Pictorial material sensibility on the one hand and an intellectual discourse in the form of text on the other; these are the fundamental hallmarks of Astrid Klein’s work. Handwriting and image form an entity as equally fascinating as handwriting and light in her diverse works (painting/collage) – through illumination the content appears borne by the immateriality of the corresponding counterpart; through overexposure their messages approach abstraction.
From 1973, since her time as a student, Astrid Klein has worked in diverse media and materials. In addition to paintings (black paintings with text) there are drawings, installations and objects. She began producing collages in 1977 (important works include Elvis, Kamikaze or Spieler) and Les tâches dominicales (the so-called Sonntagsarbeiten) were made in 1980. In 1987/1991, the artist began a new and important phase. She struck upon a rigorous form of expression by using neon and fluorescent lamps in the sculpture entitled Fly-Catcher. From then, until 2010/13, she continued to work with light whilst she created installations (at times 12 meters high) as part of an extensive art in architecture project in Münster. In 1991, she completed the work Paradiso terrestre as well as several large neon works in 1994 for the newly constructed parliament buildings. Astrid Klein has thus made a name for herself in Germany as a light artist.

The famous series of shot or destroyed mirrors – fascinatingly lucid and inescapably provocative objects – also originate from this time.

In Astrid Klein’s work, clarity of thought together with articulate and somnambulistic references combine with structured visual elements and archaic forces, which elude concrete stylistic classification and definition. In her own way, Astrid Klein awakens present and past to a new and existential way of thinking.