Artist portrait of the kiosk painter Anke Rohde on hr television in the program "maintower" from December 23, 2025

Radio broadcast on SWR Kultur from June 18, 2025

The Splendor of the Everyday. Friedrich Schiller wrote: "Beauty has its effect simply through contemplation." Beauty changes us; it does something to us. This is how many experience the paintings of Anke Rohde, who transforms the everyday into something extraordinary. Read more

July 1, 2022 By: Reinhold Gries In its latest exhibition at the Old House, the Seligenstadt Art Forum presents culinary paintings and photography. Seligenstadt – Who isn't familiar with those contemporary, intellectualized art exhibitions that largely lack any sensory connection to everyday life and activities? Curators Ruth Wahl and Nanette Kernstock of Seligenstadt's Art Forum are now taking the opposite approach, staging their exhibition "Food in Art" in the rooms of the Old House with opulence. Years ago, this was called "New Splendor." The initiators were inspired by projects from the versatile Eifel artist Andrea Montermann, who, from her Mendig studio near Lake Laach, turns art on its head under the name "Andy Mo." With pop-inspired, expressive, and photorealistic paintings on canvas, prints on metal, graffiti art, and socially and environmentally critical art installations, "Mo" has made a name for herself. For some time now, she has specialized in "Soul Food Art," intensively exploring the culture of food, which revolves around joie de vivre and sensuality. The vibrant Seligenstadt selection now offers a glimpse into her major Koblenz exhibition, "Served Up: Artful Nutrition by Andy Mo." It's clear that Mo has peeked into the kitchens of many chefs in Germany, Italy, and France. In her lively paintings, she allows herself to be unconstrained by color theory, giving free rein to emotions, culinary desires, and artistic skill. Viewers' mouths will water not only in works like "Asparagus Cuisine," "Lobster and Sea," "Vodka, Fish and Caviar," "Cheese and Wine," and "Homard and Cider." With boundless energy, this bon vivant celebrates other earthly, often urban, pleasures of our existence, as seen in her "Urban Tartlets," the Vespa study "At the Heart of Paris," and the impressionistic "Biarritz Market." This spark of painterly and culinary enthusiasm is contagious, spreading to the other exhibitors as well. Eva Leitschuh, a painter working in Darmstadt's disused, green North Station, has created a series of paintings especially for Seligenstadt, works of exceptional artistic quality. Her oil painting "Fish with Lemon" is an atmospheric masterpiece that rivals the great still lifes of the 18th and 19th centuries. For a room in the Old House, Leitschuh has curated a complete culinary menu, from the appetizer to the main course—hot meat with berries and side dishes—to the sweet dessert and the final, satisfying treat. "Mmm!" The same is true for other delicacies from Leitschuh's brush, often painted in a more classical-modern compositional style than the wild "Mo." Anke Rohde, from Wiesbaden, transforms her painterly culinary scenes into a kind of cultural history, in which spaces and buildings also play a role. She usually finds her motifs, fleeting or everyday moments, in the urban environment, which she stages like Edward Hopper once did. This concept of isolation suits the kiosks and "Wasserhäusjen" (liquor stores) of Frankfurt, Offenbach, Düsseldorf, or Lisbon particularly well, transforming them in Rohde's hands into monuments to everyday pleasures and bliss. A touch of melancholy is present, as some of these little temples of indulgence have disappeared from the cityscape. The temptation is almost irresistible in Rohde's "Mixed Bags" series. You just want to dig in, while gazing at lifelike paintings of licorice snails and gummy bears, along with sweet Amore hearts in striped bags, evokes memories of childhood or exciting TV games that made some pastries disappear. Seligenstadt-based food photographer Mathias Neubauer, recipient of his city's cultural award, has a tough act to follow when it comes to such mouthwatering imagery. But he, too, relies on his strictly aesthetic, half-framing food photos to evoke a hunger for indulgence and a moment of respite. Neubauer became known for his professional illustrations of cookbooks, to which he lends a new, inspiring aesthetic. This is evident in his large and small-format works, such as "Canned Fish," "Wine-Crazy," "Strawberries," "Egg, Egg," and "Green Sauce," demonstrating how the photo-designer fundamentally connects us consumers with food and visual culture – never without considering the nourishing value of art. (Reinhold Gries) “Cheers! – On Food in Art” The exhibition can be seen from July 3 to September 11 at the Alte Haus, Frankfurter Straße 13. The opening is on Sunday, July 3, at 5 p.m. The art forum is open Fri, Sat, Sun 3–6 p.m. and by appointment at 49 6182 924451.

By Anja Pietsch | WIESBADEN | November 16, 2020 Like all other freelance artists, Wiesbaden-based artist and gallery owner Anke Rohde is currently struggling with the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic. This has spurred her creativity: The two large shop windows of her studio in Wiesbaden-Schierstein inspired her to make this space available to other artists until Christmas. Anke Rohde, a member of the Walkmühle artists' association, the Mainz "Eisenturm Art Association," and a recent addition to the Wiesbaden Cultural Advisory Board, has long considered networking and social responsibility important. She initiated a similar project in 2017, which benefited the Fasanerie Support Association. Now, the motto is once again "Anke's Favorites – Exhibit and Support." Everyone is invited to take a look at the two shop windows at Kettenbornstraße 3, while adhering to all coronavirus safety guidelines, and to purchase a work if interested. Paintings by Katharina Reschke, Sabine Steimer, and Herbert Lammers will be on display for 14 days each. Overwhelming the viewer with surfaces, colors, and beauty. The exhibition kicked off on November 8th with the work of Katharina Reschke, a freelance artist based in Wiesbaden. Her work focuses on large-format still lifes of design objects. The paintings aim to overwhelm the viewer with surfaces, colors, and beauty. From November 21st, the works of Mainz-based artist Sabine Steimer will be on display. Her focus is on the objective and minimalist depiction of everyday objects. She draws attention to reflections, refractions, and details. The artists' works are accessible and visible from the outside at all times. From December 5th to 20th, 2020, Anke Rohde will present the third artist, Herbert Lammers. His works include digitally manipulated photographs and paintings of representational subjects. The artists' works are accessible and visible from the outside at all times – a welcome opportunity to enjoy and be inspired by art during the artistic "lockdown," and an expression of artistic solidarity.

