About Tania Elstermeyer
Tania Elstermeyer—born in the cultural wasteland of the Federal Republic of Germany—effortlessly transcends the boundaries between painting, music, and performance in her work, just as she blurs the lines between high and low culture, pop and agitprop. Her paintings cite classical figurative imagery—often featuring symbolically charged depictions of animals—while employing Old Master techniques (such as ink wash) and references to the cultivated bourgeoisie (musical scores). Her performances, by contrast—befitting an outward appearance often perceived as radical outside of art school circles—draw upon punk and street culture in a truly authentic, i.e., proletarian, sense. Indeed, Tania Elstermeyer is one of the few genuine intellectuals of her generation. Her art is embedded in—and only conceivable and comprehensible within—the context of profound social analysis and a decidedly emancipatory political stance, which she courageously champions in her writings and public statements. This makes her a distinct and compelling voice within the Berlin art scene and far beyond. Tania Elstermeyer’s artistic output is part of a holistic practice known as "experimental living"; this links her to other "unfashionable" or counter-cultural positions—such as those seen in the 1970s and 1980s with the "Lord Jim Loge" circle around Martin Kippenberger, or, more recently, with the late "total artist" Timm Ulrichs. She studied at the UdK Berlin; since 2023, she has been working in the class of her former professor, Thomas Zipp. Following his death, she is now steering the class through turbulent waters—navigating a period of generally heated tensions at the university.
Fun fact
Tania received her first tattoo as a coming-of-age gift from her stepfather Dieter, a sympathizer of the RAF. It was done by the daughter of a well-known figure in the organized biker scene. It was also the tattoo artist's first professional commission. The design: a fox.
