Daniel Wöllenstein

Lives and works in Cologne.

Artistic career

Education

2002–2009 Studied art at the University of Cologne under Rainer Barzen and Silke Leverkühne 

Since 2007: Studio at KunstWerk Cologne

Exhibitions (selection)

2007 Blaumachen, KunstWerk Cologne

2008 ‘Bogen 2: Straight from the HART’ – 

2008 Long Night of the Museums – ‘Festive Processions and Diodramas’ 

2008–2009 ‘Darwin – Design and Creation of a KVB Tram’ to mark Darwin Year 2009, in collaboration with students from the University of Cologne

2011 “Fette Nager – Bello and I” – Museum Night – KunstWerk Cologne

2016 nxnw Festival collaboration with Slobodan Kajkut “20 Interventions” 

2016 “Raum 500” – exhibition with Olga Jakob and Heike Simmer – nxnw Festival 

2017 “HORST” – KunstWerk Köln

2014–2017 Board member at KunstWerk Köln e.V.

2017 Chairperson of KunstWerk Köln e.V. 

2019 Long Night of Museums “Wedding” – installation and collaboration with Heike Simmer

2021 TUNING – KunstWerk 

2025 afternoonprojekts with Tom Gully, Oskar Lovis and Gilbert Flöck – KunstWerk Cologne

2026 Fragmented Realities – vonfraunberg Art Gallery, Düsseldorf

2026 Artist of the Month at SKM

Upcoming

June SKM Pop-up Exhibition, Munich

August: SKM Community Exhibition, Leipzig

Artist Statement

What’s it about? The works are taken from the ‘TUNING’ series – spanning the period from 2018 to the present day, although the pure colour segments have only come to dominate the ‘TUNING’ series since 2021. The focus is on a gradual abstraction and reduction of the pictorial content, whilst references to natural and man-made phenomena can be found in the colour and form compositions.

Within the seemingly equal segments, compositions of colour and form can create foregrounds and backgrounds that shift fluidly depending on the viewer’s focus. The play of light, which can be intensified by contrasting colour gradients to the point of ‘glow’, contributes to the sometimes sculptural impact of the works. 

Digital colour selection scales, flip-flop paint finishes from tuned sports cars, sunsets, heavy industry, space and reflections in coffee can all find their way into the colour compositions.