Artist: Vlad Nancă
Exhibition title: A Map of the World as Seen by Him
Curated by: Stefka Tsaneva
Venue: ICA–Sofia Gallery, Sofia, Bulgaria
Date: April 26 – May 31, 2022
Photography: all images copyright and courtesy of the artist and ICA–Sofia Gallery
‘A Map of the World as Seen by Him’ is a reflection on the question of who owns the future and the fantasy of it. Traditionally, men have held the reins of the future and progress – whether it be in politics, the environment, science or even science fiction. But at a time when more than ever the future looks uncertain and bleak, invariably the imagination begins to seek refuge in utopian notions of possible new beginnings.
Nancă began this thought experiment back in 2015 following the news of the discovery of Kepler-452b, an exoplanet, which scientists call Earth 2.0 because of its suitable for human living conditions. Then there is the question of what would happen if humans one day colonized it. Would we carry our existence along with all the mistakes or will we start fresh? Reflecting on a possible new beginning, Vlad Nanka imagines a different future, this time led by women.
Nancă looks back to the 20th century and the hectic time of revolutions – social, political, scientific and architectural. In the exhibition, he draws inspiration from modernist architecture, Sofia’s urban environment under socialism and Soviet astronautics, and the obsession with scientific progress that left its mark in the form of murals and mosaics across Eastern Europe. He seeks women, whether metaphorical or real historical figures, to become images of a new possible future.
‘A Map of the World as Seen by Him‘ is the second exhibition in the year-long program Superpositions 2 / Entanglement, 2022 of the Institute of Contemporary Art-Sofia. The program includes six exhibitions, each one a collaboration between an artist and a curator, along with a cycle of educational events and discussions. All these examine the entanglement of contemporary art with politics, science and technology, popular culture, gender and social movements, ecology and migration. The program is supported by the National Fund “Culture” / The Annual Program for Support of Professional Organizations in the Field of Arts.
The exhibition is supported by the Romanian Cultural Institute.
