Florian Krewer, born in Germany in 1986, has lived and worked in New York since 2020. His figurative works are about the instinctive process of finding one's own belonging to society and the tension with which he is confronted in everyday life. He developed his distinctive style at the Düsseldorf Art Academy and took Europe's painterly tradition with him when he moved to New York. Influences from Goya, Titian and Rembrandt, as well as Francis Bacon's sketches of interior spaces, can be found in his work. Distorted perspectives and consistently contrasting chromaticism as well as mannered figures are significant stylistic devices in his work.
The actors in his pictures often seem to be copied in, not interacting with each other in direct dialogue, but on two different levels. Interior and exterior life play an essential role. The extent to which one's own identity, emotional inner life and daily actions contrast is directly related to the immediate environment. Interior spaces can be seen as safe places for self-realization, and outdoor spaces can often be seen as exciting stages. Gender roles and the associated stereotypes are an important topic for Krewer. In the paintings he explores his feminine side and questions common gender roles and expectations that accompany them. The tension inherent in the works reflects the pressure of social norms and expectations. Krewer's paintings are wild, untamed depictions of queer sexuality and realities of life, in which fear and desire are connected by a neon pink thread. In the interview, the artist talks about his creative process and the influence and energy of New York.
Read more at: Florian Krewer: Swimming with crocodiles. A conversation by Lorenz Ecker, Kunstforum