Though the German artist Florian Krewer begins each painting from a photograph or image recalled from memory, there is a fantastical quality to his works. In one painting, the hand of a spectral figure with green skin curls around a dark corner; in another, a trumpet player emits puffs of black smoke from the bell of the instrument. For his most recent exhibition, Krewer – who studied at Kunstakademie Düsseldorf under Peter Doig and whose works are owned by institutions including the Met and the Centre Pompidou – brings his dreamlike art to an unusual new location: a London pub. ‘Cruel The Night Café’, a solo exhibition featuring new paintings and works on paper inspired by New York’s evening hours, is at the former Blue Lion pub on Gray’s Inn Road, which has recently been purchased by The Perimeter, a neighbouring foundation, and will be redeveloped into an adjoining exhibition space.
Where is your studio?
My studio is in South Bronx, New York City.
How would you describe the atmosphere in your studio?
Untidy. Hot in summer, cold in winter.
Is there anything you don’t like about your studio?
The radiators on the ceiling. One is sagging slightly.
What does your studio routine look like?
Without having breakfast, I trade my bed for my bike, cycling directly to the studio. I typically settle in for a long, uninterrupted stretch of painting, picking up exactly where I ended the day before. My day at the studio usually runs well into the late afternoon or early evening.
Do you work with anyone in your studio?
No, I work completely solo. I do everything myself, from stretching the paintings to getting the finished work ready for collection.
Do you have many visitors?
Rarely, but from time to time.
Who is the most interesting or unusual visitor you’ve had?
Sam Smith. They’re a lovely person.
Do you listen to anything while you work?
I always used to. But New York is perpetually loud and bustling – I now also appreciate the silence while painting in the studio.
What is the most unusual object in your studio?
It is a tool I call the Primer brush. It’s an adaptation of my own design: a brush attached to the end of a long broom handle. It’s proving to be quite handy.
What is your most well-thumbed book?
Rembrandt: The Complete Paintings.
‘Florian Krewer: Cruel The Night Café’ is at The Perimeter, London, until 10 January 2026.