Sandra Kranich

Sandra Kranich (b. 1971, Ludwigsburg, lives in Frankfurt am Main) makes art with fireworks. This use of fireworks stems from her great interest in geometric shapes. She had been investigating the dynamics of lines in her drawings for a long time when she realised that, in fireworks, these lines actually become dynamic. She decided to undertake the three-year training course to become a pyrotechnician, which she completed successfully. Now she was able to fire her drawings up into the air: flickering lines of light crossing one another and forming all kinds of different figures for only a few seconds. Time and light also proved to be additional features of fireworks that gave the artist’s work exactly what she was aiming for. Not only are fireworks able to transform the flat drawing into dynamic, three-dimensional figures, but the brightly coloured light also ensures an aesthetic spectacle, while the ephemeral character of the fire makes the experience of the work all the more intense. Kranich designs sculptures as a base for her fireworks and incorporates the explosives into them. Explosions occur at various points on the sculpture, with lines of fire shooting up into the sky and combining with the original sculpture to form the complete artwork for just a brief moment. What remains after the explosion – occasionally the sculpture is entirely destroyed – functions as an artistic object in exhibitions, often accompanied by documentation. Professional photographs and film recordings of the exploding fireworks are made, in order to immortalise the process.