The new Cultural Advisory Board was elected in the spring. However, due to the pandemic, the new composition of the board could not be officially acknowledged by the city council until Thursday, September 17. Five of the 24 members are new to the board, while the others were re-elected. On Thursday, September 17, the city council officially acknowledged the new composition of the Cultural Advisory Board for its second two-year term. The twelve members of the board, each representing a specific artistic discipline, were newly elected in April. The composition of the Cultural Advisory Board from the first term had initially remained in place following a pandemic-related delay in the vote count. Two new representatives from the independent arts scene: Anke Rohde, a freelance artist and founder of the Atelier & Projektraum in Schierstein, represents the visual arts. Journalist Anja Baumgart-Pietsch joins the board as a new representative, independent of any specific discipline. The Higher Education and Applied Arts section remained vacant due to a lack of candidates. All other representatives from the various artistic disciplines were re-elected. Three new representatives from the institutions: The 24-member committee also includes representatives from Wiesbaden's major cultural institutions and political members from the various factions. Dr. Stephanie Dreyfürst, the new director of the adult education center (Volkshochschule), has been appointed as the representative for the center since July. Dr. Jörg Daur, the deputy director of the Hessian State Museum, has represented the museum since last autumn. The SPD (Social Democratic Party) is also sending a new representative to the committee, Joachim Tobschall. Information about all members and the work of the Cultural Advisory Board can be found on the board's website.

Artist Anke Rohde exhibits hyperrealistic paintings in the coach house. By Andrea Pauly, Hanau. Kiosk, kiosk, water store, corner shop, late-night convenience store – the names are as varied as the offerings and the visitors. Kiosks typically have extended opening hours and offer more than just a beer for those standing around. For decades, Frankfurt's water kiosks have been a part of the cityscape, considered a cultural asset and a place to chat. Even though they have become a rarity, as many have been demolished or repurposed. Wiesbaden-based artist Anke Rohde approaches the multifaceted subject of the kiosk with hyperrealistic paintings that depict the kiosks as urban still lifes. She is currently exhibiting a selection of her mostly large-format works and some sketches under the title "Take away & To Go" at the Hanau Cultural Association in the coach house gallery of Philippsruhe Castle. A newspaper article about the disappearance of kiosks in the Frankfurt area, featuring a photograph of one, sparked Rohde's interest. After some research, she set out in September 2015 with her camera, visiting the remaining kiosks in Frankfurt and photographing them – albeit empty of people. The artist approached the subject with her fascination for these often solitary little buildings, capturing all their facets and details – from the displays in the windows of towering gummy candy boxes to alcoholic beverages, magazines, and the signs on the roofs and in front of the kiosks. The result is a series of hyperrealistic, aesthetically pleasing images that radiate an almost reverential tranquility. Anke Rohde lives and works in Wiesbaden. She frequently dedicates her representational, sometimes hyperrealistic, paintings to the urban environment. Thus, her paintings feature "big city footwear" like Converse sneakers, skyscraper facades, shop window views, and, most recently, the subject of kiosks. There is now even an association in Frankfurt dedicated to preserving these historic kiosks. "Line 11" is committed to preserving and revitalizing these locations for the long term. Furthermore, the aim is to dispel people's apprehension about kiosks and, in particular, to foster trust across generations. "A kiosk always has cold drinks; there's always something to hear at a kiosk. For many people, kiosks are a place to connect, enjoy an after-work beer, or simply grab a mixed bag of sweets. These kiosks are as much a part of Frankfurt's cityscape as music is to hand cheese," says the association. ➔ The exhibition "Kiosk, Kiosk & Co." by Anke Rohde runs until Sunday, May 27, and is presented by the Hanau Cultural Association in the coach house gallery of Philippsruhe Castle. Opening hours are Saturdays, Sundays, and Whit Monday from 2 pm to 5 pm.

