Helen Kohl (b. 1994, Germany) lives and works between Düsseldorf, Germany and Oxford, UK. She holds a degree in Fine Art from Oxford Brookes University and has previously completed a state examination in teaching with a major in biology at Julius-Maximilians University in Würzburg.
Kohl’s work transmutes from observation, to reflection, to object, to movement – often culminating in performance and installation. Her transdisciplinary practice explores the human form as both an autonomous being and an interconnected organ of various macro-organisms. Her focus lies in the liminal space between the self and the other, which often shifts, becomes porous, and leads not only to fluctuations in one’s own self and identity but also to accumulated fluctuations in the space around us and the changes in society we see on an everyday basis. Her work invites the viewer to rethink their perception of self and space, considering two intertwined aspects of the body – the gathering being that collects memories, knowledge, and experiences; and the porous funnels that manifest in the shape of our senses, enabling us to communicate and engage in dialogue with space and others.
The artist’s focus not only speaks a language of form symbolism but is also heavily influenced by material history and qualities. Kohl works in a range of materials, from glass, porcelain, and natural rubber to liquids and the body itself.
CV (Full CV here)
b. 1994, Bad Kreuznach, Germany.
Lives and works between Düsseldorf, Germany and Oxford, UK.
Education
2024 | BTEC Art and Design (Glass), Morley College, London, UK
2023 | BA (Hons) Fine Art, Brookes University, Oxford, UK
2020 | State Examination in Primary School Education, Julius-Maximilians University, Würzburg, GER
2019 | BA (Hons) Cultural Basic Skills, Julius-Maximilians University, Würzburg, GER
Solo Exhibitions
2023 | Platform Award, Modern Art Oxford, Oxford, UK
Group Exhibitions
2024 | Eye and Hand, Morley Gallery, London, UK
2024 | Sound Diaries, Brookes University, Oxford, UK
2024 | Between Nothing and Not a Thing, Zephyr Gallery, Oxford, UK
2023 | Fruits of a Summer Harvest, OVADA Gallery, Oxford, UK
2023 | Metanoia, Brookes University, Oxford, UK
Residencies and Open Calls
Fusion Arts | studio artist (2023-2024)
OVADA Gallery | Summer Residency 2023
Sound Diaries | Open Call 2023-2024
Awards
The John Henry Brookes Prize 2023 | Award for the most outstanding achievement in the Fine Art Major Project
The Platform Graduate Award 2023 | Exhibiting Artist, CVAN South East and Modern Art Oxford, UK