My work explores the depths of human emotion through facial expressions, gestures, and the nuances captured in photography. I am driven by an obsession with analyzing these elements, seeking to understand and convey their unspoken narratives. In my paintings, I strive to create a reflective space—one that acts as a mirror for the contemplating viewer. By pushing the boundaries of each medium, I aim to weave them together into a unified artistic language, bridging the gap between observation and introspection.

CV

Karlo Walz, born in 1960, grew up in Freudenstadt, Black Forest, in the south of Germany. I studied Mechanical Engineering and Mathematics in Karlsruhe with the goal of becoming a development aid worker. I completed two years of community service in Hamburg.
After earning my degree (Diplom Maschinenbau), I did not want to work in this area and so I worked for several years with physically and mentally handicapped individuals, developed software applications, and get retrained for a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Finance.
I then took on a role as a Financial Reporting Project Lead for a multinational corporation while living in Hamburg.
Since 2023 I am retired from this.

Exhibtions

1984: Film „Behindert oder Was“ (30 min)
2016 Feb: Blue Moon and Ashes – Photography exhibition at Galerie Herren Simpel, Hamburg (1 month)
2018 Nov: Burner Moments – Photography exhibition at Ponybar, Hamburg (1 month)
2019 Mar: Burner Moments – Collective exhibition at CRCRL, Berlin
2023 May:, Installation of an Art Temple at Schloss Beesenstedt
2024 May: Burn Creations – Collective exhibition at Studio Otto, Haus der Statistik, Berlin
2024 Jun: Sculpture installation at Nowhere, Spain
2024 Sept: Bodypainting performance at Mahalla Berlin during Berlin Art Week
Plus several other installations and performances, primarily at regional Burns in Europe.

Photography

My photography is a medium to express my ideas, often through settings that resemble a performance—though not in the form of traditional posing. I view it as a dance, a form of communication between me and my subjects. It exists in the space between authenticity and curation.

Chaos serves as one of my guiding principles, while self-expression and immediacy are the core elements. I would like to showcase some of my works.

Painting

As part of my plan to build an art temple for the Burner community in Europe—an installation meant to travel to various Burns—I decided to focus on art as a medium for meditation.

Approximately four years ago, I took a course in abstract painting at the Art University in Ottersberg, near Bremen. This experience captivated me, opening a new realm of expression that felt liberating compared to the constraints of photography settings.

I describe my work as “meditative spiritual abstract painting.” For me, these paintings are a medium to achieve the focus needed for meditation. I primarily use watercolors, ink, and acrylics. There are no plans to work with oil paints, graffiti, or similar mediums, as I create all my work in my living room and wish to avoid strong odors. The only exception is the occasional use of spray varnish.

I cannot yet foresee how this journey will continue, but I am eager to explore this path further.