Vesna Bukovec

TRANS.form 5

Exhibition: TRANS.form 5
Location: Künstlerhaus Klagenfurt / Dom umetnikov Celovec, AT
Date: Januar 15 – February 26, 2015
Opening: Thursday, January 15, at 7 pm

Artists: Johann Fruhmann / Michael Punz, Josef Gabler / Andrea Knezović, Wilhelm Götzl / Veronika Oberlojer, Kiki Kogelnik / Chriss Hall, Heinz Peter Maya / Edith Bergmann, Karl Stark / Andrew Mezwinsky, Ludwig Willroider / Roswitha Schuller & Markus Hanakam, Albert Zahlbruckner / Vesna Bukovec

Curator: Andres Klimbacher

Supported by: Skica

Invitation card (pdf)
www.kunstvereinkaernten.at

O razstavi

Koncept razstavnega ciklusa TRANS.form temelji na vzpostavitvi dialoga med deli pokojnih članov Koroškega društva likovnih umetnikov (Künstverein Kärenten) in mlajšimi ustvarjalci iz regije in okolice.

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Sodelujem s serijo risb Ni družbe brez spektakla (There is no society without spectacle) (2011–). Projekt se ukvarja s percepcijo množice in gledalčeve lastne pozicije ter primerja raznolike kolektivne izkušnje iz specifičnih okolij današnjega časa in preteklosti. Njihova primerjava odpira vprašanja specifike družbenih in zgodovinskih okoliščin ter globalne geografske in socialne (de)privilegiranosti.

Umetniška izjava:

Fascinacija s kolektivno izkušnjo

Vesna Bukovec

About the exhibition

TRANS.form 5 presents the newest edition of a project which has been conducted with acclaim for several years now. The basic concept is the juxtaposition of old and young:

Young artists are invited to set their current work into dialogue with selected works by former members of the Carithian Artists’ Association who are no longer alive. This dialoogue is conducted through formal criteria as well as isuues of artistic content.

The young artists’ works make reference to specific original works by the deceased artists, not as any kind of hommage, but as an intrinsic part of their current practice. This sparks off an exciting communication between the past and the present, a one-to-one conversation which is conducted purely through the medium of the works themselves.

The works in the exhibition are presented as pairings, spanning a wide arc from the past into the present, from tradition to the avant-garde, from classical technique all the way to conceptual installation.

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I am participating with the drawing series There is no society without spectacle (2011–).

Artist statement:

Fascination with the collective experiences

Of the works by Albert Zahlbruckner, I was attracted by the painting ‘Feiertag in Maria Saal’ (1934). Despite the fact that at first sight there are no obvious parallels between this painting and my work, I thought it would be interesting to confront it with my series of drawings ‘There is no society without spectacle’ (2011–). The open ended series of so far nine conceptual drawings which are based on photographs found on the Internet and depict various mass events (protests in New York and in Slovenia, desperate factory workers, spectators at a tennis tournament, customers waiting for the official release of the new i-phone, the audience at a rock concert, school children at prayer, refugees struggling for their package of food and refugees rescued from a shipwreck). All these scenes have in common a crowd of people at a special pleasant or unpleasant event. As the theorist Jean-Luc Nancy would say: there is no society without spectacle; or more precisely, there is no society without the spectacle of society . … There is no society without the spectacle beacause society is the specatacle of itself. One could say that the painting of the pilgrimage in 1934 is presenting the current spectacular event in the local environment of the artist.

Vesna Bukovec

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Photos from the exhibition

Ideja telesa / The Idea of the Body

Exhibition: Ideja telesa / The Idea of the Body
Location: Riko Debenjak Gallery, Kanal ob Soči, SI
Date: November 14 – December 5, 2014
Opening: Friday, November 14, at 6.30 pm

Artists: Brane Širca, Črtomir Frelih, Katja Oblak, Sašo Vrabič, Vesna Bukovec

Curator: Monika Ivančič Fajfar

The new series of thematic exhibitions at the Riko Debenjak’s Gallery explores the relationship of contemporary artists to classical art historical genres such as figure and portrait, landscape, still life and abstract or conceptual art.
The first exhibition in the series will focus on the figure and portrait. The exhibition, entitled The Idea of the Body involves five authors representing different generations, styles and media. By depicting (and using) the human body, selected artists address various artistic and substantive issues such as body-space, human-nature, intimate-social and physical-spiritual dichotomy. They invite the viewer to question the relationship of the individual to him/herself, to others and to the surrounding world.

