Lynn Gerstmair

A large abstract painting in muted shades of gray, white and black hangs on a white wall in a minimalist, empty room with a light gray floor.

Tailfeathers of the passenger pigeon 2024, Jacuard fabric, 230 × 170 cm, photo: Lynn Gerstmair

1/17
Abstract artwork with overlapping translucent shapes, lines and textures in muted shades of gray, blue and beige, creating a multi-layered and dynamic composition.

Tailfeathers of the passenger pigeon 2024, Jacuard fabric, 230 × 170 cm, photo: Lynn Gerstmair

1/17
A grid of five rows and six columns shows 30 black and white bird illustrations on a white wall. The drawings gradually fade from left to right and are almost invisible at the end of each row.

Martha 2024, 29-part series of etchings, each 42 × 29,7 cm, photo: Lynn Gerstmair

1/17
A faint grayscale drawing of a bird sitting on a branch can be seen on a white sheet of paper attached to a light-colored wall.

Martha 2024, 29-part series of etchings, each 42 × 29,7 cm, photo: Lynn Gerstmair

1/17
Four dark, rectangular artworks depicting shadowy tree silhouettes hang evenly spaced on a clean white gallery wall with a gray floor and illuminated ceiling lights.

Nacht 2024, 4-part series of hand-woven jacquard fabrics, each 160 × 120 cm, photo: Lynn Gerstmair

1/17
A grainy, dark photo showing the faint silhouette of tree trunks and branches at night, with very little detail visible due to the low light conditions.

Nacht 2024, 4-part series of hand-woven jacquard fabrics, each 160 × 120 cm, photo: Lynn Gerstmair

1/17
A predominantly dark and grainy image with a single small bright spot in the upper right, possibly a distant light or star, and faint, indistinct shapes in the background.

Nacht 2024, 4-part series of hand-woven jacquard fabrics, each 160 × 120 cm, photo: Lynn Gerstmair

1/17
Four vertically hanging fabric panels with abstract, horizontal patterns in gray and white. The panels are hung in a row in front of a plain white wall, creating a minimalist and modern look.

Draußen hinterm Fenster 2023, woven piece with warp print, cotton, 95 × 70 cm, photo: Lynn Gerstmair

1/17
Abstract image with horizontal gray lines and spots on a white background, reminiscent of static noise, digital noise or a distorted television screen. The lines vary in thickness and intensity in the picture.

Draußen hinterm Fenster 2023, woven piece with warp print, cotton, 95 × 70 cm, photo: Lynn Gerstmair

1/17
Abstract textured pattern with horizontal black and gray lines on a white background, creating a blurred, striped effect. A vertical white stripe divides the image into two sections with similar linear patterns.

Draußen hinterm Fenster 2023, woven piece with warp print, cotton, 95 × 70 cm, photo: Lynn Gerstmair

1/17
Two large abstract textile artworks in black and white are displayed on a white gallery wall. Each features intersecting lines and structured patterns with a small star-like shape at the bottom.

Awaken to silver-green light 2021,Diptych of hand-woven jacquard fabrics, each 160 × 120 cm , photo: Lynn Gerstmair

1/17
A close-up of a mosquito resting on a mesh surface, with light and shadow creating geometric patterns in the background.

Awaken to silver-green light 2021, Diptych of hand-woven jacquard fabrics, each 160 × 120 cm, photo: Lynn Gerstmair

1/17
A person sits on a chair against a worn wall and holds a large, translucent, round object in front of their upper body and face, creating a distorted reflection. The floor and wall show peeling paint and debris.

Selbstportrait 2023, photography, variable dimensions, photo: Lynn Gerstmair

1/17
A projector on a wooden shelf projects a colorful, blurred image onto a transparent screen suspended on wires in the corner of a white room.

Die Wartenden 2023, HD video, projection on glass, 2:18 min loop, dimensions variable, 30 × 50 cm and 55 × 100 cm (f.r.t.l.), photo: Lynn Gerstmair

1/17
A dimly lit, curved concrete corridor with stained walls. In the center hangs a small LED screen with a video projection showing the back of an illuminated bus stop.

Die Wartenden 2023, HD-Video, Projection on glass, 2:18 min loop, variable dimensions, here 30 × 50 cm, photo: Lynn Gerstmair

1/17
A projected image of a zebra-striped animal, possibly a horse, appears on a dark wall in a dimly lit room. On the adjacent wall is a white, feathered mask or decoration.

