Dorothee Kreutzfeldt

Dorothee Kreutzfeldt (b. 1970, Namibia) is a distinguished contemporary artist whose practice is deeply intertwined with the socio-political context of Johannesburg and South Africa. Moving to Germany in 1982 due to political unrest, Kreutzfeldt returned to Namibia in 1992 and enrolled at the Michaelis School of Fine Art in 1993. Completing her studies in 1996, she worked in Cape Town as an artist, lecturer, and freelancer in the film industry and public art initiatives.

Since relocating to Johannesburg in 2000, Kreutzfeldt has focused on the city's constructed histories and spaces, exploring how they influence the experience of time, space, and subjectivity. Her artistic practice involves painting and collaborations across various media, often questioning land, space, and relationships through her work. Kreutzfeldt completed her MA in Fine Arts at the University of the Witwatersrand in 2004.

Sue Williamson describes Kreutzfeldt's art as engaging with images that already have a history, using them to set up a drama that challenges viewers' perceptions. Kreutzfeldt's recent solo exhibitions include "City Without a Sun" (2018), "EXTENSIONS TO THE LOT LINE" (2017), and "Here We" (2016). She co-authored the artist book "Not No Place, Johannesburg Fragments of Spaces and Times" with Bettina Malcomess in 2013 and was a founding member of The Joubert Park Project, running public art projects and residency programs.

Her work is represented in several private and public collections, including the Iziko South African National Gallery and the Johannesburg Art Gallery. Since 2012, Kreutzfeldt has lectured in the Division of Fine Arts at the Wits School of Arts and taught at various institutions, including the Michaelis School of Fine Art and the Market Photo Workshop.

Kreutzfeldt's artistic statement emphasizes her intrigue with land and its meaning, describing it as a site of sentiment and reflection. Her recent solo show, "26 acts of balance," explores themes of survival, longing, and desire through cinematic paintings that function like billboards. Kreutzfeldt continues to challenge the boundaries of art and space, making significant contributions to contemporary art discourse.