Portrait SK

‘A picture must be sound and imbued with an inner glow.’

Wassily Kandinsky, Russian painter, 1866–1944

‘During my schooldays, I discovered the love of art. Colors, color compositions and beauty have always fascinated me. Through my studies as a graduate engineer in textile and design, I received a comprehensive artistic education. From drawn nature study to photography and nude and portrait painting, I learned to work with sound craftsmanship and to express the quality of my own personal image development and interpretation. Like many artists of the 20th and 21st centuries, I have turned from figurative painting to the collage of abstraction. I am inspired by traveling. The memories of the colors of a country, its nature, the light and shadow constellations guide me in my painting.

The color serves as an expression, partly in expressive colors. I am concerned with the substance of color. I concentrate on the essentials, neglect the representational and reduce to color and form. Color contrasts, composition, lines and surfaces, surface textures and textures serve as design elements. Layers are applied with brush and spatula, oil pastels, pencil or pigments are also used. Color spaces remain open and bring the image viewer into the depths of the image.

The human brain searches for known concepts to give a name for what they see. Sometimes it is the titles of the pictures that give a first stimulus to the pictorial statements that I have prepared. The viewer should enter into dialogue with my pictures, create their own thoughts in order to let them flow into their own ideas. They can dive into the color worlds of my pictures, go on a journey of discovery and let their imagination run free.

I see my painting as a contrast to the fast-paced, digitalized time and the disregard of the environment. It is a statement of my understanding and concern for us all to develop more responsibility and respect for the world around us and to rediscover the importance of the sustainable protection of nature.’

Sonja Kalb, 2018

Born in Stuttgart
Studied textile and design (Diplom-Ingenieurin)
Lives and works in Düsseldorf, Germany
Lecturer at the Academy of Fine Arts Kolbermoor, Germany

Exhibitions

2021
OAC, Metropolitan Art Museum, Tokyo
2020
Winterausstellung, Galerie Kellermann, Düsseldorf
Art of Remediation, Haegeumgang Theme Museum, Geoje, Südkorea
Woman's Essence 2020, Palazzo Velli, Rome
Sonja Kalb, Landtag NRW, Düsseldorf
Summer 20 - 20 artists - 2 galleries, Galerie Kellermann, Düsseldorf
2019
We contemporary 2019, Tropic Salon, Prague
SehensWerte Künstler der Galerie, Galerie Heidefeld & Partner, Krefeld
Swiss Art Expo, SBB Eventhalle, Zürich
Zu Gast im Kunstverein Landshut, Kunstverein Landshut, Landshut
Biennale London, Chelsea Old Town Hall, London
ArtScreen, Artbox.Gallery, Zürich
Strukturen, Galerie Kellermann, Düsseldorf
2018
Int. Biennal of Flanders, Oud Sin Jan Museum, Bruges
Chianciano Biennale 2018 in London, Gagliardi Gallery, London
Expo Autumn, Galerie Heidefeld & Partner, Krefeld
Solo Show of the Biennale prizewinner Sonja Kalb, Galerie Heidefeld, Krefeld
Figure and colour, Kunstverein Duisburg, Duisburg
Biennale Chianciano, Museo d'Arte di Chianciano Terme, Chianciano Terme
2017
Hivernale, Galerie Thuillier, Paris
Bilder, die wir lieben, Kunstverein Malkasten, Düsseldorf
Sonja Kalb - Abstrakte Malerei, Museum Kaiserswerth, Düsseldorf
Sonja Kalb, Colorida Art Gallery, Lisbon
Rainforest FarbSpektrum, Kunstverein Duisburg, Duisburg
2016
Sinn und Unsinn, Kunstverein Malkasten, Düsseldorf
Sonja Kalb - Poesie der Farben, Galerie Kellermann in the Ballhaus, Düsseldorf
17 I A59 Transit - BBK Düsseldorf, Kunstverein Duisburg, Duisburg
Im Spiegel der Gegenwartskunst, Museum and Galerie Achtzig, Berlin
White Christmas, Galerie Kellermann, Düsseldorf
Encounters. Begegnung, Galerie Heidefeld und Partner, Krefeld
Grand Salon, Villa Berberich, Bad Säckingen
2015
Ganzfrei4, Kunstverein Duisburg, Duisburg
Abstract Dreams, Galerie Kellermann, Düsseldorf
Sonja Kalb - Emotion, Galerie Heidefeld & Partner, Krefeld
Color of life, Galerie Art Cuestion, Pereiro de Aguiar – Ourense
Jubiläumsausstellung - 20 Jahre , Galerie Heidefeld & Partner, Krefeld
2014
2b70Transit/GanzFrei3, Kunstverein Duisburg, Duisburg
V. Internationale Biennale , Galerie Kunststätte am Michel, Hamburg
2013
Full House, Galerie Heidefeld, Krefeld
Art for Peace for a better World, National Art Gallery of Izmir, Ifuar - Alsancak / Izmir
Art for Peace for a better World, The New York Art Connection Gallery, New York
2012
Fulfillment, Gallery M - Mauersberger, Vienna
1. Internationale Biennale, Galerie Kunststätte am Michel, Hamburg
Sonja Kalb - Abstraktionen, Galerie Heidefeld & Partner, Krefeld
21st Century Art and Artists, Gallery M - Mauersberger, Vienna
2011
Das kleine Format, Kunstverein Malkasten, Düsseldorf
Woman Art, Galerie Heidefeld & Partner, Krefeld
Sonja Kalb - Abstract painting, Galerie Richter, Lenningen / Stuttgart
Februart, BBK Kunstforum, Düsseldorf
2010
Künstler der Galerie, Galerie Heidefeld & Patner, Krefeld
Untitled, Galerie Anne Malchers, Bergisch-Gladbach
2009
Latin Kunst, Galerie Heidefeld & Partner, Krefeld
Sonja Kalb, Galerie Heidefeld Partner, Krefeld

