Susanne Rottenbacher (b. 1969) is a German artist from Göttingen, Germany. Rottenbacher has a bachelor’s degree in stage design from Barnard College, Columbia University in New York, USA. She also has a Light Master of Science from Bartlett School of Architecture and Planning Light in London. Before Susanne to work freelance as an artist she was set design assistant and set designer at the Royal Opera in Berlin, Germany for 4 years. Afterwards, she continued to work a light designer for the Germany’s federal chancellery on the new government buildings for four years. Rottenbacher’s sculptures remind of the kinetic art of the 1960s period. The light sculptures are often designed with an inside of transparent plastic objects with a filigree wire structure that is trimmed with small, coloured LED-lamps. Rottenbacher’s work unfolds its full potential in public spaces with its differing colour intensity, widths and density. The lights often exude a magical, psychedelic atmosphere when shining as light and colour objects in the dark.
Solo exhibitions include In Love with Tomorrow, Swarovski, Kristallwelten Vienna, Austria (2022); Jupoter and Io2.0; Galerie Martina Kaiser, Cologne, Germany (2022); We never sleep, Kronacher Kunstverein, Germany (2021); In einem anderen Licht, Susane Rottenbacher im Junsthaus Dahlem, Berlin, Germany (2021); Winterlicht, DA Kunsthaus Kloster Gravenhorst, Germany (2019-20); Solo show Susanne Rottenbacher, Galerie Jordanow, Munich, Germany (2019-20); All of this and nothing, Efremidis Gallery, Berlin, Germany (2018); Commedia della Luce, Gallery SER, Centre of Contemporary Art, CCA, Andratx Mallorca, Spain (2018); Border Matters, Kunsthalle I, Centre of Contemporary Art, CCA Andratx Mallorca, Spain (2018); Dissambly, BOX Freiraum, Berlin, Germany (2018); Commedia della Luce,IrminRodestockBeck, Munich, Germany (2017-18); Kunst – und Projektraum, M2, Berlin, Germany (2015); Solo show, Galerie Teaport, Cologne, Germany (2014); Soloproject, VOLTA NY, New York, USA (2013); 3 Kontrapunkte für 20 Ringe, Kunsthaus Grosse Bleichen. Hamburg art week 2012, Germany (2012); Freiheit, Christuskirche, Cologne, Germany (2012); MAX, Max Planck Institut, Berlin, Germany (2011); 6 Kontrapunkte für 22 Ringe, Galerie Teapot, Cologne, Germany (2011); My rising spectrum, Max Planck, Institut, Berlin, Germany (2009); Synthetische Landschaften, Galerie Teapot, Cologne, Germany (2008).
Group exhibitions include Where the Wild Roses Grow, Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, Schloss Görne, Germany (2023); Winter Selection, CCA Andratx, Mallorca, Spain (2022-23); Femenium, CCA Andratx, Mallorca, Spain (2022); AMAZONEN, Bermel von Luxburg Gallery, Berlin, Germany (2022); Licht!, Kunststation Kleinsassen, Landkreis Fulda, Germany (2021); Im Schein der Sterne, Museum Starnberger See, Germany (2021); It’s a wrap!, Galerie Schlieder Contemporary , Frankfurt, Germany (2020-21); Messe in St. Agnes, Gallery Weekend Edition, Johann König Galerie, Berlin, Germany (2020); Part-Producers Art Platform, Rene Spiegelberger Stiftung, Hamburg, Germany (2020); PIN, Benefizauktion für die Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich, Germany (2019); Museum of Now, presented by Berlin Art Society, Berlin, Germany (2019); Lily Pond, Swarovski Kristallwelten Innsbruck, Austria (2019); Sturm und Drang, Installation at the Entry, Haus am Waldsee, Germany (2019); Everything but canvas, Galerie Drees, Hannover, Germany (2019); Benefiz-Art Auction Bürgerstiftung Berlin, Art Dinner 2018, Germany (2018); The Twist 01, Light installation,Window exhibition of Hauses am Waldsee, Berlin, Germany (2018); Body and Soul, La Biennale di Venezia, Palazzo Pisani, in cooperation with UNPAINTED art fair, Italy (2017); Signal, Lichtkunst aus der Sammlung Rober imon, Kunstmuseum Celle, Germany (2017); Szenenwechsel, Schlieder Consulting Kunstberatung Pop Up Galerie, Frankfurt, Germany (2017).
Highlights and Collections
Susanne Rottenbacher has been awarded with various national and international prizes and grants. In 2022 she was shortlisted for the Kunst-am-Bau-Wettbwerb (Art at the Building-Competition), Extenstion Federal Chancellery Germany, Berlin. Additionally, she was awarded with the first place for the 2018 KAB Competition from the Board of Headquarters Evangelische Kirche Bank eG, Kassel, Germany. In 2016 she was the Artist in Residence at the Centre of Contemporary Art, CCA Andratx Mallorca, In 2013 she received the first Price for Kunst am Bau C.O.R Düsseldorf, Installation “Gustaf”. Susanne Rottenbacher was also nominated for the Targetti Light Award 2009 and received the 2005 IIDA Award of Merit, IESNA, Berlin, Germany. In 2004 she was the recipient of the GE Edison Award of Exellence, Berin German. In 1992 she received the Henry Bartlett Travel Grant to Prague, Bartlett School of Architecture and Planning, London, UK and in 1991 the Josephine Paddock Grant from Columbia University, USA. Susanne Rottenbacher’s works can be found in many private and public collections amongst them the Elephan Art Collection, Switzerland; Collection Manish Maker,Maker Maxity, Mumbai, India; Collection Salsali Private Museum, Dubai, IAE; Sammlung Yvonne und Oliver Borrmann, Berlin,Germany; Sammlung Ingrid und Thomas Jochheim, Berlin/Recklinghausen, Germany Sammlung Kunstmuseum Celle, Celle, Germany ; Sammlung Stiftung Kunstforum Berliner Volksbank, Berlin, Germany ;Sammlung Swarovski für Gegenwartskunst,Innsbruck, Austria; Sammlung Wemhöner, Berlin Germany/ Herford, Germany.