ARTIST PROFILE
- Slovakia (b. 1982)
- Currently in Slovakia.
- Katarina Balunova is cosmopolitan contemporary artist dealing with the theme of utopia, personal mythology, oscillation between the past and future, environmental issues.
REPRESENTATION
- Espai Nivi Collblanc
- Culla, Valencia, Spain
- https://espainivi.com/
CONTACT & LINKS
ARTIST STATEMENT
In my work I deal with the topic of utopia, personal mythology, oscillation between the past and the future, environmental issues.
According to Zygmunt Bauman, utopia it lies in the tension between the criticism of the present in a search for solutions in the future made with reference to the past. Utopia is inherently ambivalent, and that is what I am interested in - the discrepancy between the pursuit of perfection and an alternative to the current situation in conflict with the reality of human nature and emotions.
Utopia can be a search for an ideal form of architecture and society, childhood memories, paradise garden, New Age as a mix of different esoteric approaches.
Paradise is a spiritual utopia, a fata morgana of humanity. It is the past golden age, but also the promise of future life after death, eternal hope, the dream of a carefree anchorage in the abundance of a blossoming / rose garden. The Garden of Eden is also a reference to ecotopia, a return to (tamed) nature. Environmental issues are essential nowadays. How we approach them will depend on our survival as a species. How we approach these issues will determine our survival as a species.
The quest to create paradise on earth has led humanity to create plans for ideal utopian cities. The ideal city is inhabited by perfect people who have lost their individuality and are under the constant supervision of the God eye / eye of camera. The specifics of a utopian city / state are its delimitation, the boundary to the surrounding world, the prohibition of free movement. The totalitarian establishments of the twentieth century were an example of an attempt to put utopian ideas into practice, which resulted in dystopia. These programs of misfortune were a clear example of how ideas are distorted under the weight of a particular local situation and general human weaknesses.
Slovakia is a country that was administered by the communist regime for more than 40 years. The consequences of the totalitarian socialist establishment can be seen even today - not only as physical monuments of abandoned memorials and densely populated panel blocks, but mainly as a society that is suspicious, less tolerant, inelastic.
In my work I try to capture some of these aspects. This is not a thorough description, but rather an ambiguous transfer of references and meanings.
BIOGRAPHY
SOLO SHOWS:
2020
EVERGREEN / curator Denise Herz / Kunsthalle / Košice / SK
EVA - EDIT - EDEN / curator Xesco Merce / La Xina A.R.T. Gallery / Barcelona / ES
2019
NOWHERE NEAR / with Stefan Balazs / Andy Warhol Museum of Modern Art / Medzilaborce / SK
METROSOPHY / curator Janusz Cywicki / Galeria Sztuki Wspolczesnej / Przemysl / PL
JEDEN EDEN DVA EDENY - ONE EDEN TWO EDENS / curator Zuzana Godalova / Atom Gallery / Bratislava / SK
INTERSECTION / curator Constantine Anjulatos / Art Number23 Gallery / London / UK
BLAHO-BYTY / curator Pavol Mudry / LOFT Studio / Trencin / SK
