Selected works
Frederike von Cranach was born in 1976 in Heidelberg and grew up in Cologne. She first studied fashion design before turning to art exclusively. This was followed by courses at the Wackers Academy in Amsterdam and at the Escola de Artes Visuais do Parque Lage in Rio de Janeiro. After living and working in London for a decade she now lives in Berlin.
Federike's main source of inspiration are Egagropili — natural straw-like and fibrous objects washed up at the shores of the Mediterranean Sea.
Egagropili are the remains of the foliage produced from a plant called Posidonia Oceanica or Neptune-grass, an important part of the ecosystem in the Mediterranean Sea. It provides a rhizomatic and stable seabed that regulates water current, is a source of oxygen as well as a habitat for different sea creatures. It is also one of the oldest living organisms on this planet and therefore a very precious plant.With the help of these “sea-balls” she creates a unique world of sculptures and works on paper. The pellets often serve as a medium for expressing organic processes and condition in nature or man’s environment, thus creating powerful works from modest means. The very fine ink drawings are minimal and abstract, they create an atmosphere of stillness and quiet.
Liquid silence
...is a miniature sculpture park, delicately hand-blown into existence by Frederike von Cranach. At the heart of her creations are Egagropili—mysterious, straw-like formations washed ashore by the Mediterranean Sea. But their story begins far beneath the waves, with Posidonia Oceanica, an ancient sea grass and one of the Earth's most enduring living organisms. These vast underwater meadows, known as the 'lungs of the Mediterranean,' cradle marine life, anchor the seabed, and breathe life into the ocean by supplying oxygen and calming the currents.
Cranach captures this underwater epic by giving form and space to the humble Egagropili, elevating their hidden story through an exquisite dance of materials. Each sculpture preserves these natural wonders in a moment of silent stillness. Her aesthetic language speaks in whispers—calm, meditative, and profound—like the deep quiet of the ocean itself. Each piece is a reminder of the raw beauty and simplicity that our environment quietly offers.
She juxtaposes the wild, chaotic textures of the Egagropili with the smooth elegance of precious materials like glass and gold-filled bronze wire. This contrast creates a vibrant tension between the sleek, polished surfaces and the organic, untamed forms—an interplay of nature and refinement that resonates with a quiet intensity.
Each sculpture title is drawn from poems of water and the sea, mirroring the poetic grandeur of the oceans themselves. Cranach’s work reflects the ocean’s vast and mysterious beauty while also calling us to recognize its fragility. It invites a deeper awareness of the ocean’s vital role in sustaining life on this planet, casting light on the urgency of its protection.
Over the years, Cranach has created more than thirty unique sculptures in the Liquid Silence series—each a poetic testament to the sea’s boundless mystery, stillness, and the delicate balance of life it nurtures.
Melting away
...is a vibrant and thought-provoking series where Cranach combines the earthy textures of Egagropili, the organic allure of ceramics, and the pristine elegance of white marble. Together, these natural materials evoke whimsical ice cones, symbols of summer’s lighthearted joy and carefree times. The playful, colorful sculptures invite us into a moment of delight—perhaps a fleeting escape from the mounting social and environmental challenges we face.
Yet, beneath the surface of this visual playfulness, the titles of the artworks suggest a more sobering truth: something vital is melting away. This series subtly alludes to the melting ice caps of Antarctica and the Arctic, where rising temperatures are unraveling a delicate balance essential to life on Earth. As these ancient ice sheets dissolve, they cast ripples across the globe — impacting weather patterns, temperatures, and the fragile ecosystems that depend on them.
With the reflective white ice disappearing, darker waters now absorb more sunlight, accelerating a vicious cycle that further heats the atmosphere and hastens the loss of more ice. Global warming is more than a distant threat — it disrupts the very fabric of our climate. Increased evaporation leads to heavier rains, intensifying storms and causing floods across the world. What was once a finely tuned system is thrown into chaos, with far-reaching consequences for life on every continent.
While we savor the simple pleasure of an ice cream, MELTING AWAY reminds us that we must learn to live in harmony with nature, not apart from it. Humanity’s survival on this blue planet depends on recognizing nature’s power and fragility. Cranach’s series becomes a visual echo of this imbalance, reflecting both the beauty and the urgency of protecting our environment. Through the joyful symbols of summer, MELTING AWAY offers a poignant reminder of the forces at play beneath the surface—forces that, if left unchecked, will continue to reshape the world we know.
