Some new artworks by Roswitha were recently added to our design murals range. We are thrilled with the unique addition of these brand-new motifs and were intrigued by what Roswitha’s own home looks like and what she pays particular attention to when designing her own space.
Roswitha, how would you describe the style of your artwork?
Paintings that, due to their size and sensory, vibrant colours, create an effect in the room, conquer the space and surround the viewer. Using a clear structure and intuitive colour application.
Is your home décor a reflection of your personality?
I live with a few timeless classic pieces of furniture that, by and large, have a fixed place in my home. The space itself is used for working, experimenting, cooking and getting together. My décor and myself could perhaps best be described as unpredictable, yet firmly anchored.
Can you describe the wall decoration in your home?
The three-metre-high walls are all painted white, except for a cool, very light blue in the large living area and work space. The small high-walled hallway is dominated by a very opulent, dense Petersburg hanging, a seemingly loose arrangement of different pictures and objects that in fact follows a strict principle. I don’t have anything hung in the bedroom, except for a very large, solid-looking curtain and beautiful wall lights. In the children’s bedroom hangs a single medium-sized painting, a work on canvas from my own collection that it is very important to me and marks a milestone in my development. In the large living area and work space, there’s a very large, heavy, round food object hanging above the fireplace. Otherwise, I change the walls according to my mood and often also submit to the needs of the people I live with, which is not always easy. There’s everything ranging from dismantled hard drives and a periodic table of the elements to chains of cable ties, and art in between.
Do you often change up your interior design?
Very rarely. Actually, only if something breaks or no longer meets the needs of the people who live here. I’m more resistant to fashion and into sustainability.
What does having your own style mean to you?
Living with just a few things that work well together and that, once you have them, you don’t want to give away. Things that contrast with one another, but rub along together nicely.
You have designed your own collection for Komar photomurals. Where did you find your inspiration?
In the beginning, I always focus on the art as a standalone thing, then comes the mural. The basis is the picture itself without any specific application; only then can you decide whether it also works as a mural.
You studied abroad in California and now live and work in Munich again. How has the city influenced your art?
Munich has not influenced the content of my art or the techniques I use, at least that’s how I feel about it. But it has influenced the way I work. Finding affordable space in a city like Munich where you can work well without restrictions, even on a large scale, is a real challenge. Here you are always forced to work quickly. I am very productive here is what I’m trying to say.
Which interior style would work best with the photomurals from your collection?
A clean, pared-back interior design style probably goes best with my designs although individual pieces of furniture could certainly set striking accents in colour and material. When you browse through home interior books from the seventies, you realise how reserved, timid and boring many trends are nowadays. It’s okay to go loud sometimes, if the structure remains clear. With some of my paintings, one could perhaps also create a contemporary cabinet of curiosities, the murals as a background for a panopticon of framed pictures, rarities and curiosities. A room as a picture within a picture. The new opulence!
How can striking photo murals be staged without overwhelming their surroundings?
My work is probably best staged in a large format with very pared-back and timeless furnishings, or by creating a cabinet of curiosities; a cabinet of art in which you can immerse yourself, the eye gazing in wonder and all the senses coming together to marvel in the space.
Thank you, Roswitha, for opening the door onto exclusive interior landscapes and your very personal space at home, which we can perfectly imagine thanks to your colourful storytelling.