FOCUS THEME: Painterly Reflections on Modern Urbanity. Anke Rohde: Rhythms of the Metropolis. Exhibition from May 12 to 27, 2018 at the Remisengalerie, Philippsruhe Castle, Hanau. By Caroline Messelhäußer, MA. The representational, sometimes almost hyperrealistic, paintings by the artist Anke Rohde, presented here, depict real places within an urban structure. The artist's perception of the object at the moment of observation shapes the content of her work. "It's essentially a painterly condensation of the moment," says Anke Rohde. In addition to depictions of buildings with reflections and light refractions, or the facades of houses and high-rises, she is currently working on the series "Kiosks." Her interest in these small, often isolated, inner-city structures was sparked by an article about their disappearance from the urban fabric. Seized by curiosity, she set off with her camera to take a closer look at some of these establishments. These kiosks, also known as refreshment stands, kiosks, or simply kiosks, originated roughly in the second half of the 19th century, during the Industrial Revolution. In her work "Petersstraße Frankfurt," the Wiesbaden-based artist reveals what fascinates her about them: For some, such a kiosk might be a controversial place, a veritable social hub where people from all walks of life stand together, chat, buy things, eat, drink, and smoke. For others, however, like the artist herself, it is a nostalgic and vibrant place. The displays and window decorations, the signs and advertisements, the graffiti – all of this seems rather tranquil, even melancholic, in our fast-paced times. Through her artwork, these historical witnesses, which fortunately still exist in their characteristic form in some German cities like Frankfurt am Main and Berlin, are preserved and thus, at least in a picturesque way, protected from transience and oblivion. Another subject in her artistic work is the depiction of shop windows of all kinds, for example, those decorated with fabrics or flowers, but also ice cream parlors and, in particular, clothing stores, as the work "Repeat II" exemplifies. In the large windows, spanning two floors, are mannequins, and the surroundings are reflected in the panes: trees and buildings blend together and almost confuse the viewer's gaze into the shop's display. At the same time, it is a snapshot of the interplay of several factors, because depending on the time of day or the weather, the reflection in the window changes, so that it appears as a unique image each time it is viewed and thus never looks the same. Furthermore, this circular building—again a symbol of human creation—was erected in the 1950s, while the fashion exhibited here is from spring, and the reflection takes place in the present. Since 2009, there has also been a special "portrait" series featuring the iconic Converse shoes. These shoes, also known as "Chucks," were worn by virtually everyone; they are sporty and casual, but due to their fabric material, not very durable. For the artist, these shoes reveal the character of the wearer, who, incidentally, is known to the artist for almost every shoe depicted. In contrast to the meticulously realistic paintings of the Chucks, which have been worn with love and have experienced much, the backgrounds are often blurred, abstract, or ornamental. This is the case in the work "26.04.15," where the white background with black lettering is depicted with absolute realism, like an emblem. The date of completion is also the title of this composition. The artist Anke Rohde is fascinated by everything that humans construct and produce, including handcrafted objects. Architecture, urban architecture, painting, music, and even graffiti, for example, represent for her the "concentrated expression of culture," and she translates this into compelling and skillful visual representations in her artistic work. A report from: ARTPROFIL - Magazine for Art, Issue 126, © Syntax. Projektfabrik GmbH, 68219 Mannheim, Germany, www.artprofil-kunstmagazin.com, Email: redaktion@artprofil-kunstmagazin.com

A bust, 18 paintings, and a drawing, all focusing on photorealism and hyperrealism, are currently on display at the Municipal Gallery in Walldorf's town hall. The range of subjects is as diverse as it is impressive. Mörfelden-Walldorf. To see and be seen. Exhibition openings at the Municipal Gallery in Walldorf are among the cultural highlights of the twin city. Once again, organizer Otto Schaffner has succeeded in bringing a worthwhile and engaging show to the public with the Ulrich Gering Gallery from Frankfurt. On display are 18 paintings, a drawing, and a terracotta bust on the theme "Realism – A Visual Language Yesterday and Today," featuring contemporary realistic art with a focus on photorealism and hyperrealism. Around 60 guests attended the opening, including loyal patrons from the ranks of local artists. Everyone took the opportunity for lively conversations, though only with a few of the exhibiting artists. According to Schaffner, the reason not everyone attended was that the journey would have been too long for many. Remaining true to its style, Mayor Heinz-Peter Becker also took the opportunity to admire the new exhibition with all its impressions and to welcome the art enthusiasts. He thanked Schaffner for making it possible and pointed out that the exhibiting gallery has existed since 1973, and in Frankfurt since 1981. It has always remained true to its style. Gallery owner Ulrich Gering also serves as a jury member for the annual sculpture park in Mörfelden-Walldorf. In a brief address, Gering recalled the changes in art since the Third Reich. The "Young Wild Ones" took over painting in the 1980s, with realism taking a back seat. Nevertheless, he opened his gallery in Frankfurt in 1981, focusing on this style. Every artist tries to tell their stories. The paintings achieve their purpose when viewers find themselves reflected in them. The Mona Lisa's Smile: Among the most impressive works in the exhibition is Michele Fiore's 50 x 40 cm oil portrait of a young woman, whose barely perceptible and mysterious smile is reminiscent of the Mona Lisa. The young woman's shoulder- and sleeveless red clothing and red turban, along with her red lipstick, blend seamlessly with the equally red background. Only the pale skin of her face, neck, décolletage, and upper arms remains visually distinct. The painting "Christin 2" has the quality of a photograph. Measuring 80 x 190 cm, Peter Handel has rendered a full-length portrait of a reclining woman in oils. The exhibits also include motifs such as three cups, architectural views (sometimes from an angle), and street scenes with shop windows and their reflections. In addition, there is a large-format view of an autumn forest in muted colors, yet not gloomy, with mist rising in the distance, as well as a portrait that transitions from the eyes into a cityscape of Barcelona, landscapes, and Venice. The cityscape of the former trading metropolis shows, among other things, a small shipyard for gondolas and buildings of morbid charm behind one of the many bridges. They are reflected in the green canal with the gentle waves of the lagoon city. The oldest work on display is a framed pencil drawing by Eugen Jak from 1905. The expressive lines on the yellowed paper depict an old woman with the marks of life on her face and her upper body bare in profile. Works by artists including Claus Delvaux, Clemens Erlenbach, Joerg Eyfferth, Michele Fiore, Manfred Hönig, Sabine Liebchen, Anke Rhode, Gerda Raichle, and Johannes Schramm are also exhibited. Siggi Liersch provided musical accompaniment for the opening with guitar music and vocals. Tomorrow, Wednesday, a literary evening with Hans ter Wolbeek and Hartwig Kittler will take place starting at 6:30 p.m. The closing event on the last day of the exhibition, Sunday, March 25, will feature pianist Gerd Koellner. Until then, the exhibition can be viewed free of charge on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Municipal Gallery above the Walldorf Town Hall, Waldstraße 100.

