Julia Kollewe

b. 1973, Germany
BA (Hons) Drawing, Camberwell, University of the Arts London

When I was growing up in (west) Germany I drew people with rectangular or square heads and bodies, unlike other kids, my mum says.
I've always loved making, and looking at art. I'm mainly a printmaker these days.

My prints are varied in method, texture and imagery. I am also working on short films and my degree show piece was a performance: using professional theatre lights and a green plastic chair, I staged a radio play by Harold Pinter called Voices. The audience stood around the lights and sometimes became part of the performance.

My drawing degree at Camberwell included a four-month stint in Nice, France, where I made my first etchings, lithographs and screen prints, and also tried my hand at ceramics, wood sculpture and welding. I screenprinted axonometric drawings of staircases onto perspex (used in light installations later) and sculpted green and blue glazed heads inspired by Cubism.

Back in London, my prints have ranged from sharply etched black and white maps with thick layers of aquatint to lightly sketched multi-coloured dancers sailing across the page.
An ongoing series are beach scenes – of skinny boys in Indonesia salvaging scrap in...

I studied history the first time I went to uni, and later did the BA (Hons) Drawing degree at Camberwell, University of the Arts London, a fine art degree with a focus on drawing in the first year.
During my three years there my work ranged from axonometric and analytical life drawing to printmaking, video and performance.

Made 2023, at Morley Gallery, London, 2023
Made at Morley Gallery (online), 2020
Inspired by..., Morley Gallery, curated by the V&A, 2016
Islington Contemporary Art & Design Fair, London, 2013
Gloomfest, Brixton Village, 2010
Outside World Gallery, London, 2010
Botanists of the Asphalt, The City Arts & Music Project, London, 2010
Disembodied Voices, solo show, Platform One Gallery, London, 2009
Camberwell degree show BA (Hons) Drawing, London, 2009