Maresa Puls · Puls Light Art

One painting – three appearances

Daylight · UV · Night

Light-reactive painting from Berlin. My works transform from daylight through UV light into darkness.

View works Inquire
Phase Shift – Red I – light-reactive painting by Maresa Puls (abstract painting, 2024), view: DaylightPhase Shift – Red I – light-reactive painting by Maresa Puls (abstract painting, 2024), view: BlacklightPhase Shift – Red I – light-reactive painting by Maresa Puls (abstract painting, 2024), view: Night

Phase Shift – Red I, 2024 · 80 × 100 × 4 cm (31.5 × 39.4 × 1.6 in)

The principle

One painting – three appearances

The same work shows itself three different ways. What you see depends on when and how you look.

Daylight

Colors, photographic elements and painted textures form the visible composition.

UV light

Fluorescent colors emerge and translucent colors become visible, revealing new contrasts and visual relationships.

Night

Phosphorescent pigments create a luminous presence, allowing the artwork to continue evolving after the light source is removed.

Film

Light-reactive painting in motion

Change the light and the painting changes – until night makes it glow.

Materials and technique

The color system

Translucent, fluorescent and phosphorescent pigments form a three-tier color system. Each layer responds differently to light.

Translucence

Translucent colors are visible only under blacklight.

Fluorescence

Under UV light, fluorescent colors begin to glow.

Phosphorescence

Phosphorescent pigments keep glowing after the light is gone.

My works are built from several layers of oil and/or acrylic paint. The photo-based works start from my own photographs of Berlin and New York, printed on canvas, further worked on and painted over. Not every work uses translucent or phosphorescent colors.

Porträt der Berliner Künstlerin Maresa Puls
Maresa Puls, Berlin
Photo credit: © Marc-Steffen Unger

The artist

Maresa Puls

I live and work in Berlin, where contrasts, urban textures and shifting perspectives continually inform my artistic practice. My work encompasses abstract painting and mixed-media art, exploring the interplay of color, texture, imagery and light.

My works evolve through layers of oil and/or acrylic paint, building depth, movement and visual tension. Alongside my abstract work, I transform my own photographs of Berlin and New York, all taken by me, into individual artworks. Printed on canvas, these photographs become the starting point for a further creative process in which I add paint, texture and, in selected works, light-reactive pigments. The original image is not simply reproduced or decorated; it is reinterpreted and transformed through painting.

“I don’t paint pictures.
I paint processes.”

Background

Art and visual design have been part of my life since childhood. While training as a track and field athlete at Berlin’s Children and Youth Sports School, I also attended life drawing and sculpture courses – nurturing an early connection to artistic expression. I later studied graphic design, receiving a comprehensive education in drawing techniques, illustration, bookbinding, screen printing, photography, typography, and reproduction methods.

After completing my diploma, I worked in communications and advertising agencies and completed a part-time Master’s degree in Sales & Marketing. Since then, I’ve held leadership positions in marketing – bringing with me a refined understanding of visual impact, design, and strategic communication.

Questions and answers

Frequently asked questions

What is light-reactive painting?

Light-reactive painting uses translucent, fluorescent and phosphorescent pigments. As a result, the same work looks different in daylight, under blacklight (UV light) and in darkness.

How do I see the three appearances of a work?

Open a work in the gallery. First you see it in the daylight view under normal light. Next to it are the buttons for the blacklight view under UV light and for the night view in a darkened room, where phosphorescent pigments keep glowing with a delay. You can also display all three views at once. If a view is missing, the work is either sold or does not have that light view.

Which materials and techniques do you use?

My works are built from several layers of oil and/or acrylic paint. The photo-based works start from my own photographs of Berlin and New York, printed on canvas, further worked on and painted over. Not every work uses translucent or phosphorescent colors.

Are the works unique pieces?

Yes. Every work is a one-of-a-kind original and comes with a certificate of authenticity.

How do I find out prices and availability?

I share prices and availability on request. Write to me at hello [at] maresapuls [punkt] de; I am happy to send the portfolio as a PDF. In accordance with Section 19 of the German VAT Act (UStG), no VAT is shown.

Contact

Inquiries welcome

About works, exhibitions and collaborations. I share prices and availability on request. I am happy to send the portfolio as a PDF.

hello [at] maresapuls [punkt] deWrite an email

Instagram @puls.lightart

In accordance with Section 19 of the German VAT Act (UStG), no VAT is shown.