By Sebastian Schwappacher, MÖRFELDEN-WALLDORF – At first glance, some of the paintings are indistinguishable from photographs. However, upon closer inspection of the canvases in the Municipal Gallery, countless fine brushstrokes become visible. Reducing the works to this aspect alone would be a mistake. The artists of the exhibition "Realism – A Visual Language, Yesterday and Today" are not concerned with mere reproduction. They create their own worlds, play with perspectives, and capture moods and lighting conditions. Around 60 visitors came to the town hall, where singer-songwriter Siggi Liersch played guitar and sang songs by Bob Dylan and John Lennon amidst the canvases and a sculpture. "The hall is full; the effort was worthwhile," said gallery owner Gering with satisfaction. Since 1973, he has exclusively represented contemporary, realistic art, with a focus on photorealism and hyperrealism. The exhibition "Realism – A Visual Language, Yesterday and Today" is on display until March 25. Gerd Koellner will play the piano at the closing event starting at 6:30 p.m. Until then, the Municipal Gallery is open Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Admission is free. The exhibition space is located in the town hall at Waldstraße 100. Koellner conceived the exhibition in Walldorf as diverse and showcasing different artistic approaches. Streetscapes, crashing waves, and a still life of three cups are on display. An oil painting by Peter Handel immediately catches the eye. His large-format work, "Christin 2," hangs prominently opposite the entrance and depicts a sleeping woman in a swimsuit, seemingly lost in a strange, dreamy reverie. While a comparison between painterly perfection and photography is particularly compelling here, other works are far less photorealistic. The subject matter always depends on the artist. How exactly a subject is rendered always depends on the theme the artist is exploring, explained gallery owner Gering. He does not see a competition between realistic painting and photography. "A good realist invents their own reality." This allows a painter to express themselves more freely on canvas and distinguishes themselves from naturalists or photographers through their inventiveness. Whether the exhibited motifs have a counterpart in reality remains the artists' secret. But this doesn't make them any less impressive. Jürgen Schmitz's "Autumn Forest" is just one example of a painting that immediately captivates the viewer. In the background, the sun shines dazzlingly bright, creating a strong contrast to the dark trees. A scene from Venice, painted by Manfred Hönig, is quite different. While the forest appears enigmatic and latently threatening, Hönig's painting is clear and open. Other works on display are by Claus Delvaux, Clemens Erlenbach, Joerg Eyfferth, Michele Fiore, Sabine Liebchen, Anke Rhode, Gerda Raichle, and Johannes Schramm. At the opening, Mayor Heinz-Peter Becker (SPD) thanked the members of the Municipal Gallery, especially Ulrich Gering and the artists. Becker noted that Gering has been connected to Mörfelden-Walldorf for many years and regularly supports the sculpture park as a jury member. This commitment, Becker added, has also contributed to the open-air exhibition's success. The annual exhibition of the South Hessian Professional Association of Visual Artists will take place in the Municipal Gallery in April. A joint exhibition by Reiner W. Kemmler, Kathrin Gordan, and Otto Schaffner is planned for the summer.

"ANKE'S FAVORITES" Exhibition at Anke Rohde's Studio & Project Space in Wiesbaden-Schierstein to benefit the Fasanerie Support Association. "ANKE'S FAVORITES – exhibiting and supporting" is the name of a new exhibition series in Wiesbaden-Schierstein, initiated by the artist Anke Rohde. The first exhibition features paintings by Angela Cremer, photographs by Brigitta Fiesel, sculptures by artists including Wilma Hagemann, and, of course, paintings by Anke Rohde herself. The exhibition opens on November 25th. The artists and the chairwoman of the Fasanerie Support Association, Conny Kempken, will be present. Two things are important to Anke Rohde, which she hopes to achieve through this exhibition: networking among artists and assuming social responsibility. In her artistic work, Anke Rohde has been exploring the theme of reflection for several years. Her research began with the reflections in small Sanbitter glass bottles. She quickly discovered urban spaces as a source of endless reflections. Anke Rohde captures the fascinating interplay between the goods behind the glass and the life in front of it with her photorealistic painting style. In her work, Angela Cremer explores the meaning of painting itself and within its contemporary context. She is equally interested in questions concerning the balance between surface, material, and motif, as well as the possibility of interpreting painting beyond language. She questions the boundaries of painting, attempting to expand them. The disorientation created by the material, the motifs reminiscent of ornament, and the monotonously layered treatment of the surface explore the proximity to and boundaries of craft and design. Compared to the mass of visual messages surrounding us, her paintings are similar to the state of immersion in water: still, unclear, suspended, slowed down, and free from any intention. Seeing itself gains significance here. Brigitta Fiesel's photographs expand the perceptual limits of the human eye and add her own personal perspective within the legacy of Otto Steinert. Her images are explorations of space, perspective, and light. Complex shadows, reflections, abstraction, and interpretation intensify the atmosphere. Wilma Hagemann, through her predilection for the themes of landscape, sky, and clouds, has found her way from painting to three-dimensional work. She is particularly drawn to the combination of materials such as wire and cellulose—industrial material and natural substance. Despite the diverse artistic means, parallels, commonalities, and connections can be found in the artists' work. The exhibition "Anke's Favorites" invites visitors to explore these connections and, in doing so, contribute to the construction of the "walk-in sheepfold" in the Wiesbaden Fasanerie. The opening reception will take place on Saturday, November 25, 2017, at 7:00 p.m. in Anke Rohde's studio and project space, Kettenbornstraße 3, 65201 Wiesbaden-Schierstein. Following the welcome and introduction of the artists, Anke Rohde and Conny Kempken will further explore the connection between art and nature. All are cordially invited. The exhibition is open until December 10, 2017. Opening hours are Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 2 pm to 6 pm. In addition to viewing during regular opening hours, there are artist talks every day at 3:30 pm. Contact: Anke Rohde 49 179 1047305 mail@ankerohde.de Kettenbornstr. 3, 65201 Wiesbaden-Schierstein Further links: http://www.ankerohde.de/ http://www.angelacremer.de/ http://www.brigittafiesel.de http://www.wilma-hagemann.de/

