Franziska Koch’s body of work is defined by a vivid imagery associated with figuration while notably abstract elements are notably well embedded too. The basis for this imagery is the human figure, which is the fundamental compositional component in each of the works. Even though the human figure is the primary structural element, the way they are depicted on her canvases is consistently abstracted and reduced in descriptive detail; facial features often diminish or partially disappear (allowing for the possibility of the figures becoming abstract in their own right) and energetically function as fluid figures. This lack of seemingly imprecision does not affect the painting result; rather it emphasises the image’s dynamics through gesture, forms and the chromatic construction of the works’ surface.

A distinctive feature of the work is the artist’s highly controlled handling of paint, applied primarily with brushes and, at times, a spatula. While certain works contain areas where pigment becomes more fluid — allowing drips, stains, or softened transitions to emerge, as seen in ‘Wet Hug’ (2025) — the overall process remains deliberate and materially precise.

The colours used throughout the paintings are predominantly heavy-hued but still hold a grounded feeling: bright fuchsia’s, deep pink, electricblue, bright green, and dark brown appear on many of the pieces. These bright colours are not treated naively; but rather through stronger commnad and tonal range, a a feeling of density and weight dominate Koch’s canvases.

words: yannis kostarias

The dissolution of form is one of the primary compositional strategies across Koch’s paintings. The majority of the figures, especially in groups, often have no definitive or distinct facial features. The figures possess both physical fluidity and interconnectedness, resulting in a high degree of overlapping of the figures. For instance, in one painting such as the ‘Glatzed’ (2025), the character’s body in the foreground is emphasized through greater pigment density and structured brush work, while the second figure is depicted over (and through) the first figure as a larger and semi-transparent form, which either obscures, wraps, or flows into the first figure.

The overall significance of these works by Franziska Koch is that the artist has created a purposeful formal exploration into the construction of fluid and semi-specific human bodies. By eliminating identifiable features from the human figures in these works, the artist has turned the body into a surface for technical experimentation, utilising the physical characteristics associated with paint (i.e., the transparency, viscosity, and ability to be poured and layered) as the primary considerations in her art-making. The use of intense, structured colour not only provides the artist with a colour palette; it also serves as both the construction material and the consumable material used to form human figures, resulting in a significant formal statement on the physicality of humans.

How would you define your work in a few words (ideally in 3 words)?

Loose, direct, playful.

Could you share with us some insights on your new work named ‘Glatze’ (2025)? Is there any particular story behind this new painting?

The work “Glatze” (2025) explores themes of queer community, gender expression, and identity through a seemingly ordinary but intimate scene. At the centre of the painting, a person is sitting in a relaxed setting while getting a buzz cut. The body language between the figures creates a sense of familiarity and ease, while certain visual codes – such as the excessive amount of rings or a septum piercing – hint at the queer context of the friend group.

This piece was sparked by my own experience shaving my head and how the world saw me differently. A haircut or appearance can become a gesture of self-determination, but also something that unsettles expectations around gender and identity. In that sense, the work reflects both a personal sensitivity and a broader interest in questioning fixed social norms and ways of reading bodies.

When beginning a painting, do you initiate from an established figure or start with a tone that you slowly build into an established figure? 

I usually begin quite quickly, working wet-in-wet to establish an initial layer of oil paint. Some smaller works are completed in a single session, whereas others develop gradually, building up layer by layer. I enjoy combining different techniques and exploring the material range of paint — from the contrast between translucent glazes and impasto surfaces to the textures that emerge through scraping or sanding back old layers of paint, dissolving forms, and adding thick applications of colour. Sometimes I work on my preloved canvases, whose existing paint contribute to the texture and create an element of surprise when older marks and colours begin to reappear.

The inspiration regarding the characters on your paintings come from your daily routine or could they be random/ unknown figures too?

I draw inspiration from daily life, imagination, and memory. While the figures in my paintings may occasionally be influenced by people I know or elements of self-portraiture, I’m less interested in creating a clear likeness. My focus is on capturing fleeting moments of closeness, tension, and vulnerability. Through body language, and ambiguous forms, I explore identity, gender fluidity and relationship dynamics while allowing the figures to retain a sense of agency and self-determination.

While the colours you use are very vibrant (e.g., pinks, blues, greens), they do not possess a decorative quality—if that applies to your imagery, in what manner do you manage their vibrancy so the figures feel anchored? 

To be honest, I have never consciously thought about colour in those terms. For me, it can convey an atmosphere or mood. At the beginning of a painting, I often choose a palette of three to five colours, combining more muted tones with pops of colour to create a certain balance and tension within the work. I also prefer mixing my own shades rather than relying on colours straight from the tube, because it makes the palette feel more cohesive and interconnected.

Although my work is clearly figurative, it also needs to function on an abstract level through colour, shape, form and texture. Even when the colours appear vibrant or expressive, I am interested in subtle shifts and nuances within them, which perhaps helps to keep the colours grounded rather than purely decorative.

In a number of your works, it seems that the background appears to be very close to the figure and sometimes merges together with the figure creating an ambiguity—how do you approach the background and foreground of the composition; do the two develop simultaneously or does one occur before another? 

I like to treat the figure and the background in a similar way, developing it simultaneously. Recently, I have started to make bigger paintings (around 2 meters). In this scale, it helps me to first “set the scene” with a background to anchor the figures.

Do specific artworks have been created by random experiments in your studio or do you usually come up with a particular concept or narrative in the very beginning of your artistic process?

I usually begin a painting with an initial idea or a quick sketch, but never with a fixed master plan. I approach painting as something responsive and intuitive, while holding on to both precision and risk. Often the paintings evolve through layering, scraping back, dissolving forms, or introducing new materials and techniques, such as my recent experiments with egg tempera. I value a process that can remain messy, playful, uncertain, and open to “mistakes”, because those moments often lead to unexpected discoveries and help expand my range as a painter. The works may shift in the process, but I remain in control of what to keep or to let go off. This openness can contribute to a formal ambiguity that reflects the themes within my work, such as the blurring of gender boundaries.

Which are your plans for the near future?

Until May 22, you can still see my work in the exhibition for the Eb-Dietzsch Art Prize for Painting in Gera-Greiz, Germany, where I was awarded first prize. Currently, I am preparing on a new body of work for a solo show at ASPN Galerie, Leipzig, later this year. In December 2026, I will participate in an international charity auction at Dorotheum in Vienna, curated by Michael Schmidt-Ott, in support of a hospice.

all images courtesy of the artist- all photos taken by Ronny Aviram