Paula Kamps

Paula Kamps is a Lecturer at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), specializing in Painting and Drawing. Born in 1990 in Cologne, Germany, she graduated as a Meisterschülerin from Kunstakademie Düsseldorf in 2016, studying under Tomma Abts and Elizabeth Peyton. Her artistic practice explores mediums between painting and drawing, focusing on color intensity and themes like memory, meaning, and human connection.

Education:

• 2015–16: Kunstakademie Düsseldorf (Meisterschülerin under Tomma Abts)
• 2010–12: Kunstakademie Düsseldorf (studied with Lucy McKenzie)
• 2009–10: Freie Universität Berlin (Philosophy studies)

Research Focus: Kamps’ work bridges figuration and abstraction, using large flat color fields to evoke fragmented human figures and scenes. Her practice emphasizes the interplay of memory’s unreliability and the quest for understanding. She regularly publishes poetry as artist’s books and has been a resident at institutions like Ox-Bow (MI), LESP (NYC), and the Coco Collection (France).

Awards:

• Eduard-Bargheer-Stiftung Scholarship (2013)

Teaching & Grants: Kamps teaches courses such as Studio Drawing: Multi-Level and Graduate Projects in Painting & Drawing at SAIC. Her pedagogy emphasizes diverse drawing techniques and conceptual exploration. No specific grants are highlighted in the text.

Exhibitions & Residencies: Notable solo exhibitions include venues like M. LeBlanc (Chicago), eastcontemporary (Milan), and Sans titre (Paris). Group shows include Galerie Max Hetzler (Berlin) and The Arts Club of Chicago. Upcoming residencies include the Josef and Anni Albers Foundation.