Born in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany, Katharina Grosse studied at the Kunstakademie Münster and the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf. She gained prominence in the late 1990s for her departure from traditional canvas painting, opting instead to transform entire environments into immersive, color-saturated experiences.

Her signature practice involves the use of industrial paint-sprayers to coat diverse surfaces—ranging from gallery walls and soil to massive sculptural forms—in unmixed, high-intensity acrylic pigments. This approach blurs the boundaries between painting, sculpture, and architecture, challenging the viewer's perception of space and scale.

Grosse continues to exhibit globally, with recent presentations in Switzerland, Singapore, and a 2026 solo exhibition at White Cube Bermondsey in London. Her work remains a staple of contemporary institutional programming, frequently engaging with both interior gallery spaces and expansive outdoor sites.