Karla Zipfel

Karla Zipfel, born in 1993 in Freiburg im Breisgau, completed her studies at the HFBK Hamburg under Simon Denny. Prior to this, she studied at the Burg Giebichenstein Univresity of Art and Design Halle under Stella Geppert. Her work has been exhibited at venues including the Kunsthalle Basel, the Deichtorhallen Hamburg, the Kunstverein Freiburg, and the Kunsthalle Recklinghausen.

»Karla Zipfel’s work explores the relationship between residential buildings, ideologies, and the social dynamics behind façades. Her installations are inspired by both the prototypical architectural features of German residential buildings and the aesthetics of West German interior design, primarily from the 1990s and 2000s. A recurring theme in her work is the examination of the middle-class ideal of home ownership, which is attainable through diligence and hard work—in short: »Schaffe, schaffe, Häusle baue« (work, work, build a house) Her earlier work explores this West German narrative, while her more recent work addresses the relationship between living spaces, social contexts, and heating technologies in East Germany. [...]

Deconstructing and (re-)fragmenting form the methodological foundation of Zipfel’s practice, through which she exposes the illusion of the promise of prosperity. Her work makes clear that the postwar promise of social mobility no longer holds true for today’s generations thanks to rising property prices and increasing social and financial inequalities.«

Text: Martin Karcher, Katrin Krumm

» karlazipfel.com