- Art & Design
The right art can transport you to other worlds. That is exactly what the work of Niina Kratz does. This Finnish artist uses interesting textures and sculptural ideas to translate her innovative style into different sorts of pieces. With her creativity, she elevates Scandinavian simplicity to a futuristic play of light and dark. Her way of working and philosophy are testimonies of an honest soul who gives art and design a calm yet clear voice.
Niina Kratz’s portfolio contains several categories, although to Imagicasa she mainly stands out because of her impressive paintings. These large eyecatchers often have an extra-terrestrial look thanks to the unique way she incorporates texture on canvas. By treating textiles as a primary aspect of the work, Kratz obtains special pieces that are an encounter between the sculptural on the one hand and fabrics on the other. Furthermore, her paintings possess something eternal. This is the result of carefully draping and processing the material. Together with the earthy and neutral colour palette, the almost cyclical patterns remind of the structure of the galaxy and nature. 
After years of experimentation with different techniques, she evolved into the artist she is today. Her current sources of inspiration she mainly finds in nature, architecture, and human psychology. Initially, the latter might seem a remarkable element, but to Kratz the human aspect presumes an attempt to explore and express emotions in her art. For example, she recently made several works in which she studies vulnerability, strength, and closeness. Next to this, Kratz was heavily influenced by the environment in which she grew up. She spent her childhood years in a small city in the middle of Finland, and during the summers she stayed in the house of her grandparents in the countryside. Already at a young age the future artist and designer was busy with her imagination. 
A futuristic play of light and dark
Kratz fully investigates the fluid border between art and design and rewrites the rules when doing so. Central in her work is the masterly way in which she blends material and shape. Thus, it is no surprise that she has an enormous love for beauty and contours. Her art rests for a considerable part on the different materials that she uses and the tactility that is consistently being pursued. Unconventional mediums in particular draw Kratz’s attention since they often contain a sphere of mysticism and are a clear added value for art. Kratz also emphasises that she is the type of artist who is mainly driven by the materials in question. It is, however, no coincidence that she is drawn to fabrics specifically, considering that the artist has a background in fashion- and textile design. Therefore, using it in her art feels like a second nature. Concerning the colour palette, she goes in a neutral direction. By choosing mainly white, black, and brown tints, the texture of the works and the material used are again brought to the fore. Function and shape always have a certain ratio, but this usually depends on whether it concerns art or design since there is an important difference for Kratz. Namely, design should always be practical, whereas art should not. 
We wish the Finnish creative all the luck in the world, since her art enriches every interior with a distinctive element. Guided by shape, texture, and material, Kratz introduces an innovative perspective on decorative beauty that resonates far beyond Scandinavia.
Do you want to know more about Niina Kratz? Read the full article in Imagicasa Autumn 2022.
Images courtesy of Nina Kratz
Header image: interior by Johanna Taskula