Christopher Kieling's geometric paintings of his girlfriend at home during quarantine

It's no surprise that Berlin-based artist Christopher Kieling made his latest series of paintings during lockdown. Featuring flat planes of colour characterised by muted pastel tones, the starring figure in the significant body of work is his girlfriend, Sierra.

Christopher Kieling, Sierra_S_32_V, 2020, Courtesy the artist and Grove Square Galleries

Christopher Kieling, SierraS32_V, 2020, Courtesy the artist and Grove Square Galleries

While the world was on hold, Kieling worked with what was available to him – his own home. Taking its architectural details, furniture and flooring, he places the graceful, organic figure of Sierra in multiple scenes against a backdrop of patterned, hard edges as he blurs the lines between what is deemed public and private – especially as we never see her face.

The patterns reflect the artist's interest in mathematics, geometry and crystallography, their limitlessness alluding to an expanse that is in stark contradiction to the stillness of the restricted space.

Influenced by the mathematically inspired works of Escher and Uglow, Kieling explores the pure language of painting–form, colour, composition–through layered imagery. He begins by sketching out his complex compositions and processing them digitally before starting to work on canvas. Using a mix of both acrylic and oil mediums, he combines hard geometric patterns and flowing simple lines to create the illusion of depth, drawing the eye across the surface into vistas and interior spaces.

Sierra by Christopher Kieling is on show at Grove Square Galleries from 8 October until 15 November 2020. To find out more about the artist, visit www.christopherkieling.com.

Christopher Kieling, Sierra_D4, 2020, Courtesy the artist and Grove Square Galleries

Christopher Kieling, Sierra_D4, 2020, Courtesy the artist and Grove Square Galleries

Christopher Kieling, Stuhl_GB_1, 2020, Courtesy the artist and Grove Square Galleries

Christopher Kieling, StuhlGB1, 2020, Courtesy the artist and Grove Square Galleries

Christopher Kieling, Sierra_S_32_V_2, 2020, Courtesy the artist and Grove Square Galleries

Christopher Kieling, SierraS32V2, 2020, Courtesy the artist and Grove Square Galleries

Christopher Kieling, #Stayhome, 2020, Courtesy the artist and Grove Square Galleries

Christopher Kieling, #Stayhome, 2020, Courtesy the artist and Grove Square Galleries

Christopher Kieling, Ficus_Elastica_A_1, 2020, Courtesy the artist and Grove Square Galleries

Christopher Kieling, FicusElasticaA_1, 2020, Courtesy the artist and Grove Square Galleries

Christopher Kieling, Sierra_CT_1, 2020, Courtesy the artist and Grove Square Galleries

Christopher Kieling, SierraCT1, 2020, Courtesy the artist and Grove Square Galleries

Christopher Kieling, Sierra_C2, 2020, Courtesy the artist and Grove Square Galleries

Christopher Kieling, Sierra_C2, 2020, Courtesy the artist and Grove Square Galleries

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