Artist Maria Öckler combines traditional willow and unusual materials with innovative 3D printing.
Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Fantastic Beings and Luminous Underwater Worlds focuses on creatures that exist somewhere between reality and fantasy. Bizarre animals, invented creatures, and abstract forms emerge from an exploration of real living things. The deep sea holds a special fascination; it is an unknown habitat teeming with shapes, colors, and beings that seem almost otherworldly. Although I have never dived myself, jellyfish and other marine life are constant companions in my work; I learn about them through documentaries, books, and images.
JELLYFISH: Their weightless movements and magical appearance served as the starting point for an artistic exploration. Using a mix of materials and various weaving techniques, I create new animal forms—abstract jellyfish, ducks, birds, and cattle. Familiar subjects are transformed, shapes are reassembled, and real-world inspirations evolve into unique, imaginative beings. The result is a colorful collection that bridges the gap between observing nature and using one’s imagination, between the familiar and the unfamiliar. These works invite viewers to look more closely, form their own associations, and perhaps even spark a conversation about how we view animals and the world they inhabit. How do we wish to share this world with animals?
MARIA ÖCKLER
Creativity has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Countless ideas take shape in my mind—sometimes more than could ever be realized in a single lifetime. Order rarely reigns there; instead, there is imagination, curiosity, and an unceasing desire to try new things. I discovered my joy for artistic and manual creation back in my school days. Needlework classes, in particular, opened up a world of possibilities: pottery, sewing, embroidery, paper cutting, and many other techniques sparked my enthusiasm for materials, forms, and the act of creating something myself. Today, willow, the craft of weaving, and gardening are my constant companions. Salix—willow—fascinates me with its natural character and versatility. At the same time, 3D printing has opened up a new realm for my creativity. The ability to digitally develop my own forms and then see them materialize as physical objects never fails to excite me. I am still at the beginning of a journey that is opening up countless new possibilities. My work does not necessarily have to be beautiful, perfect, or functional. I am interested in the unusual, the bizarre, the abstract, and the fantastic. Forms are allowed to surprise, unsettle, bring a smile to one’s face, or raise questions. Color plays just as important a role as material, texture, and a conscious departure from the familiar. For me, the focus is on the joy of the creative process: experimenting, discovering, failing, changing, and starting anew. To me, art means freedom—the freedom to make thoughts visible and to give space to an inner world of imagination. Perhaps the most beautiful vision lies in precisely that: a world where we are free to lose ourselves, time and again, in a state of creative flow. A world full of new beginnings, change, and possibilities. A world where not everything has to serve a purpose, but is simply allowed to come into being.