Pouring
at Galerie Kaufmann
December 7, 11 am
Tickets

Artist Book Fair
KHB Studios
December 12 & 13

My work focuses on the human body and flesh, memories, (inner) landscapes, and the present time with its undercurrents. I am fascinated and deeply moved by the unconscious and psychological states like rage, yearning, bitterness, melancholy, and shame. I explore these themes through Haptic Research—by touching and feeling actual matter, specifically clay, porcelain, charcoal, graphite, and metal oxides. My work’s sap of life is a radically left yet romantic world view that infuses my artistic travels between antipatriarchal longings and observations of the dystopias we live in. I might communicate this rather literally through poetry, which I call Raw Writing, consisting of Écriture Automatique or autotheoretic essays. Through Poetic Abstraction, I enable myself to delve into wider, subterranean, desire-driven areas. Both poles are connected by an intuitive way of working: working from the heart.
The Constitution, 2025
6 uniques from stoneware, 31,5 – 32,5 x 21,5 – 22,5 x 7,5 cm
Photographs: Charlotte Spiegelfeld
Red – fire, flesh, lust, hot, life, blood & rust
Black – universe, grief, eternal, cold
Brown – moist, earth, embracing, warm
Silver – tear, river, lightning, stars
Blue – deep sea, night sky, yearning
Artwork by Laura Mahnke: The Constitution - BLACK
Artwork by Laura Mahnke: The Constitution - RED
Artwork by Laura Mahnke: The Constitution - BROWN
Artwork by Laura Mahnke: The Constitution - SILVER, 2025
Artwork by Laura Mahnke: The Constitution - BLUE I, 2025
Artwork by Laura Mahnke: The Constitution - BLUE II
Amorphous Series, 2025
Uniques from stoneware, size of two hands
Photographs: Charlotte Spiegelfeld
Here, I explore my artistic ancestry and belonging through Haptic Research.
I consider other artists, musicians, and writers a greatly cherished source of inspiration and wisdom. These are, among others: Patti Smith, Tia Blake, Bridget St John, Joan Baez, Nick Drake, Annie Ernaux, Sylvia Plath, Edouard Louis, Maggie Nelson, Lynda Benglis, Valie Export, Nan Goldin, Sarah Lucas (tbc.).
Artwork by Laura Mahnke - Heart Punch, 2025
Artwork by Laura Mahnke - Suede tribute to Johnny Panic, 2025
Artwork by Laura Mahnke - the dark side of the desk, 2025
Artwork by Laura Mahnke - starry night cold liver, 2025
Artwork by Laura Mahnke - country boy, 2025
Artwork by Laura Mahnke - convex puddle, 2025
Artwork by Laura Mahnke - kiss me (blue lips red lacquer), 2025
subterranean, 2025
2 pieces
Stoneware, metal oxides, glaze, graphite
Size of two hands
Photographs: Charlotte Spiegelfeld
Artwork by Laura Mahnke - subterranean, 2025
Artwork by Laura Mahnke - subterranean, 2025
Hopeless Romantic Night Lovers, 2025
2 pieces
Stoneware, metal oxides, glaze, graphite
Size of two hands
Photographs: Charlotte Spiegelfeld
Artwork by Laura Mahnke: Hopeless Romantic Night Lovers, 2025
Artwork by Laura Mahnke: Hopeless Romantic Night Lovers, 2025
Prendre la parole, 2022 – 2024
Installation
Site-specific dimensions and amount of objects
Here: 80 objects, 3,5 x 8 , 3 meters

The work is accompanied by multiple public debating sessions with pottery, écriture automatique, and readings

All the content and images created by the author and presented on this website are subject to German copyright laws. All photos taken by the artist. Third-party contributions are indicated as such. No part of this website may be duplicated, edited, distributed or exploited in any other way without prior written approval being obtained from the author.
© Laura Mahnke, 2025