Thomas Lorenz
A student of painting and graphic art at the Essen Academy of Fine Arts in Tim Trantenroth’s class
My artistic work is strongly influenced by autobiographical experiences. I grew up in the state youth care system and explore the relationship between kinship and origin. In doing so, I take a particularly critical look at aspects of queer identity within a relationship of dependency on a Catholic institution and the question of one’s own sense of belonging.
I work primarily with oil paints and coloured pencils, combining them to create vividly coloured, rigid visual worlds that reflect the tension between the desire for an inner, childlike carefreeness and growing up in a strict, demanding environment shaped by a pre-determined image of masculinity.
In doing so, I draw heavily on the symbolism and visual language of the Christian and ancient Greek artistic canon.
Since April 2026, I have been a scholarship holder of the Hans Böckler Foundation’s Talent Promotion Programme through the ‘Böckler Hoch K’ scholarship scheme
My works have so far been exhibited in the Leipzig area at the Youth Welfare Office, the Pittlerwerke and the Heizhaus
as well as in April 2026 in Berlin at the Spore Initiative for the group exhibition BE_LONGING
and in Essen at the TRUDI Creative Cathedral
Here you can see the last eight works sold
