Ursula Wagner at her Studio in Egling, Germany | Photo credits: Juliane Eirich
Weaving is my main medium of artistic expression. I am fascinated by the sculptural potential of textiles: the fluid transition between the second and the third dimension, the mutability of form. For me, creating textiles is a form-finding process, where structure, material and space influence and shape one another.
Ursula Wagner sculpts using industrial weaving machines. She approaches woven fabric as a spatial entity rather than as an ornamental or pictorial surface. Looms are driven by binary code: zeros and ones shaping the inherent structure of the cloth. For her, programming the weave means coding the behaviour of the material itself.
Within this abstract logic, Ursula's aesthetic sensibility evokes a sense of wonder. Her designs explore how fabric responds to space and light, transforming structural planning into tangible presence. Materiality - and how we perceive it - lies at the heart of her artistic practice, emerging through works that are minimalist in form yet rich in subtle complexity.
Alongside weaving, papermaking has become another key technique in her artistic exploration - one that continues her pursuit of material expression in sculptural form. In her handmade paper works, the same quiet clarity appears - reminding us that the tactile beauty of everyday materials often remains unnoticed.
Ursula Wagner's works in textile and paper add a sensory, poetic and emotional layer to these materials and cultivate a renewed appreciation for them.
PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
Die Neue Sammlung, Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich, Germany
TextielMuseum, Tilburg, Netherlands
Museum Grimmwelt, Kassel, Germany
Private collections internationally
EXHIBITIONS
2026
- Group Exhibition ReflexION, Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich, Germany
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Men & Machine, TextielMuseum, Tilburg, Netherlands
- Solo Exhibition PULPO GALLERY, Murnau, Germany
2024
Task Force Textiles«, State Academy of Fine Arts, Stuttgart, Germany
2023
»Textile Worlds«, Die Neue Sammlung, Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich, Germany
2021
Cotton: Raw Material & Precious Metaphor, Room482, Brooklyn, NY, USA
2018 – 2019
»Colour & Abstraction. Generations in Dialogue«, TextielMuseum, Tilburg, Netherlands
2018
»RISD Faculty Show«, RISD Museum, Providence, RI, USA
2016 – 2017
»+ultra. gestaltung schafft wissen«, Martin-Gropius-Bau, Berlin, Germany
2015 – 2025
»Von Ärschlein bis Zettel«, Permanent exhibition, Grimmwelt, Kassel, Germany
2014
»Vis-à-Vis«, Kunstquartier Bethanien, Berlin, Germany
AWARDS & GRANTS
2023
Task Force Textiles Scholarship, State Academy of Fine Arts, Stuttgart, Germany
2019
RISD Presentation and Conference Grant, Providence, RI, USA
2018 – 2019
RISD Education in New Technologies Grant, Providence, RI, USA
2017 – 2018
RISD New Faculty Research Grant, Providence, RI, USA
2017
DesignFarm Berlin Grant, Design in Tech Accelerator, Berlin, Germany
2016 – 2017
Elsa-Neumann-Stipend of the State of Berlin for the project »sculptile«, Berlin, Germany
2013
Mart-Stam-Award for the project »shaping weaves weaving shapes«, Berlin, Germany
ACADEMIC RESEARCH & TEACHING
2017 – 2019
Assistant Professor of Textiles and New Technologies, Department of Textiles, Fine Arts Division, Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), Providence, RI (USA) Teaching both textile specific, foundational courses and interdisciplinary courses with the Departments of Furniture Design, Architecture, Interior Architecture and the RISD Nature Lab.
2016
- Guest lecturer , Shenzhen Polytechnic, Shenzhen, China
- Adjunct professor, Textile Design department, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (Germany) Teaching weave construction on shaft looms (BA)
2014 – 2016
- Adjunct professor, Textile & Surface Design department, weissensee art academy, Berlin, Germany
- Co-teaching the interdisciplinary studios »consistencies«, »blow-up«, and »TecXtonics«
2013 – 2014
Research Fellow, Design Research Lab, University of the Arts, Berlin, Germany
Research & development of electronic and interactive textiles for a government funded smart home project together with partners from industry, universities and research institutes. Research stays at Aalto University Helsinki (FI), Swedish School of Textiles Borås (SE), University of Technology Sydney and CSIRO Future Manufacturing Flagship Geelong, Australia. Acquisition of funding by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the Australian Technology Network.
TALKS AND PRESENTATIONS
2023
FUTURE TALKS 023 conference: Materials Matter, Keynote speaker
Die Neue Sammlung, Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich, Germany
2022
»UW. Textiles« Burg Giebichenstein, University of Art and Design, Halle / Saale, Germany
2019
»Bewegte Gewebe. Vom Überdrehen und Ausgleichen« , weissensee art academy, Berlin, Germany
2016
»Dynamic Fabrics«, Master Talk Lecture , OCT Art and Design Gallery, Shenzhen, China
»Ikat Printer - Printing Pixels / Weaving Data« (with S. Diaz Rodriguez)
Martin-Gropius-Bau, Berlin, Germany
EDUCATION
- 2007 – 2013 Textile and Surface Design, weissensee art academy, Berlin (DE), Diplom
- 2010 Textile Design, Department of Design and Applied Arts, Hiroshima City University, Hiroshima (JP)
- 2012 European Textile Trainee Program, TextielMuseum, Tilburg (NL)
- 2003 – 2005 Art History, Philosophy and Latin American Studies, FU & HU Berlin (DE)
PROJECTS (selection)
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ongoing Textile research project on camera obscura, sunlight and 4D: »Polka Dot 4D«
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2016 – 2017 Textile research project on sculpting with industrial weaving machines: »sculptile« Consulted with the companies Lindauer Dornier und EAT Designscope (3DWeave Software)
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2015 Textile design for the site-specific art installation »Wortarbeit« in collaboration with the design and research practice TheGreenEyl Berlin, commission for Museum Grimmwelt, Kassel (DE)