Stefanie Schikora, born on May 8, 1966 in Mannheim, Germany, and resident in Mérida, Yucatán since 1994, has stood out as a multifaceted artist, whose work fuses the figurative, the abstract and the expressionist. Throughout her career, she has managed to captivate the public with a vibrant style that mixes the exploration of nature, the fantastic and the everyday. Her academic training in graphic design at the Wiesbaden High School and in fashion design at the Hamburg High School provided her with a solid foundation to develop her unique plastic language, which has constantly evolved, but always maintaining its essence: a celebration of life, creation and imagination.
Schikora has presented both solo and group exhibitions throughout more than three decades of her career, standing out in emblematic spaces in Mexico such as the Olimpo Cultural Center and the Ateneo de Yucatán Museum of Contemporary Art (MACAY), as well as in international places such as Belize, Germany and the United States. Among her most relevant solo exhibitions are "Bestiario" (2001), "Mujeres" (2006), "Árboles con alma" (2019) and "Seres famosos a la vista" (2021), among others. Her work has also been part of important professional projects, such as murals at the IMSS High Specialty Hospital in Mérida and collaborations with the Fiesta Americana Hotel chain and the Hyatt hotel in the same city.
What stands out most in her work are the "beasts" that inhabit her canvases, creatures and landscapes that explore the intrinsic relationship between nature and human beings. Singing trees, branches that reach out like hands, and leaves that transform into living flames are just some of the elements that make up her worlds, where fantastical beings and dreamlike forms coexist in harmony. Her style, which takes inspiration from alebrijes and children's drawings, is characterized by a riot of vibrant colors and unique textures, created through techniques such as acrylic on canvas, collage, and the use of materials such as paper, fabric, and sand, often incorporating stitching into her canvases.
Immanuel Kant's phrase, "Art is not the representation of a beautiful thing, it is the beautiful representation of a thing," has been adopted by Schikora as her personal motto. In her work, beauty is found not only in form, but in the way elements combine to evoke deep emotions. The artist sees art not only as a form of decoration, but as a tool to generate positive feelings and offer a sensory experience that transcends the surface.
Through her exhibitions and projects, Schikora has managed to connect with a wide audience, using her art as a way to tell stories that invite us to enter a world full of color, fantasy and mystery. Among her most recent achievements is her preselection for the JAM Guadalajara Biennial in 2022 and her publication in books such as "A Lucas todo le sale mal" by María Luisa Puga, with illustrations by the artist.
With a work that continues to evolve, Stefanie Schikora remains a key figure in the contemporary art scene, inviting viewers to immerse themselves in worlds full of magic and reflection, where the mythological, the fantastic and the natural intertwine with a unique energy.
Currently, the artist is exhibiting some of her wonderful pieces at the Hartii Cultural Center, where together with Ariel Guzmán they put together a magnificent exhibition called "Parallel Worlds." This exhibition will be on the premises until May of this year, admission is completely free, you just have to make an appointment at the number (999) 2 50 0569.
Written by: Laura Fernández Vallejos
Commercial Analyst
Hartii Cultural Center