From Urban Life: Anke Rohde Recently Opened Her New Studio in Schierstein By Christine Dressler Anke Rohde has been painting since childhood, but first studied business administration before turning her passion for art into a profession. Now, the 49-year-old painter from Sonnenberg has opened her own studio at Kettenbornstraße 3. Anke Rohde calls her new studio a "project space" because she uses the 80 square meters not only for working. In the former Ambrosius textile shop, Rohde also exhibits her oil and acrylic paintings and offers other artists space for projects, such as the opening exhibition by Martina Pfeffer: Until the end of 2015, the Minden-based artist's performance video "pure white," showcasing her felted body coverings, will be on display in the back room. Anke Rohde began exhibiting nationwide in Minden before moving to Wiesbaden in 2007 with her husband and their daughters, now 18 and 15 years old. Born and raised in Stuttgart, she chose the Gymnasium (grammar school) according to her art teacher and later attended many courses, but for a long time didn't dare to pursue her passion professionally. Instead, she studied business administration in Karlsruhe and worked there at Hewlett Packard, as well as in Bremen in controlling, until her family moved to Minden in 2002. There, Anke Rohde joined the art association and studied fine arts at Bremen University of the Arts, receiving her certificate in 2007. Only after exhibitions in Germany and London did she finally become a full-time freelance artist in 2010. In 2013 and 2014, she commuted weekly from Sonnenberg to Bonn for her studies. Rohde lacked only one thing: ideal studio space. "At home, I only have a 30-square-meter room in the basement and very little peace and quiet," she explains, describing how work and family life clashed. In 2014, she rented a studio in the Old Courthouse until November. "I loved being there, but there was no way to exhibit or heat properly, and at eleven or twelve degrees Celsius I couldn't paint anymore." Once again confined to the basement, the member of the Walkmühle art association spent months driving around Wiesbaden in search of suitable premises. Anke Rohde can hardly believe her luck at having found this space in September, in the former fabric shop of the Ambrosius family: "I haven't even arrived yet," she says, looking around with a radiant smile. "Here, in the atmosphere of my current paintings, I can create my next ones," she enthuses, praising how perfectly the shop serves as both a studio and gallery, "killing two birds with one stone." Before the grand opening in November, which was overrun by around 60 enthusiastic visitors, Anke Rohde installed a kitchen, gathered the few pieces of furniture, and protected the floor in the light-filled entrance room from paint splatters with PVC. Here, Anke Rohde paints for hours almost every day at her easel in front of the window, creating photorealistic still lifes, Old Master-style portraits, or, in extremely tall formats, individual figures gazing into the distance from behind, but above all, she works on her "urban life" series. This is evidenced by the majority of the approximately 20 paintings currently on display in the rooms. As melancholic as they are life-affirming, their paintings often reflect cities like Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, or now, on her easel, Ghent. To simultaneously reflect inner and outer worlds, emotions and times, the visible and the unconscious, Anke Rohde layers dozens of her own photographs. "I always have my camera with me." On canvas, the artist uses models ranging from Albrecht Dürer to Edward Hopper to correct perspectives and meticulously adds details in glazes with numerous brushes. She finds balance in her family and hobbies: "I spend a lot of time gardening, hiking, skiing, and enjoying being in nature." For more information, contact the artist Anke Rohde directly at her studio in Schierstein, Kettenbornstraße 3/corner of Reichsapfelstraße, which is usually open Fridays from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m., by email at mail@ankerohde.de, by phone at 49 179 1047305, or online at www.ankerohde.de.

