Friday Focus: Johanna Bath
Born in 1980 in Warendorf, Germany, Johanna Bath moved to Hamburg after her high school diploma (1999) to get professional training in Illustration design at Bildkunst Akademie, Hamburg.
She finished with a degree in 2002 but felt the need to deepen and expand her artistic skills and applied for design studies at the Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaft, Hamburg (HAW).
She focused on painting classes and graduated with a diploma in 2007. After short employment in a gallery and a publishing company restoring old comics, she decided to move back to the rural area she grew up in and pursue her path as a painter.
Whilst teaching art classes she painted on the side and eventually developed her signature style and became aware of the subjects she wanted to paint about.
The idea of "time" and everything that is linked to that emotionally such as memory, transience and the brevity of a moment drives her need to paint. Time is abstract and therefore tricky to paint but when connected to our experience and memory, it is filled with sentiment and emotion.
When painting, Johanna reflects on those narratives like purpose, meaning, time, timing and tries to depict "a sense of time" on canvas. Her work should generate a feeling of calmness.
She likes the paintings to be serene and silent and although being about time and its movement, to represent a moment that is detached from it.
As humans, we get to experience millions of moments in our lives - but each one only once.
This simple fact never fails to inspire her.
Selected Exhibitions (Solo/Group):
"Hello Stranger!" Stadthausgalerie/ Hamm (2013) - S
"nexus!" Stadtmuseum/ Historisches Rathaus Warendorf (2016) - S
Kunstroute - Le Tour Belgique/ Cologne (2016) - G
UFAM Ruhr, Mural/ Herten (2016) - G
UFAM Ruhr Rathausgalerie Essen (2016) - G
Hotel Traube Tonbach/ Baiersbronn (2016) - S
Schloßhotel Monrepos/ Ludwigsburg (2016) - S
Aktuelle Arbeiten, BTZ Bielefeld (2017) - S
PicNic Art Convention Ruhr (2017) - G
Raum für zeitgenössische Kunst/ Alte Spedition/ Gladbeck (2017, 2018) - G
hold your breath - count to ten!, Maxipark Hamm (2018) - S
Neue Arbeiten, Part2Gallery Düsseldorf (2019) - S
"vanish into thin air", März Manufaktur Paderborn (2019)
The Other Art Fair, Brooklyn, New York (2019) - G
"the best of" Heinrich Lübke Museum, Hamm (2020) - G
The Other Art Fair, Virtual Edition (2021) - G
"The concept of authenticity", Haze Gallery, Berlin (2021) - G
"2021", Raum 55, Essen (2021) - G
"At a crossroads", VAN DER PLAS Gallery, New York City (2022) - G
Can you tell me about your practice? How do you get started on a piece of work?
Who or what are your biggest influences?
There are so many painters that I adore. Franz Hals, Caravaggio, Max Beckmann, Paula Modersohn- Becker, Hilma af Klint, Manet, Felix Vallotton, Bacon, Peter Blake, Hockney, Neo Rauch, Gerhard Richter, Peter Doig, Michaël Borremans, Luc Tuymans…the list goes on. But what has influenced me the most in terms of my subject is probably this fascination I have with time and all the emotions that are linked to that.
A brief moment captured, is how you describe your work, can you talk a bit about this and how this informs how you choose your subject matter?
When looking back on my past, there have been points in my life when time seemed to slow down, and I could pinpoint exactly the moment when the direction of my path took another direction or even a u-turn. Sometimes it was beautiful, sometimes heart-breaking. So, I started painting to deal with the emotions which has been a lifesaver and my ultimate safe space. Ever since, I have been obsessed with the perception of time and how I can manage to turn an invisible phenomenon into a visible piece of art which is able to transport a “feeling of time”.
How important is the choice of material in relation to realizing the concept of your work?
What is your most important tool? Is there something you can’t live without in your studio?
It would be music or podcasts. I need those to totally zone out. Other than that, it’s probably good light and coffee.
And fresh brushes and canvases are always a highlight.
Can you give us a book recommendation that has been important in your practice? And tell us why it’s important.
I often turn to interior books whenever I feel dull or inspired. Other than that, if I had to name just one, the most influential book would probably be one on Frans Hals. I couldn’t paint faces when studying so I copied his paintings over and over and eventually became obsessed with a good portrait and the attractive force it has on the viewer.
Finally, is there anything new coming up that you would like to tell us about?
I am currently working on new artwork for several art consultancies and platforms who sell art online. I also still have a plan to paint a super large piece which I keep postponing due to taking on other projects that are much more lucrative, as unfortunately large pieces don’t sell easily.