Tessa Knapp

Prof. Tessa Knapp serves as Professor of Installation, Media and Performance in the Department of Fine Arts at Alanus College since 2022, specializing in space- and time-based art forms. Her academic career includes prior appointments at Düsseldorf Art Academy (2015-2021), University of Siegen (2020-2021), and University of Essen (2017-2020).

She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts with distinction in 2007 from the Cologne Academy of Media Arts under Prof. Marcel Odenbach, Prof. Matthias Müller, and Prof. Sigfried Zielinski.

Her research centers on sensory crossovers between installation, sculpture, media, and performance, examining how materials, media apparatus, and the body inform artistic methods. She investigates art's role in contemporary society through space-related practices (installation, sculpture, photography) and time-based media (film, sound art, performance), emphasizing critical discourse about existence and societal questions within public spaces.

Her distinguished recognitions include:

• Horizon Space Prize
• Artothek Cologne Award
• Zonta Prize at International Short Film Festival Oberhausen
• Chargesheimer Prize Honorable Mention (City of Cologne)
• Film Foundation NRW Grant

Prof. Knapp cultivates a rigorous academic environment through colloquia, individual critiques, and group work that prioritizes trust and direct feedback. Her teaching philosophy encourages radical exploration of artistic processes while developing independent contemporary stances, actively fostering interdisciplinary exchange with academic institutions and artistic communities worldwide.

Her international residencies include TH Köln Digital Art Residency, Marrakech Research Residency, Tehran New Media Society, and Istanbul's Atelier Galata, complemented by exhibitions at Kunstmuseum Bonn, Museum Cavazzen Lindau, and Taipei's Hong Gah Museum.