Stefanie Schairer lives and works in Berlin, Germany. She moves fluidly between painting, installation, and immersive public performances, often involving participants directly in the creative process. The artist deliberately positions her work at the intersection of abstraction, narrative, and emotion. Her pieces emerge intuitively, characterised by ambiguous forms and titles that invite open, personal interpretation. With a background in art therapy and social work, Schairer draws from human relationships and material interactions, using colour, mixed media, and layered textures to explore the unpredictable and the participatory.
Your work navigates the tension between abstraction and emotion – what currently drives you artistically the most?
At the moment, my exploration of colour, form, pattern, and material remains central to my practice. I continue to draw inspiration from human interaction and behaviour, which I process narratively in my works. That aspect remains particularly exciting for me, and I resist any urge to commit to a singular direction.
Ambiguity—both in form and title—is a deliberate strategy in my art, intended to allow space for individual interpretation. Every viewing is valid in its own right, and the meaning of a work ultimately lies in the eyes of the beholder. The principle of "Either way?" always finds its place in what I do.
In my series “Juchu und Dollerei”, I work on canvas with abstract linework that evokes cartographic features or symbolic script. Each line tells its own story, inviting the viewer to dive into the layers of what is written or drawn.
My approach itself doesn't really change—but I do feel more pressure when it comes to selecting the works.
For this particular art fair, I’ve chosen to present selected pieces from two of my series: “JUCHU UND DOLLEREI” and “EXPERIMENTAL LANDSCAPES”. I’m genuinely excited to show these individual works.
My intention is, in fact, to have no fixed intention. That way, the encounter always remains open-ended and intriguing.
What role does intuition play in your artistic process – and at what point does control give way?
Intuition guides my choice of colours. I always work in layers—often many—until the form or narrative I wish to convey begins to emerge. It’s a continual dialogue between instinct and control, between letting go and making deliberate decisions.
If viewers were to take away just one feeling from your work, which would matter most to you?
I don’t think it’s truly possible to limit it to a single emotion—after all, my aim is to create an open, undefined space. But if I had to choose, it would be a sense of emotional resonance—the feeling of being touched or moved.
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