Masterclass Britta Ankenbauer 2026

Artist statement Britta:

Textile art is poetry, storytelling, and combination

I love telling stories and asking questions.
Embarking on a journey of exploration with tactile materials, placing them in intriguing new contexts, and transforming the material into art—this is my way of engaging artistically.
Creating art happens primarily in my studio, working with textiles, paper, and occasionally in combination with other natural materials.

I favor "slow, rounded" processes. I often begin with raw materials, followed by dyeing, printing, painting wool and fabrics, spinning or weaving, sewing together, taking apart again (deconstruction), and reshaping. The subsequent embroidery serves as the integrating factor, bringing everything together: lines, surfaces, connections, and cohesion.

I’ve always been fascinated by mixed forms (mixed media). In relation to textile art, I explore how multiple textile techniques can be integrated into a single work without overpowering one another. It’s a kind of dialogue between traditions that have walked separate paths for centuries.
In my textile works, I strive to create new forms of "mixed tapestry" and "art quilts," which, in essence, represent themes of integration and communication. In doing so, I draw on both historical and contemporary contexts in my textile art.

My works closely resemble collages yet remain distinct.