"Painting is a bit like gardening – bringing the deepest to the light."
A studio visit with Janine Seelen, written by Niels Jürgens on February 19, 2025
A floating tent, an overgrown tennis court, a half-open blind, three rotary switches in a row, larger than life, multi-layered, mysterious – Janine Seelen's works compel us to pause. The subconscious speaks up, the powerful motifs act like a maelstrom, the inconspicuous situations and objects unfold a strange mysticism, simultaneously disturbing and calming.
Contemplation, familiarity, and closeness on the one hand, transience, uncertainty, and emotion on the other – this is the field of tension in which the Hamburg-based painter moves and has found an impressively independent artistic language. After a successful career as a communication designer in New York, San Francisco, and Hamburg, Janine has devoted herself exclusively to painting since 2019, presenting her work both at home and abroad. Her paintings have received numerous publications and awards. We meet for a discussion in the backyard studio in Hamburg Ottensen.
