MEET THE ARTIST
MARGARETE SCHRÜFER
Meet Margarete Schrüfer, the new LUMAS artist behind the cover of our 'inspired' spring art magazine. Influenced by nature and origami, her work merges craftsmanship with technology, reinterpreting classical art for the digital age. Schrüfer's process involves folding paper 'blossoms' by hand, photographing each layer, and digitally combining them into intricate, multi-dimensional images. The result is a captivating fusion of sculpture, photography, and illusion that invites viewers to explore new perspectives.
Enjoy The Discovery,
Alaa Mamdouh
Art Consultant, Toronto
416-928-9200
Q&A WITH MARGARETE SCHRÜFER
Frühling in Simulacrum XII, Edition of 150, signed, available in three sizes
Q. Tell us a little about yourself.
MS. I was born in Bayreuth, Germany in 1969. In 1996/97, I attended the "Werkbundwerkstatt" in Nuremberg, a school year based on the “Deutscher Werkbund”, where you can try your hand at a wide variety of materials, from glass to wood, metal, textiles, design and theater. That was the best year of my life and was like a revelation. I also created my portfolio for the Academy of Fine Arts during that time. Studying at the Academy paved the way for everything else.
Q. Your work typically features origami constructions. What drew you to paper folding, and how has your relationship with paper evolved over time?
MS. I've travelled a lot, but a stay in Japan was completely different to anything I'd seen and experienced before. At times I thought I had landed on another planet. When I got back, I wanted something to stay with me from this trip and started doing origami. It wasn't something I had specifically seen anywhere, but something I associated with Japan. I started folding paper airplanes for fun according to instructions I found. That then became something of an obsession. I couldn't stop folding and kept looking for more and more complex models to fold until that wasn't enough, and I started designing my own models. Incorporating origami into my artistic work then somehow went hand in hand. Nature in the broadest sense has always been the main theme in my art, and folding is a central principle of nature. Everything that develops in nature is folded: flower buds, wings, our brains, our genes, etc. Folding allows large surface areas to be accommodated in a small volume. However, this principle is not just limited to biological processes. For me, this closes another circle.
Q. Can you walk us through your art process, from an initial idea to a finished piece?
MS. I don't believe that artists have genius and that these ideas fall from the sky. All work as an artist involves preparation. This preparatory work is research into your subject and an examination of your material. Without knowing how far you can go with your material and your tools, no ideas will emerge. When I have an idea, I see the finished work in front of me, how exactly something should look, and then I just have to work through it.
I create whole room installations and also individual images. The work for both areas initially involves a lot of repetition, as I first have to produce a large number of objects. In the case of the images, I fold flowers that consist of a number of steps. These folding steps are photographed individually from different angles and then superimposed on the computer. This creates an effect similar to a long exposure, or frozen movement, as all the folding steps are visible when superimposed.
Frühling in Simulacrum XVI, Edition of 150, signed, available in three sizes
Pink breath 3, Edition of 150, signed, available in three sizes
Q. How do you choose your colour palette and is there any significance certain colours play in your works?
MS. In the case of the cherry blossoms in the ‘Simulacrum' series, I am actually very influenced by what I have seen in Japan. I was in Tokyo during the cherry blossom season where this huge city seemed to be completely bathed in pink. It was incredibly impressive, and an experience I will never forget.
Frühling in Simulacrum XV, Edition of 150, signed, available in three sizes
Frühling in Simulacrum XV, Edition of 150, signed, available in three sizes
Q. Who or what are your greatest artistic influences, and how have they shaped your aesthetic or motto?
MS. I am interested in all kinds of art, from the old masters to conceptual art. For me, it is very exciting to learn about the ideas behind the works, which are often not obvious at first glance. But I can't say for myself that is what has influenced me the most. The topic of “nature” in the broadest sense has always been my theme. I am interested in what it actually is, the human influence on it and what we perceive as beautiful. In a philosophical sense, just like when someone shows me their balcony plants that are blooming beautifully.
In my work, it is possible to think of painting on the one hand, and on the other, of still life flowers from the 17th century, as well as Impressionism or expressionism, or conceptual art, where artists work in more expected ways.
Frühling in Simulacrum XIV, Edition of 150, signed, available in three sizes
Q. When you're not working on your art, what are some hobbies you enjoy?
MS. I love going for walks, reading, dancing and I'm very interested in fashion.
Q. Any upcoming projects or exhibitions you're most excited about?
MS. In summer, I have an exhibition coming up with a gallery that I have been working with many years. I will also show a new room installation in a museum.