September 2025
https://www.robertbirkenes.com/
During my residency at KulturBahnhof in Klein Warnow, Germany, I was struck by the vibrant artist community that Sharon and Mika have built around their studios in the quiet wooded countryside of Brandenburg. The atmosphere was welcoming and intellectually stimulating, providing the freedom to experiment with new materials and processes. In the well-equipped printmaking studio, I combined elements of intaglio and fragments from maps and books to create experimental collages inspired by local architecture and the town’s history as a crossroads for millions of East European immigrants heading westward in the 19th century.
As a printmaker, I used this opportunity to grow—learning to incorporate my prints as translucent layers within multi-layered collages. Our field trips to nearby train stations and historic towns helped me center my work around the idea of a palimpsest—a page or wall that has been written over many times, yet still carries traces of its past. The weathered walls of old buildings, with their torn wallpaper, newspaper clippings, and faint pencil drawings, became a key source of inspiration. I would not have made this discovery without the exposure to these remarkable sites and the camaraderie of the other resident artists and KuBa leadership. The experience deepened my understanding of how history, place, and memory can merge within the creative process.
Last Updated: November 9, 2025 by AdminKuba2020
Robert Birkenes
September 2025
https://www.robertbirkenes.com/
During my residency at KulturBahnhof in Klein Warnow, Germany, I was struck by the vibrant artist community that Sharon and Mika have built around their studios in the quiet wooded countryside of Brandenburg. The atmosphere was welcoming and intellectually stimulating, providing the freedom to experiment with new materials and processes. In the well-equipped printmaking studio, I combined elements of intaglio and fragments from maps and books to create experimental collages inspired by local architecture and the town’s history as a crossroads for millions of East European immigrants heading westward in the 19th century.
As a printmaker, I used this opportunity to grow—learning to incorporate my prints as translucent layers within multi-layered collages. Our field trips to nearby train stations and historic towns helped me center my work around the idea of a palimpsest—a page or wall that has been written over many times, yet still carries traces of its past. The weathered walls of old buildings, with their torn wallpaper, newspaper clippings, and faint pencil drawings, became a key source of inspiration. I would not have made this discovery without the exposure to these remarkable sites and the camaraderie of the other resident artists and KuBa leadership. The experience deepened my understanding of how history, place, and memory can merge within the creative process.
Category: artists