Berlin-based designer and conceptual artist Maren Michaelis is emerging as a force to be reckoned with on the international field across several genres of media expression. Born and raised at the Baltic Sea, Germany, Michaelis lived at Gold Coast in Australia to study graphic design and marine biology, a subject which is always present in her art. Upon returning to Germany, she studied in Berlin and received a degree in fashion design. Afterwards Michaelis furthered worked for Burberry, Joop!, and at the trend agency Seasons in Berlin, Switzerland, and Paris. Meanwhile she is working as fashion stylist and has worked with well known photographers which sent her 2009 on a US Tour, doing styling jobs in New York City, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, San Francisco and Hawaii. Michaelis assisted at the avantgarde label Don't Shoot the Messengers. In addition, she expanded her repertoire by learning to make latex at Savage Wear. No stranger to working with some of the most acclaimed performance artists in Berlin, Michaelis also lent her talents to the award-winning rock band The Smashing Pumpkins.

As passionate about design as she is music, Maren is a self-described music nerd. One of her goals is to design cover artwork for bands in the music industry worldwide. Her experiences living and working abroad add to her interest in this realm, as design has always been her first passion as it enables her to experiment in different styles yet always carry along her signature accentuations.

In this digital age, Michaelis photographs are analogue. It can be best described as creative and poetic energy with its own vision and conviction. It is all encompassing- surreal, dark, atmospheric, end expressive...more like snapshots, taking what is provided to create something out of the moment that the normal eye may not see. It is spontaneous, spur of the moment, breathing life and soul into the finished product. Bold colors, superfluous acccessories alongside striking images without dominant backgrounds which places the object at the forefront of every photo. Michaelis renders her imagery contemporary, yet timeless, refusing to adhere to trends of the moment.

Her subjects have included but are not limited to documentation of the city of the moment, Berlin, burlesque performers, drag queens, chic singers, et cetera. This quest for interesting content disregards commercial or conventional photography, creating a caught in the act vibe which she is known for.

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