More info (in Slovene only)

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Ideja telesa

Razstava je zasnovana kot prvi del štiridelnega sklopa in nadaljuje linijo skupinskih tematskih razstav, ki jih v Galeriji Rika Debenjaka pripravljajo od leta 2006. Sklop je namenjen raziskavi in prevetritvi klasičnih umetnostnozgodovinskih pojmov.
V ospredju je zamisel, da se predstavijo slogovno in vsebinsko raznoliki avtorski prijemi. Z njimi se gledalcem ponudi razmislek o različnih konceptih v umetnosti in kulturi, pa tudi razmislek o vprašanjih aktualnega prostora in časa. Brane Širca, Črtomir Frelih, Katja Oblak, Sašo Vrabič in Vesna Bukovec upodabljajo (in uporabljajo) človeško telo za odpiranje številnih likovnih in vsebinskih problematik; odpirajo vprašanja odnosa telesa do prostora, človeka do narave, intimnega do družbenega, telesnega do duhovnega; na gledalca naslavljajo vprašanja o odnosu posameznika do sebe, do drugih in do sveta, ki ga obdaja.

Človeška figura v zgodovini likovne umetnosti uprizarja zgodbe, posreduje metaforične vsebine, pooseblja ideje, beleži portretne podobnosti ali simbolno upodablja družbeni položaj. Lahko je ekspresivna, realistična, abstrahirana ali simbolistična. Sodobni umetniki, ki v svoje delo vključujejo človeško figuro in portret, lahko črpajo iz vseh teh tradicij in vanje vnašajo svoje avtorske vizije. Spajanje tradicionalnega in sodobnega oziroma preizkušenega in inovativnega priča o univerzalnosti govorice umetnosti v prostoru in času.

Več o razstavi

Ideja telesa (zloženka, pdf)

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Iz besedila ob razstavi:

Vesna Bukovec: Od splošnega k posameznemu

Dialog razstavljenih ciklusov There is no society without spectacle* in Ali me nočete, ker sem kritična odpira vprašanja o identiteti posameznika in vlogi posameznika v družbi, hkrati pa poudarja funkcijo umetnosti pri iskanju odgovorov na aktualna družbena vprašanja.

Vesna Bukovec nas s ciklusom osmih risb spomni na delo Družba spektakla (La Société du spectacle, 1967) francoskega marksističnega misleca Guya Deborda.** Niz s spleta vzetih primerov »družbenega spektakla« ilustrira tezo, da spektakel ni skupek podob, ampak medosebni družbeni odnos, katerega posrednik so podobe. Identitetne vloge posameznikov se vselej spreminjajo glede na določeno družbeno situacijo in tako oblikujejo skupno identiteto množic; bodisi so to gledalci teniškega turnirja ali obiskovalci rock koncerta, protestniki na Wall Streetu ali vstajniki na slovenskih cestah, množica, ki čaka na hrano, ali množica, ki čaka novi iPhone, delavci tovarne v stečaju ali šolarji pri molitvi.

Risbe iz ciklusa Ali me nočete, ker sem kritična so referenca na strip z naslovom Tinza konceptualnega umetnika Marka Pogačnika.*** Petinštirideset let kasneje je družbena vloga ženske še vedno podvržena stereotipom. Vesna Bukovec jo problematizira v seriji šestnajstih podob z napisi, ki na gledalca naslavljajo vprašanja: Ali me nočete, ker … sem ženska, kritična, naivna, depresivna, ker živim v revščini, imam lastno mnenje, pričakujem otroka, ker nisem mlada in lepa, ne jem dovolj zdrave hrane in podobno.

Banalne ilustracije ob vprašanjih poglabljajo nelagodje gledalca. Namesto produkcije novih podob se Vesna Bukovec odloči za recikliranje in prerisovanje iz neskončne zaloge spletnih podob. To so fotografije, ki ilustrirajo raznolike medijske vsebine in pod katerimi v drobnem tisku nemalokrat preberemo »slika je simbolična«. Tako avtorica konceptualna izhodišča, da je umetnost bolj delo duha kot ročne izurjenosti, sooči z aktualnim stališčem o medijski onesnaženosti s podobami.

Recikliranje podob se sklada z recikliranjem družbenih stereotipov. Rutinska, neosebna in tehnicistična risba s tušem na papir formata A4 poudarja osredinjenost na vsebino in kaže na univerzalnost upodobljenega. To gledalcu omogoča poistovetenje. V ozadju na videz nevtralne risbe torej ni le ironija, cinizem in družbena kritičnost, temveč tudi osebno sugestivna sporočilnost.

* Ni družbe brez spektakla. **Guy Debord: Družba spektakla. Komentarji k družbi spektakla. Panegirik, Koda, 1999. ***Marko Pogačnik: Tinza, strip, objavljen v Problemih, št. 83–84, str. 672–702, 1969.