Personal Reflections on the Urban by Dr. Elke Ullrich In Anke Rohde's current paintings, the urban environment, the reflections of architectural forms and their products, plays the central role. The viewer is drawn into sometimes disorienting perspectives of surfaces and planes that shift and overlap like a kaleidoscope. Behind the large facades of buildings lie both objects and personal human details that fill the spaces with life and can tell episodic stories. These "interior views" are the subject of numerous paintings by Anke Rohde. It all began with a red sofa, which served as the photographic model for her first photorealistic painting in 2004. Its forbidding backrest and the initially somewhat rough-hewn texture of the furniture are translated from an anonymous photograph into a perspective whose fragmentary nature will be characteristic of many subsequent paintings. The artist takes fragments of human objects from photographs and transforms them into paintings that play with representation and so-called reality. The outside world appears focused and, in its painterly guise, takes on an expanded "appearance": Multiple isolated products of individuals are depicted, offering a different perspective on the world. The individuals themselves are mostly engaged in quiet, detached activities, thus sharply emphasizing their own situation. Following this approach, found photographs, including those from daily newspapers, are used as source material for the acrylic paintings—for example, "Swimmer" (2005), which, in a streamlined format, captures the powerful movement amidst a surging sea of color. The athlete's concentration and strength allow no outside world to be perceived. The depicted person and their face turn away from the viewer. This attitude is also evident in "Esther I" (2006), a painting in which the traditional linocut stamp technique is used alongside brushstrokes to create the red background. We never look into the eyes of the portraits, never into their inner selves. Rather, they remain anonymous, yet they also appear close and personal when we focus on a detail, much like the everyday and fragmentary nature of human perception. Thus, the viewer always remains a spectator, sometimes almost a voyeur, as they—aided by the flatly detailed painting style—gain insight into unfamiliar interiors or situations and look up upon public space. The artistic method of using existing images and found material in the form of photographs as motifs draws on numerous precedents in art history; the most prominent in this context is undoubtedly Gerhard Richter. His gigantic "Atlas" (1962–2013), a thematically and chronologically arranged compendium of both public and private paintings and sketches, accompanied the artist throughout his career and simultaneously functions as a kind of cultural visual memory, its title emphatically demonstrating its claim to absolute truth in its view of the world. Anke Rohde initially took up this motif deliberately after her own experience of seeing an original of Richter's painted cloudscapes. However, in 2013, the clouds created in 2005 were transformed through overpainting into an urban "facade," thus literally overlaying the former natural view of the cloud formation with the current theme of urbanity. Since finishing university, Anke Rohde has also used her own photographs, some of which only mature into motifs for her acrylic paintings years later. Her imagery is gathered during walks through publicly accessible spaces and places. Personal biographical images, such as those of her daughters, find their way into her paintings, as do individual objects and articles of clothing discovered in magazines, which she develops over the years into series she calls "picture stories." A beginning of this series is the green "Racing Jacket" in acrylic on canvas from 2007, which, in three versions, represents not a human model, not any dynamism, but only itself as the outward appearance of an absent person. As a kind of postmodern still life, it represents a manufactured protective shell devoid of life – who owns it, who is supposed to buy it? The absence of something or someone brings renewed tension to these seemingly inanimate worlds. The largest ongoing series, dating back to 2009, is the "Chucks." These iconic shoes, sporty and casual yet quickly susceptible to aging due to their material, represent a classic of footwear fashion, unrivaled in its versatility as a basketball shoe originally developed in America around 100 years ago. Thus, the "portraits" of the numerous Chucks are mostly an individual reflection of their owners, whose identities are known in almost every image. The title of each painting indicates the date of its completion. The series, however, began in an almost "political" vein: Anke Rohde painted one of the first Chucks, "Chuck 20.01.09," in reference to the historically significant inauguration of Barack Obama as the first African-American president of the USA, placing it like a monument against a motif of the American flag. In subsequent works, thematic connections often emerge between the depicted shoe portrait and the background, such as the concrete walls of a neighboring property or the garden. Formally, the painter emphasizes the contrast between the clearly defined object and its ornamental background (similar to her use of racing jackets). These thematic fragments of the clear pictorial planes are disrupted in the "Sanbitter" series, which began in 2012 and, in the medium of oil painting, takes up the recurring motif of reflections. Sanbitter is a genuinely bitter drink, often used in urban bars as a non-alcoholic liqueur substitute for mixed drinks; a trendy beverage packaged in a small, tapered glass bottle. But what else is it? The empty Italian container, with its elegant form, invites its use as a vase, thus transforming into a frequently employed repurposed item that subtly reveals the consumer's taste. In the shifting scale of the painted image, this delicate, reflective bottle acquires a monumental quality while simultaneously reflecting shadows from its surroundings, albeit almost imperceptibly. For Anke Rohde, it is a subject rooted in the still-life tradition. Here, however, formal rather than symbolic aspects are emphasized. Flowers from her garden populate the painter's home at the beginning of spring, simultaneously placing their variations as models within the well-proportioned container: chives, jasmine, and forget-me-nots stand alone in the empty space, defying any real sense of place, and in their glassy, barely perceptible differences, they sometimes recall the glasses that Peter Dreher has been painting conceptually every day for fifty years. Similarly solitary are Anke Rohde's figures, which turn their backs on us, are depicted against a gray background, and themselves act as viewers, extending the viewer's gaze into nothingness. Reflecting their undefined environment, these works, created between 2006 and 2013, are titled "Monochrome I – V"—once again, the picture plane dissolves, leaving a sense of unease. Anke Rohde stands in the photorealistic painting tradition, which, as early as the 1970s, explored and caused a sensation by using light reflections, refractions, and surface textures to investigate essential aspects of painting—light and color—as exemplified by the work of Richard Estes. Her urban superimpositions, which re-examine regional cityscapes of airports, banks, and shop windows, as seen in "Repeat, Frankfurt" from 2014, are rooted in this thematic field. Even in paintings like "Travel Value" or "Lunch Time" (both 2012), views of airport or bank buildings, despite their meticulous detail, acquire an abstract quality, reflecting the ubiquitous questions of art: What is real, what is scenery, and what is illusion? Where is the imitation of nature capable of reaching further levels, and, above all, where in these spaces is humankind situated? Anke Rohde explores these questions – always in search of her own painterly perfection. © Dr. Elke Ullrich. Dr. Elke Ullrich works as a freelance art historian and author. She lives in Wiesbaden and is a member of the board of the Nassauischer Kunstverein (Nassau Art Association).

DONAUKURIER BEILNGRIES created on 11/10/2013 at 18:56 updated on 31/01/2017 at 22:46 Anke Rohde is this year's guest artist of Susanne Steibl-Winter. A love of detail Beilngries (arg) Drawing a red sofa "in as much detail as possible" was an assignment Anke Rohde received during her studies. And her first thought at the time, she remembers clearly, was: "How silly!" "Nothing can be as abstract as reality": Under this motto, the Wiesbaden artist Anke Rohde draws scenes from everyday life. This weekend and next, she is exhibiting her works in the Roßturm together with goldsmith Susanne Steibl-Winter. - Photo: Adam Although she had enjoyed painting as a child and had worked enthusiastically with paint and canvas all her life, until then she had created rather abstract works. “But then I discovered how much fun it was to actually draw things, I was thrilled,” the artist says today. And she has stuck with representational painting. She finds her subjects in her everyday surroundings, drawing everyday objects like sneakers, clothing, and people with great attention to detail, and also dedicating herself to Sanbitter bottles and flowers. Her current favorite theme: reflections and “urban life,” cityscapes with escalators in department stores or skyscrapers, where perfectly staged reflections of light captivate the viewer. The Wiesbaden-based artist is currently exhibiting 41 of her works at the Roßturm in Beilngries, together with the Beilngries goldsmith and designer Susanne Steibl-Winter (inset photo), who is once again offering a glimpse into her latest gold jewelry collection. Steibl-Winter has crafted delicate necklaces, striking rings, and extraordinary earrings from pearls, diamonds, and tourmaline stones. “I’ve once again placed a strong emphasis on wedding rings,” reveals the artist, who lovingly presents all her precious jewelry pieces in glass display cases. Deputy Mayor Manfred Thoma (BL/FW) was also impressed by the diversity of the exhibition at the opening, admiring both the jewelry and the paintings. He was, of course, delighted that Anke Rohde had only praise for Beilngries. “It’s truly beautiful here. I’ve even invited my whole family, and we’ll be spending our vacation here,” said Rohde. The exhibition by “Turmalin, Atelier für Gold und Farbe” (Turmalin, Studio for Gold and Color) in the Roßturm (Horse Tower) is open this Saturday and Sunday, as well as on Saturday, October 19, and Sunday, October 20, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Further information about the Turmalin project, previous exhibitions, and the artists can be found online at www.turmalin-beilngries.de. By Regine Adam