Lucky 2022, 6-part photo series, slide installation, circus jewelry, variable projection dimensions, photo: Lynn Gerstmair

1/17
A horse with a spotted coat wears a zebra-striped blanket while standing indoors on straw next to a brick wall and window.

Lucky 2022, 6-part photo series, slide installation, circus jewelry, variable projection dimensions, photo: Lynn Gerstmair

1/17

Lynn Gerstmair, photo: Axel Orozco Möhl

Biography

  • 1998

    born in Rostock 

  • 2018–2024

    Textile Arts at Burg Giebichenstein University of Art and Design Halle, with Prof. Caroline Achaintre and photography with Prof. Philip Gaißer

  • 2021–2022

    Guest studies at the Zurich University of the Arts, with Prof. Pauline Boudry

Jury statement

The visual language of Lynn Gerstmair emerges from the engagement with both digital media, such as photography and film, and traditional analog media, such as textiles or printmaking. In some works, handwoven Jacquard fabric meets digital photography, with which the artist, for example, prints on unwoven warp threads. The result is a manually composed image that appears distorted, much like what we commonly encounter in digital image editing today. It is not only this innovative combination and exploration of techniques that convinced the jury, but also the almost philosophical approach with which Lynn Gerstmair addresses the theme of time.

The artist intensively engages with living beings and their finite time. A 29-part wall work depicts a bird, whose image gradually becomes lighter and completely dissolves towards the end of the series. What at first glance appears to be a seemingly experimental print reveals itself as a profound reflection on species extinction. The title reveals that the bird in question is the last passenger pigeon, which died in the zoo in 1914 as the last of its kind. The passenger pigeon also marked the beginning of a discussion about species extinction, which continues to this day. The technique Lynn Gerstmair uses here is tailored to the subject, allowing the artist to capture the bird and its extinction with sensitivity.
The need for the viewer to closely examine Lynn Gerstmair's works is also illustrated by the video projection Die Wartenden (»The Waiting People«). The video is projected onto glass and shows a bus stop where people are waiting. What initially appears to be people turns out to be an empty space; only the imprints of the once waiting individuals remain on the glass. This work highlights the artist's keen sensitivity to technique and the situation depicted. Lynn Gerstmair succeeds in capturing fleeting moments in her works and, through various media, analyzes the fragile passing of time.

Dr. Florence Thurmes, jury member

Solo exibitions

  • 2024

    Über das Verschwinden, Weißes Haus, Halle

Group exhibitions

  • 2025

    27th Federal Competition Federal Prize for Art Students, Bundeskunsthalle Bonn

  • 2025

    wide awake, Kunststiftung Sachsen-Anhalt, Halle

  • 2024

    Cloud of Grass, Kunstverein am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz, Berlin

  • 2024

    Leere Stellen, Schauraum Angewandte im Museumsquartier, collaboration with Nele Hazod Vienna, AT

  • 2024

    Housekeeping & Cleaning, Baumwollspinnerei UG Halle 14, Leipzig

  • 2024

    51° 38″“ N, 12° 19″“ O, Festival OSTEN, Wolfen

  • 2023

    Zeitlang, Studio36, collaboration with Nele Hazod, Rostock

  • 2023

    Unravel at Night, Studio Hannibal, Berlin

  • 2023

    Drain Away, Raum für Sichtbarkeit, Berlin

  • 2023

    La Terra e nelle nostre mani, Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello, Venice, IT

  • 2022

    Firn, gallery Paul Scherzer, Halle

  • 2022

    Lucky, Toni Areal, Zurich, CH

  • 2022

    Zuweilen, Spektakel Gallery, collaboration with Nele Hazod, Vienna, AT

  • 2021

    Zwischen Fassaden, hinter Fenstern, collaboration with Nele Hazod, Burg2 Gallery, Halle

  • 2021

    Inside Out, Burg Gallery im Volkspark, Halle

Grants and awards

  • 2025

    Federal Prize for Art Students, Federal Ministry of Education, Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth

  • 2020–2024

    scholarship of the Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes, Bonn

  • 2024

    working scholarship, Graduation Project, Weaving Department, TextielLab Tilburg, NL

  • 2023

    Venice Youth Art Award, Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello, Venice, IT

  • 2021–2022

    scholarship abroad, Swiss European Mobility Program, CH

  • 2021–2022

    scholarship abroad, Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes, Bonn

Bundespreis für Kunststudierende 2025