Fairs

2018
Art Karlsruhe, Messe Karlsruhe, Rheinstetten
2017
MAG Montreux -13. Zeitgenössische Kunstmesse, Montreux Music & Convention Centre
2015
25. Kunstmesse , Frauenmuseum, Bonn
2014
1st. International contemporary Art Fair Iran, Quasr Museum GardenPolice St, Shariati St, Tehran
2013
23. Kunstmesse, Frauenmuseum, Bonn
2012
Affordable Art Fair, La Pelanda, Rome
Art Beijing, Fangheng International Center A, Wangjing
2011
Lineart 30, Flanders Expo Gent, Gent

Publications

Paul Zimmerman in conversation with Sonja Kalb , “During this pandemic, people have rediscovered their longing for beauty and nature.”, New York: Artery,

Musa International Art Space, Woman's Essence 2020, Musa International Art Space (Hg.), The Woman of the Contemporary Art, Mailand: Serradifalco Editore,

Musa International, Wecontemporary -The faces of contemporary Art, Ass.Art. Culturale Musa International Art Space (Hg.), International Art Catalogue - Edition 2019, Mailand: Serradifalco Editore,

Matthias Kellermann, Sonja Kalb, Matthias Kellermann & Sonja Kalb (Hg.), Düsseldorf: Galerie Kellermann,

Gerhard and Rachel Götze, Sonja Kalb, Emotion, Gerhard & Rachel Götze (Hg.), Nike New Art in Europe No 70, Ingolstadt: Nike New Art in Europe No 70,

Maddalena Paola Winspeare, Ethel Santacroce,GuiliaBastianeli, Premio Combat 2019 Prize, Sillabe s.r.l (Hg.), Livorno: Sillabe s.r.l,

International Confideration Art Critics, Sonja Kalb, London Art Biennale 2019, Gagliardi Art & Partners, London (Hg.), London: Art Biennale London,

Chianciano Art Museum, Sonja Kalb, Chianciano Biennale 2018, Gagliardi Art & Partners(Hg.), Chianciano Therme, Italy: Chianciano Art Museum,

Dr. Sabine Burbaum-Machert, Sonja Kalb, Boesner, editor, Kunstwelten 4, Witten: Boesner,

Johanna Penz, Hubert Thumhofer, Diana Krepsch, Sonja Kalb, SüdSeiten Verlag (Editor), Original KunSTücke, works of contemporary artists, Gmund am Tegernsee: SüdSeiten Verlag,

Marianne Pitzen, Silke Dombrowsky, Sonja Kalb, Frauenmuseum Bonn, editor, 25. Kunstmesse Frauenmuseum, Bonn: Frauenmuseum,

Egon Heidefeld, Sonja Kalb: Emotion, Egon Heidefeld, editor, Sonja Kalb-Emotion, Krefeld: Galerie Heidefeld & Partner,

Jutta Wiegert, Günter Ilchmann, Sonja Kalb, Jutta Wiegert, Günter Ilchmann, editor, V. Internationale Biennale, Hamburg: Kulturaustausch Hamburg-Übersee e.V.,

Beate Werthschulte, Kamillesk Kunst und Kultur, Neue Bäume für Düsseldorf: Künstlerin Sonja Kalb malt für einen guten Zweck, GFDK - Freunde der Künste, editor, Wiesloch: Gesellschaft Freunde der Künste - online Magazine,

Marianne Pitzen, Kathrin Wallat, Sonja Kalb, Frauenmuseum Bonn,editor, 23. Kunstmesse Frauenmuseum, Bonn: Frauenmuseum,

Jutta Wiegert, Günter Ilchmann, Sonja Kalb, Jutta Wiegert, Günter Ilchmann, editor, I.Internationale Biennale, Hamburg: Kulturaustausch Hamburg-Übersee e.V.,

Egon Heidefeld, Sonja Kalb: Abstraktion, Egon Heidefeld, editor, Sonja Kalb-Abstraktion, Krefeld: Galerie Heidefeld & Partner,

Olga Antoniadou, International Contemporary Artists Vol V, Olga Antoniadou (Hg.), New York: ICA Publishing,

Olga Antoniadou, International Contemporary Artists Vol IV , Olga Antoniadou, editor, New York: ICA Publishing,

Egon Heidefeld, Sonja Kalb, Egon Heidefeld, editor, Sonja Kalb, Krefeld: Galerie Heidefeld & Partner,

Awards

2020
2020 Woman Art Award
2019
Special Mention for Excellence, London Art Biennale, Biennale London
2018
Best Abstract Artwork, Italia Award 21st Century Art, Biennale Chianciano

Collections

Haegeumgang/Yukyung Art Museum, Geoje, South Korea

Landtag of North Rhine-Westphalia, Düsseldorf, Germany