"In-Between Spaces." Sparkasse Art Prize 2013. Ladies and gentlemen, allow me, as I begin my speech on the works of the prize winners, to broaden the horizon and offer a brief reflection on spatial thinking in the present day. What space do we mean when we speak of space? After the geopolitical obsessions, expansions, and losses of the 20th century, space as a theoretical concept was contaminated for a considerable period; it seemed unusable because it was identified with power politics and the pursuit of possession. It took many decades before the concept of space was once again open to scientific theories and artistic inquiry. But this has now been the case for at least two decades: We are experiencing an astonishing increase in topics and theories that relate to space. Today, we no longer primarily define our relationship to the world through phenomena of time, which was the guiding category of progress-believing modernity, but rather through our relationship to space. Karlsruhe, in particular, has been a major source of inspiration for spatial thinking: Peter Sloterdijk, with his Spheres Trilogy, has established himself as an expert on the metaphysical and terrestrial habitability of the world. He countered Hegel's assertion that philosophy grasps its time in thought with the demand that philosophy should grasp its space in thought. Following the linguistic turn and concurrently with the iconic turn, the humanities and cultural studies are experiencing the topographical or spatial turn, that is, the turn to space in its manifold possibilities of interpretation. For space is equally marked urbanistically or architecturally; it can be occupied psychologically, socially, and in terms of gender—the key term here being gendered spaces—it can transcend boundaries as virtual space, and it is, of course, an essential paradigm of artistic thought in the present. What all these interpretations have in common is that space is not understood as a simply physically existing or immutably given condition of perception, but rather as a culturally shaped quantity that can be altered by people. Contemporary spatial theories are primarily in-between-space theories, meaning they are less interested in traditional, fixed spaces than in forms of opening, perforation, and fluidity of space. Today, the focus is on mediations between spaces, on zones of transition, on thresholds and interfaces. Through space as in-between space, we gain access to previously marginalized spaces and to hidden messages that still need to be deciphered. The fact that this theme is also gaining traction in the arts is evidenced by the impressive number of submissions for the 2013 Sparkasse Art Prize. 438 artists explored the potential of this theme. Not all of them engage with the discourse of more recent theory, because "in-between" can simply mean that a place is clearly and unambiguously defined by two boundaries. This is the case, for example, when there are sightlines between two boundaries. Venice seems to be the classic locus for spectacular vistas: Claus Delvaux and Manfred Hönig offer realistic depictions of the lagoon city, one a view of a palazzo, the other into the narrow passage between two rows of houses. Much more concise, by contrast, is the work of Kiyoun Kim, who directs the gaze outward as if from a cave, the white at the center of his large-format drawing paper being legible as both sky and emptiness. Hermann Günther and Gerd Konrad present us with places in transition in their images, places imbued with a temporal dimension: Günther's is a ruin overgrown with vegetation, where nature and culture merge into a fascinating hybrid, while Konrad depicts modern glass architecture, its perfectly reflective surface torn open in the process of demolition, revealing glimpses into its chaotic interior – a modern vanitas image. Often, these interstitial spaces contrast with inhabited and lived-in spaces where people find their homes. But there are exceptions: such as Werner Brandt's paintings in the hallway between the studio and the children's room. Here, in the best Western tradition, the interior reveals itself as a site for appropriating and processing the world. The stacked artworks, like the objects lying around, bear witness to their owners, the inhabitants of the interior. In his painting "What Remains?", Veit Seckendorf intensifies several interiors into a surreal, nested, claustrophobic sequence of spaces, at the end of which a solitary child has found its place, while in "Space Filter I," Katharina Veerkamp uses mirror effects to suggestively blur the spatial relationship between interior and exterior. The well-ordered interior space is thrown off its hinges precisely where it intersects with the outside: at the glass door. The idea that spaces can defy a clear categorization as inside or outside, that something indeterminate and transitory manifests itself within them—this assumption seems to be shared by many of the artists exhibited here. Let us consider, for example, the liminal space as seen by Anne Janoschka: In her painting "The Sleepers," we see isolated human feet and hands amidst the interior of a railway compartment. Private retreat and semi-public space merge here in a bizarre mixture, illogically overlaid by flat pictorial structures. The world of traffic, of travel, which surrenders the individual to the provisional and ephemeral—this world of transit spaces—is expanding ever further in our reality. And one is tempted here to quote the distinction made by the French anthropologist Marc Augé, who speaks of "places" and "non-places": In contrast to the old, identity-forming places, Augé's non-places are those without a center, without history, without identity. Typical non-places are all mobile dwellings and all transit spaces such as airports, train stations, rest stops, and amusement parks. Anke Rohde captured the airport transit area in her painting "Travel Value": a high-gloss floor forms an empty center around which various mobility aids are arranged—the escalator, the elevator, and different airport-typical means of transport in an almost deserted space. Non-places often offer opportunities to experience solitary individuality and non-human communication. Here, the world of signs and signals reigns. Non-places are not spaces for action, but rather those where nomadic behavior such as wandering, hurrying, and idle waiting prevail. In this sense, Monika Geisbüsch interprets the accumulation of symbols and communication via new media as signs of existential loneliness in her painting "Waiting." Two men in the non-place of a shopping mall or train station, isolated from one another but absorbed in their mobile phones, smartphones, or Blackberries: the in-between space as a place of failed interpersonal