Schlussstein

The Romanesque church of St. Maria Lyskirchen in Cologne presents 'Schlussstein,' four large-format works by emerging artist Alwine Baresch, created over two months on site as the first winner of the Kunstler-Union-Koln 'Artist in Residence' program. The exhibition is on view June 12 to 26, 2026, open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. When all four canvases hang in the church, visitors stand in the middle of an expressive landscape that connects directly with the medieval frescoes of the Romanesque interior. The project's title refers to the star-painted keystone in the church's vault, which Baresch incorporated into her work. Her practice engages above all with the beauty of creation and its destruction, weaving her earth-toned images between the dark floor and the historic frescoes to form a single whole. The three-year 'Artist in Residence' program offers two young artists per year space to live and work while engaging Christian and contemporary themes.