Gabrielle Graessle

Gabrielle Graessle was born in Zurich, Switzerland in 1956 and has been fascinated by painting and drawing since she was a child. She attended the Zurich Art School for 5 years, where she completed a degree in graphic design. The first exhibitions took place while she was still a student. During this time she made mainly black and white charcoal drawings in which she spontaneously depicted her personal imagery. For 15 years she was represented in various galleries in Switzerland, and many of her charcoal drawings hang in private and public collections. At the beginning of 2000, she and her partner emigrated to France and later to Spain, where they were involved in renovation projects for old houses. At that time, Graessle´s means of expression were mainly drawings and sketchbooks. In 2015, she settled down in Andalusia, and decided to immerse herself completely in her imaginary world again and to express herself in large format, coloured, intuitive and figurative paintings. Her studio is located in a group of old cottages out in nomansland. There is no distraction and she is concentrated completely on her work, secluded in nature, 3 km from the seaside; there she works always on several canvases at the same time, creating multiple series of pictures. At the same time, drawings are still an important part of her work. These are spontaneous expressions of her thoughts and stories. They are often the starting point for her paintings. “I paint all what surrounds me, what i see. My work is intuitive and always inspired by all what takes my interest. All becomes form, enters into my drawings and paintings: animals, nature, fashion, films, books, also feelings, music, images from childhood up to now, without restrictions. I start my work intuitively with or without an idea. It takes then on a life of its own, go somewhere else entirely. Often I develop the ideas from my drawings and transform them into my paintings. My works are colourful, figurative, kitsch and large, sometimes with text, mostly 180 x 260 cm, done with acrylic, spray and sometimes glitter. I love large paintings, i like to be surrounded by my imagery, to immerse completely in my world of images. I normally work on 4-6 paintings at the same time and switch between drawings and paintings, which frees me again and again and also leads to new topics… I draw and paint without thinking, pin the drawings on the wall and don’t look at them any longer. The drawings are not looking for a result. I live and work in a group of old cottages in the south of Spain where I have several studios to paint and to draw. I hate routine and I always listen to music when I work, I turn the music on and then I let it happen.”

Gabrielle Graessle

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS AND ART FAIRS
IRL, New York, USA (2022)
“PUFF PUFF” SHITART CLUB, Los Angeles, USA (2022)
paper, BEERS London, UK (2022)
USEFUL THINGS, Berlin, Germany (2022)
URVANITY ART FAIR, Galeria Yusto/Giner, Madrid, Spain (2022)
Galeria Yusto/Giner, Marbella, Spain (2022)
Floralia, Alzueta Gallery, Barcelona, Spain (2022)
ALBUM DE FAMILIA, Alzueta Gallery, Madrid, Spain (2022)
Like a slight hiccup, La Grange Gallery, Cermay-Lès-Reims, France (2022)
Rarity Gallery, Mykonos, Greece (2022)
ART BUSAN, Galeria Yusto/Giner, Busan, Korea (2022)
YEE YEE, Alzueta Gallery, Barcelona, Spain (2021)
Art Miami, Galeria Yusto/Giner, Miami, USA (2021)
Rarity Gallery, Mykonos, Greece (2021)
USEFUL THINGS, Uxval Gochez Gallery, Barcelona, Spain (2021)
PAPERWORKS VOL. I, NBB Gallery, Berlin, Germany (2020)
Galerie Rompone, Köln, Germany (2020)
SWAB Barcelona, Granada Gallery, Barcelona, Spain (2020)
WAY OUT, La Grange Galley, Cermay-Lès-Reims, France (2020)
Another Fair, Granada Gallery, Madrid, Spain (2020)