communication and disrupted participation in public life. Interstitial spaces are also spaces of possibility, spaces that can be reoccupied as free spaces, populated by abysmal, grotesque, hybrid, or gender-ambiguous figures. We see counter-worlds to our familiar ones in Manfred Seifert's sultry harem fantasy, nightmarish elements in the elevated railway scenarios with wild animals by Elke Schober and Lars Henning, and surreal elements in Wolfgang Vogt's image titled "Dimension," in which the possibilities of digital image generation lead to an absurd constellation of interior and exterior spaces with people, animals, and cryptic symbols between heaven and earth. Walls, thresholds, and boundaries are relative concepts that can be easily combined digitally to form a fantastic image. Indeed, virtual space is the space of possibility par excellence. Digital visions seem to transcend all spatial fictions of our human imagination. The principle of the unlimited, of fluid transitions, and of the unforeseeable and the indeterminate is omnipresent in digital spaces. Yet digital space is marked in two ways: on the one hand, in the sense of complete boundlessness, and on the other, in the sense of computer science, by the simple duality of the binary code of 0 and 1. These digital codes do not represent an in-between, but rather an ultimately inescapable system logic of present or absent signs that knows no connecting third element. The binary code 0 and 1 stands for yes/no, on/off, for a world in which it is pointless to search for in-between spaces. This ambivalence of the digital world seems to be the theme of Christian Ulrich's 3D graphic "The Truth Lies in Between." In a perspective view, we see two digitally generated walls of text overlapping multiple times: on the left, the word "Black" in black letters, and on the right, the word "White" in white letters. The simple contrast of black and white tips into an overly complex pictorial structure that narrows like a canyon into the background and can no longer be deciphered visually. Here, the artist seems to be pointing to the general incompatibility of binary systems with the realm of truth, which is always an intermediate space beyond simple oppositions. Back from the digital to the analog world. A number of the artists work with sculptural or relief-like pictorial structures in which physical spaces are created quite concretely between layers or elements of the image, as in Norbert Huwer's work entitled "Neither Spaces Miss Anything" or Volker Tinti's "Spatial Concentration II." While the aforementioned artists move within the geometric repertoire of concrete art, in Jin Sue Rhee's multi-layered collage we see fascinating microcosms of paper cutouts and folds that offer glimpses of picturesque urban landscapes. Interstices also nestle between the layers of Harald Kröner's paper work Cut # 18, in which he forms a delicate relief of horizontal paper strips and vertical struts. Now to the prize winners. Michael Rausch convinced the jury with his large-format etching Hay. Technically perfect, the artist shows us the horizontal furrows of a hay-covered field. Each individual stalk seems identifiable. But in close-up, a structure emerges in which the spaces between the elements of the image, the dark zones between the stalks and stubble of the hay, appear just as important to the overall picture as the hay itself. Here we are dealing with the continuation of the classic theme of modern art—at least since Cézanne—with the changing meaning of figure and ground, with the equivalence of the subject matter and the zones between the objects. The logical consequence of this non-hierarchical arrangement of all elements within the image is its opening to the outside. It points beyond its boundaries. Michael Rausch shows us, as it were, only a small section of the endless continuum of the field. This simple yet complex image struck the jury as worthy of a prize. Richard Williams, the winner of the second prize, in stark contrast to Rausch's open and non-hierarchical pictorial structure, introduces a striking transitional zone, a critical point—the place where the protagonist of the two-part image, a white-gray spotted turtle, escapes the menacing net of a fish trap to venture into the boundless expanse of the sea. Here, the space in between is emphasized as a space of freedom, a path into the open. Undoubtedly, Richard Williams is also concerned with the diversity of materials, which translate into contrasting pictorial structures: the grid structure of the net, the amorphous texture of the animal's skin, the monochrome surface of the water—a concise, highly unusual image whose suggestive power is difficult for the viewer to resist. From the field, across the water, back to land, to the chicken coop, and to the winner of the first prize. Agnes Märkel doesn't present us with a rural idyll, but—as the title suggests—a battleground: an aggressive interplay of poultry, cockfights, translated into a dense, pulsating texture. Agnes Märkel's art is always about spaces in between. This is inherent in her method of image creation, in which the unity of the image is disrupted, the image disintegrates into individual fragments, only to reassemble into a new artistic whole. The starting point for her work was a photograph of a chicken coop. As is well known, spaces in this area are not random, but regulated and controlled throughout the EU. If a farm wants to be certified as organic, the farmer must ensure adequate spacing between the animals. Agnes Märkel manipulated her source material, the photograph of the chicken coop, cutting the image into 24 squares and then shifting every other square laterally, creating a checkerboard-like pattern. The unity of the photographic image and photography as a documentary medium were thereby destroyed, and internal relationships within the image were disrupted. The artist has further developed these resulting intermediate zones with pastel drawings. She masterfully navigates the spaces between – between system and chaos, between the strict chessboard pattern and the irregular gathering of animals, between the media of photography and drawing. It is worthwhile to contemplate this newly created, dense web of the image through the interplay of close-up and distant views. "Combat Zone" is a space of unrest that also sets us, the viewers, in motion – a puzzle for the eyes and the mind – in any case, a highly prize-worthy work. I warmly congratulate all the prize winners and wish you, ladies and gentlemen, an inspiring encounter with the works in the exhibition. Pia Müller-Tamm

Describe the item or answer the question so that site visitors who are interested get more information. You can emphasize this text with bullets, italics or bold, and add links.