Ruth Weigand

Ruth Weigand is a Professor at the Academy of Media Arts Cologne (KHM), specializing in transmedial artistic practices with a focus on sculpture, ceramics, photography, and drawing. Her work explores the perception of form, space, and movement, creating moments where linear functionality breaks down and unexpected transformations occur.

Her research interests center on material properties and spatial perception, particularly in ceramics where she challenges traditional expectations. Weigand investigates how materials act as "idiosyncratic technical barriers" between idea and implementation, deliberately surrendering some control to allow unexpected outcomes. She creates transparent, playful form and movement studies that seemingly defy the inherent properties of materials like clay while simultaneously being shaped by them.

Weigand's artistic output demonstrates consistent exploration of material transformation and spatial dialogue across her exhibitions. Her work often examines the relationship between abstract form and meaning generation, drawing parallels between linguistic structures and material configurations. The evolution of her practice shows increasing technical ambition, particularly in ceramic works where she manipulates long, heavy clay strands to create complex structural forms that challenge conventional ceramic techniques.

• Scholarship from the State of Upper Austria for Salzamt, Linz (2020)
• Scholarship from Fundazion Nairs, Switzerland (2020)
• artAmari Residency, Greece (2017)
• Residencia artística UN at Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá (2016)
• Nomination for residency at Cité des Art de Paris and Casa Baldi, Rome (2014-2015)
• DAAD artist scholarship for Chile (2008)
• DAAD study scholarship at École Supérieure des Beaux-Arts de Toulouse (2006)

Weigand maintains an active international presence through residencies and exhibitions across Europe and South America. Her teaching at KHM integrates her extensive practical experience with theoretical exploration of material properties and spatial relationships. She has collaborated with numerous artists and institutions, contributing to the vibrant contemporary art scene through both individual and collaborative projects.