBK NRW, Dortmunder U Centre for Art and Creativity
"Kraftzentrum", BBK, Zollern Coal Mine, Dortmund

2021
"Art3f" Art Fair Brussels, Gallery Böhner
"Can be done", BBK, BIG gallery Dortmund
"Water", Installation in the outdoor space, Fröndenberg

2020
"Anniversary exhibition" Gallery "Art Room", Düsseldorf
"ARTBOX.PROJECT", Barcelona
"Outside", BBK, BIG gallery , Dortmund

2019
"Flowers", Gallery 46, Dortmund
"Showing the edge", BBK, BIG gallery, Dortmund
"Portrait", Gallery Axel Schöber / Art Isotope, Wertheim Castle, Wertheim

2016
"RED", BBK, BIG gallery Dortmund
"Graphics from Dortmund", Dortmund

2015
"210 x 30", BBK, BIG gallery Dortmund

2013
"ArtSpanner 2nd Edition", Gallery Schöber / Art Isotop, Dortmund
"2nd Ruhrbiennale 2012", Dortmund

2012
Open studio Hagen Haspe, exhibition with artist Nuri Irak
...