Monika Ivančič Fajfar

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I will participate with two series of drawings: Ali me nočete, ker sem kritična / Do you not want me, because I’m critical (2012) and
There is no society without spectacle (2011, 2013)

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Photos from the exhibition

Stik/h

Exhibition: Stik/h,
Location: Fürst House, Krempljeva 1, Ptuj, SI
Date: August 27–30, 2014
Opening: Wednesday, August 27, at midnight

Artists: Vesna Bukovec, Anja Medved & Patricija Maličev, Petra Varl, Lenka Đorojević, Small but Dangers (Mateja Rojc & Simon Hudolin – Salči), Matej Stupica, Maja Burja & Staš Vrenko

Curator: Simona Žvanut

The exhibition entitled “Stik/h” is a multifaceted combination of contemporary visual art and poetry, literature, and books. Works by participating artists (some of which will be created specifically for this exhibition and the Fürst House) will launch a dialogue with the complex festival program, which brings an unmistakable atmosphere to the Days of Poetry and Wine Festival with its numerous, diverse events and with the overall redecoration of the streets of Ptuj. The exhibition will be an indispensable part of the festival, as well as a connection point of the unexpected, a space for reflection on the intersection between various art forms. Participating artists, including Lenka Đorojević, Small but Dangers (Mateja Rojc and Simon Hudolin – Salči), Matej Stupica, Maja Burja and Staš Vrenko, will enhance their exhibition on Saturday, 30 August, by a performance Stihija. The exhibition was curated by Simona Žvanut, who will organize guided tours of the exhibition every festival day at 17.00 together with participating artists.

More info

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Razstava Stik/h na večplasten način prepleta sodobno vizualno umetnost in poezijo, literaturo, knjigo. Umetniška dela sodelujočih umetnikov – nekatera bodo ustvarjena posebej za to razstavo in prostore Fürstove hiše – bodo vzpostavljala dialog s kompleksnim festivalskim programom, ki s številnimi in raznolikimi dogodki ter celostno ureditvijo ptujskih ulic ustvarja nezamenljivo atmosfero Dnevov poezije in vina. Razstava bo njen nepogrešljiv del, pa tudi stik nepričakovanega, prostor za razmislek o prepletu umetniških zvrsti. Sodelujoči umetniki Lenka Đorojević, Small but Dangers (Mateja Rojc in Simon Hudolin – Salči), Matej Stupica, Maja Burja, Staš Vrenko in Dejan Koban bodo razstavo v soboto, 30. avgusta, nadgradili še s performansom Stihija. Razstavo je pripravila kustosinja Simona Žvanut, ki bo vsak dan festivala ob 17.00 skupaj s sodelujočimi umetniki organizirala vodstvo po razstavi.

Več informacij

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I will participate with a new work As if (2014) and series of drawings I promise to change the world but only if 10 other people will do the same (2010)

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Photos from the exhibition

ARTSLAB 06, What if… and beyond

Exhibition: ARTSLAB 06, What if… and beyond
Location: Open Systems, online exhibition
Date: May 2014 –

Artists: Vesna Bukovec, Bernhard Cella, Giulia Cilla, Yolanda Domínguez, Gani Llalloshi, Swoon, Sašo Sedlaček

Curator: Vasja Nagy

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About the project

ARTSLAB is a project by Open Systems. The 6th edition is curated by Vasja Nagy and focuses on the trajectory of how we perceive our present now and distinguish it from the past – chaotic vs. ordered, concerning with stimulating a dialogue at its reinvention for alternative thinking on the future of a long-term survival of humanity by taking contemporary art works more as a catalyst for the present.

More: www.openspace-zkp.org/2013/en/artslab.php?a=6

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I am participating with the series of videos White Performances / Positive Affirmations (2010)

Presentation at the exhibition website:

http://www.openspace-zkp.org/2013/en/artslab.php?a=6&w=49

For the art of Vesna Bukovec generating a critical view on instant spirituality through satirical depictions is characteristic. She uses video and drawings to fake practices based on instructions for making an individual’s life better and positive. As well she criticises the attitudes in society filled with stereotyped views on marginal identities sometimes through enhancing them as caricatures or subtly just make them evident when concealed in every-day life. In 2009 she made a video It will be OK where she already used this clean, white aesthetics and positive affirmative mantra ideology. Such instructions with the goal of a happy and creative life have been popularised since decades ago through books, magazines, video courses and Internet. White performances / Positive Affirmations is a series of four videos that follow a similar course. The one from a year earlier still triggers the emotionality. Melancholic-romantic feelings should calm one’s anxiety with trust in a good outcome. On the other hand the later series is more specific in which way everything in one’s life is changing under the force of thought. The original idea was that the technique should act to tranquillise but the videos are just long enough to become annoying. Try to follow all three at one time.

