Timofej Kratz
Interview with the artist based in Düsseldorf, Germany. He works between large-scale spray-paint painting and sculpture.
Timofej Kratz (*1984) is an artist based in Düsseldorf. He works between large-scale spray-paint painting and sculpture. Graduating from Kunstakademie Düsseldorf in 2025, he was a Meisterschüler of Prof. Andreas Schulze and attended the sculpture class of Prof. Martin Gostner. He held a Cusanuswerk scholarship (2019–2025).
Website: www.timofejkratz.de
Instagram: www.instagram.com/timofejkratz
Timofej Kratz was recommended by Silja Wendt (click here to read our interview with her).
What does your practice look like?
When I paint, I usually don’t start from a theme or a motif. I’m more interested in what comes up through the process and in an exchange with the painting . Sometimes it begins with a color, or a combination of colors, and leads somewhere I did not expect. I like experimenting and trying out different materials. When the academy was closed during the pandemic, I spent some time making temporary installations in the forest. I was interested in how the paintings became part of the landscape while still feeling like a disruption. That experience changed how I think about where art can take place, and it still feeds into my studio work.
When you feel stuck, how do you get un-stuck?
When I notice I’m getting stuck, a short journey helps me get back on track. Spending time in nature, walking along the Rhine river, or visiting another city helps me reset. When I try not to think about art, that’s usually when inspiration comes.
What would you like to explore further?
I want to explore painting in space further, especially through plaster and ceramics. Clay feels responsive and has energy-storing qualities that relate to painting, but in a different way. Recently, I’ve rediscovered paper. After working with other materials, it feels good to return to something that allows for an immediate start.
Where are you based and what do you like about the local art scene?
I’m based in Düsseldorf. I moved here a few years ago because I was looking for more exchange with other artists. The local art scene is very alive here. The other day I was out having pizza with some friends, and at some point I noticed that we’d been having a painter-nerd talk for two hours straight. I love that. The academy plays an important role, and a lot of exhibitions are self-organized. There are always several shows running at the same time, alongside galleries and museums.
What are you working on right now?
Right now I’m preparing canvases, stretching and priming them before I start painting. I enjoy the repetition. It’s meditative and gives me time to think about my recent work. At the academy it was all very social. I’d run into painters from other classes in Kirsten’s painting workshop, and we’d pause for an espresso at some point. These days I mostly work alone in the studio, and that feels fine.
