Artists

Biography 2022

Susanne van Tuinen was born in Germany and immigrated to New Zealand in 1991. She has lived in Christchurch since 1996.

Her interest is in non-representational, minimalist and colourfield work. Since 2016 she has explored form, using recycled aluminium (used commercial printing plates). Her interest was captured by the flexibility of the material and the ability to manipulate the flat surface into a 3D object. She has continued exploring form, making endless drawings of various shapes and their relationships, searching for harmony and balance and constantly fine tuning, and simplifying the form. 

Susanne does not perceive her aluminium works as painting or sculpture rather somewhere in between. 

Susanne van Tuinen is predominantly self-taught and has been able to develop her work further by being a member (2008 – 2017) of the CoCA Critique group. The group was initially facilitated by painter Riduan Tomkins and after his death in 2009 by Christchurch based painter Ross Gray. In 2017 she joined the Associates program at the Centre of Contemporary Art, Christchurch. The Associates now continue as a supportive professional group independent of CoCA.