Janaina Tschäpe delves into the intersection of body and material across a diverse spectrum of artistic mediums including paintings, drawings, performances, and photography. Her abstract canvases exude a sense of fluidity, evoking plant, animal, and mineral forms set amidst untamed terrestrial and aquatic landscapes. This aquatic motif permeates her photographic works, capturing the essence of seas, rivers, and lakes. Tschäpe’s art mirrors natural metamorphosis and mutation, echoed in her performances that explore physical transformation. Dominated by organic shapes, her paintings come alive through dynamic gestures where swift lines intersect with bold brushstrokes. Rather than mere depiction, she imbues her work with the vital rhythms of nature, crafting a visually compelling and ever-evolving pictorial language.
Tchäpe’s work is found in important public collections including Centre Pompidou, Paris, France; Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid, Spain; Harvard Art Museum, Cambridge, Massachusetts; Museu de Arte Moderna do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Moderna Museet, Stockholm, Sweden; Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary, Vienna, Austria; and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, and the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., among others. She has completed public commissions in New York City; Miami Beach, Florida; São Paulo, Brazil; and Holbæk, Denmark.