Kitty Kahane’s studio flat embraces a collage of old and new
I moved into this flat in 1995 and immediately fell in love with it. The layout was different at first, with a series of smaller rooms. We were able to do the interior work ourselves. I love large spaces, and also need them for my work. We tried to combine old with new. I was earning good money and always bought beautiful, high-quality furniture, much of it vintage. I love objects that tell stories. Like my parents’ little tea table, which I’ve had for a very long time. Their home was furnished with these Hellerau designs from the 1950s and ’60s.
I grew up in East Germany. After leaving school, I went to Meissen and learned the art of porcelain turning and glazing, before going on to study graphic design. I graduated and had a child in 1989, the year the Berlin Wall fell. That was the start of my career. I was in the right place – in Berlin – at the right time. I worked as a product designer for twenty years, creating fabrics and later began illustrating books. With my rugs, it was always important to me that they were made honestly and authentically, that they had a story to tell.
I grew up in East Germany. After leaving school, I went to Meissen and learned the art of porcelain turning and glazing, before going on to study graphic design. I graduated and had a child in 1989, the year the Berlin Wall fell. That was the start of my career. I was in the right place – in Berlin – at the right time. I worked as a product designer for twenty years, creating fabrics and later began illustrating books. With my rugs, it was always important to me that they were made honestly and authentically, that they had a story to tell.
"‘For me, it can’t be too nice. The ruptures and imperfections must always be visible. That applies to my work as well as my home."
Kitty Kahane
In the years between 2009 and 2016, I travelled to 16 countries like Pakistan, India, Indonesia and Kazakhstan, just to name a few. I always took my work with me and always brought something back from my travels. Sometimes just a pair of shoes, a small figurine or a little matryoshka. My golden teapot from China may not be valuable, but it reminds me of the people I met there and the moments we spent together.
I really enjoy working at home these days. I couldn’t work in a shared office, I need my own environment. I like to use the sofa as a place to chill out and relax, and develop ideas. I think it helps to sit comfortably in peace and quiet when working. At the same time, the space shouldn’t be too perfect, too coordinated. Being an artist is a lonely profession. I’m an observer. My principal theme is people and their relationships. Life has its ups and downs. This mix of strength, energy but also pain, suffering and, of course, humour is how I look at life.
Kitty Kahane paints a set of porcelain plates with a steady hand and practised strokes, creating small works of art that will embellish any table. She applies the same care and attention when setting her own dining table. For her guests, but also for herself. In both her profession and this daily ritual, she is guided by a single constant: her passion for detail.
