Photo: Lucas Chelós
My artistic research focuses on the intersection of art, craft and natural sciences. In particular, I analyse scientific illustrations, terms and methods as they are applied in biology, astronomy or astrobiology and their multiple intersections in the analogue space and its digital expansion. Through a visual fusion of two divergent fields of modern science and the historical textile technique of embroidery, I create models of tactile and sensory qualities to facilitate intellectual access to scientific contents or to transform them into hypothetical forms following a speculative design. My work also draws on biomimetic approaches through concepts of textile hybrid matter by artistically fusing scientific methods and metaphors that make visible the reciprocal relationship of artificial interventions in natural resources and their natural adaptation to synthetic environments. Using an ongoing artistic-experimental laboratory, which simulates and analyses the connections between the inner, biological world and the phenomena of the universe, I conceive new contexts of perception in art and science, building a kind of knowledge space. My work is inspired by artists like Nancy Graves, Anni Albers, José María Sicilia, Neri Oxman and Laura Splan.
CV
ALEXANDRA KNIE *1984 in Mechernich, Germany
lives and works in Valencia, Spain and near Cologne, Germany
Alexandra graduated in Fine Arts from the Alanus University of Arts and Social Science in Alfter/ Bonn, Germany (2003-2007) and complemented her studies with Painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Genova, Italy (2006) as well as Textil Design, Arts and Humanities at the University of Paderborn, Germany (2009). Her special interest is the artistic investigation of the intersection of art, craft and science. She has worked in textile techniques, most of all in machine embroidery and its digital extension, painting, drawing, screen printing and installation.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2026 Floral Speculations, G.B. Kunst Trier, Trier, Germany upcoming 〉
2025 Cosmic Vessels, Kunstverein Oerlinghausen, Oerlinghausen, Germany 〉
2024-25 Ultra Deep, Saarländisches Künstlerhaus – Studioblau, Saarbrücken, Germany 〉
2024 Space Plants, Brühler Kunstverein, Brühl, Germany 〉
2023 Constellations, Veles e Vents, Valencia, Spain 〉
2021 Matter-Antimatter, Espai Nivi Collblanc, Castellón, Spain 〉
2021 Bio-embroidery – Studies of hybrid models, Centro Cultural CajaGranada, Granada, Spain 〉
2018 In-between – Microcosmo y Macrocosmo, CCCC – Centre del Carme, Valencia, Spain 〉
2018 Estudios y Modelos Cósmicos, Casa de la Cultura, Castellón, Spain 〉
2015 Science + fiction. Über das Verhältnis von Vorstellung und Wirklichkeit, Städtische Galerie am Abdinghof, Paderborn, Germany w/ Kathrin Graf 〉
2014 Keine Idylle, Paderborner Bilderbogen, Paderborn, Germany
2012 Eine Virenkartographie, BBK-Galerie, Aachen, Germany
2012 Zu Tisch, bitte!, Raum für Kunst, Paderborn, Germany 〉
AWARDS | GRANTS | RESIDENCIES
2025 Living Lab Festival, art and science residency and workshop, Valencia, Spain 〉
2025 Studio grant at Pluto (coworking space), Valencia, Spain; sponsored by the Daniel and Nina Carasso Foundation, Madrid 〉
2024 Nature Art Residency, Halle/Brussels, Belgium 〉
2023 Enclave Land Art Residency and Production Grant, Quesa, Spain 〉
2023 Cultura Online, Online Project Production Grant, Consorci de Museus de la Comunitat Valenciana, Spain 〉
2022 Honorable mention I Premio de Arte Textil Contemporáneo, IAC Juan Gil-Albert, Alicante, Spain 〉
2021 NEUSTART für Bildende Künstlerinnen und Künstler, Digital Art Project Grant, Deutscher Künstlerbund e.V., Berlin, Germany 〉
2020 FACBA 21, Visual Arts Project Grant, Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Granada, Spain 〉
2020 Cultura Online, Online Project Production Grant, Consorci de Museus de la Comunitat Valenciana, Spain 〉
2020 Galerías VIII, Artistic Intervention Award, Department of Culture, Segovia, Spain 〉
2018 Cultura Resident, Artistic Research Grant and Residency at Museu de Belles Arts de Castellò, Consorci de Museus de la Comunitat Valenciana, Spain 〉
2018 Honorable mention Painting Award XXIV Premi de Pintura Cuitat d‘Algemesí, Algemesí, Spain 〉
2016 Acquisition Prize ATP (Textile and Clothing Association of Portugal), Contextile – Contemporary Textile Art Biennial, Guimarães, Portugal 〉
TEACHING
2017, 2020 – 2025 Lecturer, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Field of Textile, University of Paderborn, Germany 〉
2013 – 2016 Lecturer and scientific artistic researcher, Faculty of Art and Humanities, Field of Textile, University of Paderborn, Germany
2010 – 2016 Lecturer, Faculty of Design, University of Applied Science of Aachen, Germany