Vasja Nagy

Zipped Worlds. Photography in Public Domain

Exhibition: Zipped Worlds. Fotografija v javnem prostoru / Photography in Public Domain
Location: Kult 3000 Gallery, Metelkova ulica 2/b, Ljubljana, SI
Date: May 30 – June 18, 2014

Artists: Breda Beban, Emma Ciceri, Fabrizio Giraldi, G.R.A.M., KOLEKTIVA (Vesna Bukovec, Lada Cerar, Metka Zupanič), Borut Krajnc, Paula Muhr, Adrian Paci

The exhibition is part of the Photonic Moments – Month of Photography 2014 festival.

Paula Muhr, On Show, 2007

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About the exhibition

Zipped Worlds is a collaborative project by partner organisations Photon – Centre for Contemporary Photography and Trieste Contemporanea, in which a group of curators (Giuliana Carbi, Susanne Gamauf, Brigitte Konyen and Dejan Sluga) explore new concepts of public and private, as communicated through the (present) use of photographic images. The exhibition at Kult 3000 Gallery brings together a selection of works from the larger project involving 15 artists from different European countries.

Photography is entering public space with its physical presence, through digital media and furthermore through the notion that everything around us is constantly being recorded. Photography is de facto the most ubiquitously present visual medium in today’s urban environment. Within this wide spectrum, photography appears in public space (urban exteriors and interiors) in the traditional form of a “picture” as well as through the omnipresence of a network of surveillance cameras that record images non-stop. We are the most photographed and recorded world population ever.

Excerpt from the text by Dejan Sluga

More:
http://www.photonicmoments.net/?p=3651
http://www.triestecontemporanea.it/news.php?id_news=212&l=e&id_m=2
http://www.kolektiva.org/archives/1034

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KOLEKTIVA (Vesna Bukovec, Lada Cerar, Metka Zupanič) participates at the exhibition with the video Special Place in the City – Graz

Don’t Be Afraid, You Are The Best

Exhibition: Don’t Be Afraid, You Are The Best
Location: Kibla Portal, Valvasorjeva 40, Maribor, SI
Date: May 22 – September 14, 2014
Opening: May 22, 2014 at 8 pm

Participating artists and students of the Department of Fine Arts of the Faculty of Education, Maribor: Larisa Adanič, Kaja Avberšek, Boris Beja, Nataša Berk, Saša Bezjak, Saša Bitenc, Vesna Bukovec, Nežka Cestnik, Mina Fina, Anja Gelt, Aleksandra Gruden, Betina Habjanič, Lori Hiti, Sara Hočevar, Tamara Hršak, Nana Irgolič, Tanisa Jahić, Tanja Jakopin, Natalija Juhart, Doroteja Ketiš, Laura Koder, Kaja Konc, Lana Korčulanin, Lara Korošec, Manica Kovač, Anja Kozel, David Kranjčan, Natalija Doris Križman, Kristian Lah, Tadeja Lakič, Tina Lanišek, Nina Logar, Nika Lopert, Ina Lutarič, Polona Maher, Karmen Majerič, Simona Marot, Anja Medved, Matija Medved, Jelena Pavlović, Anja Plemenitaš, Silvester Plotajs – Sicoe, Sanja Pocrnjić, Borut Popenko, Andrej Praznik, Zoran Pungerčar, Leon Ravlan, Rone 84, Urška Sabati, Tajda Martina Senič, Alja Sitar, Klavdija Skrbinjek, Beli Sladoled, Katja Smolar, son:DA, Lucija Stakne, Marička Stakne, Zora Stančič, Vojko Stiplovšek, Sara Strožič, Valentina Škofic, Urška Školnik, Andrej Štular, Žan Valenčak, Petra Varl, Erik Vodenik, Polona Vovk, Sašo Vrabič, Mojca Zlokarnik, Sara Žičkar, Jernej Žumer

Curated by: Petra Varl

The exhibition, or, better yet, project, draws on a medium closest to the author, which is drawing. Hidden behind its seeming simplicity is a minimalistically concise and thus complex method of expression, which is an object of enduring fascination. Don’t Be Afraid, You Are The Best is intended as a communicative community project that transforms the extensive KIBLA PORTAL venue into a space of vivacious creative dialog between artists belonging to different generations.

More info
Več informacij
Vabilo/Invitation card (pdf)

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I am participating with a drawing from the series I can make another turn (2012)