Artists: Catherine Biocca, Valko Chobanov, Nona Inescu, Maria Nalbantova, Jakub Nepraš, Petr Nikl, Tabita Rezaire, Karolína Rossí, Pavel Sterec, Johana Střížková
Exhibition title: Interconnection: On Bodies of Water
Curated by: Veronika Čechová and Tereza Jindrová
Venue: Swimming Pool, Sofia, Bulgaria
Date: June 28 – August 4, 2019
Photography: all images copyright and courtesy of the artists and Swimming Pool, Sofia
Interconnection: On Bodies of Water, an exhibition that revolves around ideas of ecofeminism and, in particular, of hydrofeminism. This is the second exhibition within the long-term project Islands: Possibilities of Togetherness, launched in 2019 by the Jindřich Chalupecký Society, a Czech platform for contemporary arts.
Water not only constitutes over 80% of the human body (the percentage being even higher in a number of animal and plant species), but also interconnects us with all organic and inorganic matter on Earth in constant circulation, blurring boundaries. As if each living creature, each cell was an island in an endless sea, inevitably linked together.
The exhibition focuses on the motif of water as a condition for life, on circulation and merging of life forms as well as on the search for a non-human perspective where the human is only a part rather than the highest life form within the ecosystem. This conceptual framework was inspired by Australian theorist Astrida Neimanis, who proposes the term “hydrofeminism” (elaborated most broadly in her 2017 book Bodies of Water: Posthuman Feminist Phenomenology) to reflect the post-humanist, materialistic notion of the subject/self as fluid and ontologically related to “others”.
The long-term project Islands: Possibilities of Togetherness involves a number of partner organizations and considers issues of togetherness, while also addressing themes such as sustainability, ecology, utopia vs dystopia, ethics, communication and symbiosis The first exhibition under the project, titled (Dis)connection, took place at Kunstvereinging Diepeinheim earlier this year and focused on the essential questions of the whole project: How can we be together? Who or what can we connect with in order to start dealing with a planetary crisis? How can we continuously connect with “the other” and be together without closing the circuit?
With the financial support of: Czech Center Sofia / Чешки Център София, Jindřich Chalupecký Society
Interconnection, installation view. Petr Nikl, Ferryman, kayak, mannequin, fencing mask, neoprene, 1996/2019
Interconnection, installation view. Petr Nikl, Ferryman, kayak, mannequin, fencing mask, neoprene, 1996/2019
Interconnection, installation view. From left: Jakub Nepraš, Meadow, videosculpture with sound plexiglass, natural stone, 2012, Nona Inescu, Brittle Bones IV, metal stand, Heliastrea, defrancei coral, glazed ceramics, metal stand, 2019, Karolína Rossí, Untitled, edition of 9 pieces watercolor on paper, collage, 2018, Maria Nalbantova, Red Rain, threads, styrofoam, plaster, 2018
Jakub Nepraš, Meadow, videosculpture with sound plexiglass, natural stone, 2012
Interconnection, installation view. Nona Inescu, Brittle Bones IV, metal stand, Heliastrea, defrancei coral, glazed ceramics, metal stand, 2019, Karolína Rossí, Untitled, edition of 9 pieces watercolor on paper, collage, 2018, Maria Nalbantova, Red Rain, threads, styrofoam, plaster, 2018
Interconnection, installation view. Nona Inescu, Brittle Bones IV, metal stand, Heliastrea, defrancei coral, glazed ceramics, metal stand, 2019, Maria Nalbantova, Red Rain, threads, styrofoam, plaster, 2018
Interconnection, installation view. Nona Inescu, Brittle Bones IV, metal stand, Heliastrea, defrancei coral, glazed ceramics, metal stand, 2019, Karolína Rossí, Untitled, edition of 9 pieces watercolor on paper, collage, 2018
Interconnection, installation view. From left: Maria Nalbantova, Red Rain, threads, styrofoam, plaster, 2018, Karolína Rossí, Untitled, edition of 9 pieces watercolor on paper, collage, 2018, Jakub Nepraš, Meadow, videosculpture with sound plexiglass, natural stone, 2012, Nona Inescu, Brittle Bones IV, metal stand, Heliastrea, defrancei coral, glazed ceramics, metal stand, 2019
Karolína Rossí, Untitled, edition of 9 pieces watercolor on paper, collage, 2018
Interconnection, installation view. From left: Maria Nalbantova, Red Rain, threads, styrofoam, plaster, 2018, Karolína Rossí, Untitled, edition of 9 pieces watercolor on paper, collage, 2018, Maria Nalbantova, Disaster, Site-specific installation, various materials (paper, mirror-foil, acrylic, glass), 2018/2019
Interconnection, installation view. From left: Valko Chobanov A beautiful view, painting, acryl on wood, 2017, Maria Nalbantova, Disaster, Site-specific installation, various materials (paper, mirror-foil, acrylic, glass), 2018/2019
Valko Chobanov A beautiful view, painting, acryl on wood, 2017
Interconnection, installation view. Catherine Biocca, Marine IV, painting, oil on canvas, video, 9 minutes, 2019
Interconnection, installation view. Catherine Biocca, Marine IV, painting, oil on canvas, video, 9 minutes, 2019
Interconnection, installation view. From left: Catherine Biocca, Marine IV, painting, oil on canvas, video, 9 minutes, 2019, Karolína Rossí, Untitled, edition of 9 pieces watercolor on paper, collage, 2018
Interconnection, installation view. From left: Tabita Rezaire, Deep Down Tidal, video, 19 minutes, 2017, Catherine Biocca, Marine IV, painting, oil on canvas, video, 9 minutes, 2019
Tabita Rezaire, Deep Down Tidal, video, 19 minutes, 2017
Interconnection, installation view. From left: Pavel Sterec, Vital Syndicates, video, 30 minutes, 2016, Johana Střížková, Colony SP03, glass aquarium, metal stand, kombucha, 2019
Johana Střížková, Colony SP03, glass aquarium, metal stand, kombucha, 2019
Johana Střížková, Colony SP03, glass aquarium, metal stand, kombucha, 2019
