In-Focus: Dennis Schikora

DENNIS SCHIKORA (B. 2000, GERMANY) IS AN ABSTRACT PAINTER WHOSE WORK EXPLORES IMPERMANENCE AND VULNERABILITY THROUGH MATERIALLY DRIVEN PROCESSES. WORKING PRIMARILY IN OIL WHILE INCORPORATING DUST, DIRT AND ORGANIC MATTER INTO RAW CANVAS.

HIS PRACTICE PRIORITISES EXPERIMENTATION OVER RESOLUTION. THROUGH LAYERS OF OVERPAINTING AND GESTURAL INTERVENTION, SURFACES ARE ALLOWED TO SHIFT, CRACK AND SETTLE ORGANICALLY, THIS SENSIBILITY DRAWS FROM HIS EARLY ENGAGEMENT WITH AVANT-GARDE ARTISANAL FASHION, WHERE DECONSTRUCTION, ASYMMETRY AND IMPERFECTION CHALLENGE CONVENTIONAL NOTIONS OF FORM AND FUNCTION.

CENTRAL TO SCHIKORA’S WORK IS AN EMBRACE OF THE UNRESOLVED. EACH PAINTING EVOLVES THROUGH INTUITIVE DECISIONS AND MATERIAL INTERACTIONS, LEAVING TRACES OF TIME, EROSION AND TRANSFORMATION. HIS WORKS RESIST CLOSURE.

SCHIKORA’S WORK REFLECTS ON INDIVIDUALITY IN AN INCREASINGLY UNIFORM WORLD, FINDING MEANING IN THE TEMPORARY AND IMPERFECT.