Cornelia Baltes's Spatial Paintings Create Playful Dialogue at Berlin Exhibition

Cornelia Baltes presented her exhibition 'Eigenbrötler' (Loner) at Eigen + Art Lab in Berlin from March 5 to April 10, 2021. The German-born, Slade-educated artist displayed eight paintings—some wall-mounted, others suspended and double-sided—alongside three murals. Her aesthetic employs restful color gradients with thick, cartoonish gestural marks that reference both high modernism and Pop minimalism. The installation creates a spatialized painting experience where colors and forms echo throughout the rooms, with pictorial elements engaging in playful conversation. Viewers navigate the space to discover alignments between canvases and murals, such as a Persian blue semicircular form against a buttery yellow expanse. References to Robert Motherwell's 'Elegy to the Spanish Republic' and Ellsworth Kelly appear subtly. Baltes integrates relational art and networked painting into her style, resulting in an easeful, convivial experience that feels like a balm. The exhibition was first covered in the April 2021 issue of ArtReview.