August 29, 2025
Henni Alftan: By the Skin of My Teeth
Where: Sprüth Magers, Oranienburger Str 18, 10178 Berlin
When: 12 September to 25 October
Finnish painter Henni Alftan is drawn to the suspense of real-life events: a pair of scissors poised to snip a lock of hair; a car in a flood, the water reaching to the windows. “I choose common subjects, a glass of milk, a watch, a Post-It or a paper clip, as things that one can relate to,” says the Paris-based artist. “Things that one sees everyday but rarely pays attention to.” In a show of new works at Sprüth Magers in Berlin, oil paintings depict an empty boardroom reminiscent of Dr Strangelove; drawings focus on small objects that might be found in a pocket, handbag or drawer, arranged like archaeological findings. One shows three screws, three teeth and a red button; another, some coloured Post-It notes that are “almost abstract yet very recognisable”. “I try to find subjects that may give a feel of what it’s like to live now,” she says. “I’ve always aspired to be the painter of modern life”.
