Monika Müller-Klug
You can almost hear the grinding of moving gears. Monika Müller-Klug's wooden sculptures are characterised by interesting mechanical details such as hinges, rollers and wheels, as well as by torsions and wave forms – the granddaughter of a miller obviously enjoys playing with the family tradition. Born in Bremen, she initially worked as a teacher after completing her studies. In 1965 she moved to West Berlin with her husband, the sculptor Klaus Müller-Klug.
There she began her sculptural work and worked alongside her husband. They were both members of “Gruppe Plastik 71”, a group of 21 sculptors who intended to bridge the distance betweem themselves and the visitors of their exhibitions. They showed sculptures as well as work processes and invited the audience to touch, experience and literally grasp the art works. To this day, Monika Müller-Klug has remained true to this idea.
As is the case in many artists' marriages, the woman often held a teaching position and was the family's main bread winner. Monika Müller-Klug's situation was no different. For a long time, her job as a teacher supported her husband and three sons and she had to put back her own artistic ambitions. Consequently she is looking forward to her stay on Schwanenwerder, where she can work undisturbed.
Monika und Klaus Müller-Klug have been living in Damnatz (Lower Saxony) since 1972. In 1988 they founded the “Westwendischer Kunstverein” in their new home and created a sculpture garden 22 years later which still dominates their work to this day.
Monika Müller-Klug became known to a wider audience with her “Plantings”, a new form of sculpture which merges wooden or stone elements with plants. The natural growth of the plant partly determines the shape of the sculpture. And despite regular pruning, the sculpture changes and remains in motion.
The self-taught sculptor and lyricist works with living plants as well as paper but prefers to work with wood. Her favourite tools are chisel, hedge trimmer, pencil, laptop and chainsaw. The latter she will take along to Schwanenwerder and use it to work on a huge oak trunk. Visitors will be able to admire the result in a closing exhibition before the next female artist moves in to begin her work.
Update
From the end of October 2023 until Januar 2024 December 2023 Monika Müller-Klug will exhibit in the rooms of the “nogallery” in Ludwigkirchstraße in Wilmersdorf.
Detailed information:
Invitation to the opening on 27 October 2023
Exhibition extended until 27 January 2024
