Martin Fitzenreiter on the works of Roswitha Grützke

Roswitha Grützke (born 1938) fosters the rare craft that is tapestry weaving. Her wall tapestries are woven images, because they depict, in textile materials, what the eye of the artist perceives. Colourful, finely-detailed watercolours serve as the preliminary stages of the large-format Gobelin tapestries and have an intensity and freshness of their own.

During the last few years, her works have been dominated by interiors, architectural elements, such as stairs and windows, passageways and doors.

Illusionistic on one hand, the sunlight in them appears to fall on the furniture and curtains; the light and shadows break on the steps and kerbs.
On the other hand, the textile base pours forth an almost tangible warmth across the whole scene - one that alienates it and elevates it in surreal grandeur.

The images breathe the cosiness of large, daylighted rooms; stairs and passageways lead the viewer into ever more new, illusionary rooms.

Martin Fitzenreiter
Exhibition announcement (together with Rob Krier) at the Giesserei Flierl Berlin, Februar 2007