KONKRETNI PODZIM / with Robert Urbasek / curator Jana Vincencova / AMB Galerie / Hradec Kralove / CZ
PERIFERIA - CENTRUM / curator Jana Babusiakova / T3 Cultural Space / Bratislava / SK
VON Z KRUHU - OUT OF THE CIRCLE / curator Michal Stofa / FX Gallery / Banska Bystrica / SK
2018
INDOOR PARADISE / curator Marip Guiennot / ONEstudio Art Space / Valencia / ES
V NEDOHĽADNE – NOT AT ALL / curator Vladimir Beskid / Koniaren Gallery / Trebisov / SK
2B & 3B / with Marek Brincko / curator Vladimir Beskid / Vojtech Loffler Museum / Kosice / SK
2017
ZONA UPROSTRED - AMIDST ZONE / curator Daniela Carna / SPP Gallery / Bratislava / SK
FOCAL POINT - OHNISKO / FX Gallery / Banska Bystrica / SK
2016
Build a HOUSE - Postav DOM / curator Martin Kudla / Kotolna Gallery / Kosice / SK
2015
URBAN HABITATS / with Zuzana Krizalkovicova / curator Denise Braun / GMB Bratislava Gallery / Bratislava / SK
CITY GEOMETRY / ArtVer Gallery - Gallery de Roger / Prague / CZ
LOOKING FOR NEW TERRITORIES / curator Lucia Benicka / Spis Artists’ Gallery / Spisska Nova Ves / SK
2014
EMPLEKTON / curator Mariano Poyatos / Coll Blanc Espai D'Art Gallery / Culla, Castellon / ES
2013
HALFMOON IN HALFWOOD / curator Willy Darko / MartinArte Gallery / Turin / IT
CIRCLE QUADRILATERAL TRIANGLE / curator Matjaz Preseren / B5 Art - Arch Space / Turin / IT
2012
INTERCITY / curator Kamila Pacekova / Spis Artists’ Gallery / Spisska Nova Ves / SK
GROUP SHOWS ( selection ):
2021
COVIMETRY / Ely Center of Contemporary Art / New Haven / USA
2020
2nd DAFEN PAINTING BIENNALE / Dafen Art Museum / Shenzhen / CN
COVIMETRY / BWA Gallery / Ostrowiec Swiętokrzyski / PL
PRESENCIA / Espai Nivi Collblanc Gallery / Culla, Castellon / ES
PART OF CROSSROAD IV / Galerie @19 / Paderborn / DE
COUNT UNTIL ZERO / A4 Space For Contemporary Culture / Bratislava / SK
DISCURSIVE GEOMETRY - CITY & ARCHITECTURE / XS Gallery / Kielce / PL
LESS OBVIOUS - CONCRETE COLLECTION / Galerie Bratri Spilaru / Domazlice / CZ
2019
O 50 LET POZDEJI - 50 YEARS LATER / Art Gallery Karlovy Vary / CZ
STONE SCISSORS PAPER / Ethnic Culture Center / Makhachkala / RU
KONKRETNI PODZIM - CONCRETE AUTUMN / U Privozu Gallery / Hradec Kralove /CZ
PART OF CROSSROADS / Lindbeck Gallery/ Isernhagen / DE
JUSTMAD X / Art Fair / Palacio Neptuno / Madrid / ES
MEXICO CITY ART EXHIBITION / Ovalo Gallery / Mexico City / MX
KONKRETNE LETO - CONCRETE SUMMER / Current European Geometric Trends 2019/ Umelka Gallery / Bratislava / SK
SLIDESHOW / Roman Susan Gallery / Chicago / USA
PART OF CROSSROADS / Schloss Dryburg Gallery / Bad Langensalza / DE
OKRAJ STREDU / Laboratorium Vyrobne Druzstvo / Banska Bystrica / SK
2018
RATIONAL vs INTUITIVE / Etihad Modern Art Gallery / Abu Dhabi / UAE
NOSTALGIA / Piraeus Art Gallery / Athens / GR
CROSSROADS / Mariendom Neviges / Neviges - Dusseldorf / DE
ALWAYS TOGETHER KOSICE vs OSTRAVA / Arts House Opava / Opava / CZ
SADIV - SLOVAK ART DAYS / Titanikas Gallery / Vilnius / LT
PAINTING BIENNIAL VI? / Povazska Gallery of Arts / Zilina / SK
POŘÁD SPOLU - ALWAYS TOGETHER / Důl Michal - The coal Mine Michal Art Space / Ostrava / CZ
IMAGO MUNDI - JOIN THE DOTS / Salone degli Incanti / Trieste / IT
COMPONENTS / Art Number 23 Gallery / London / UK
2017
PAINTING BIENNIAL VI? - BIENÁLE MAĽBY VI? / MGRS Gallery / Rimavska Sobota / SK
SLOVAKIAN ART MONTH / Art Hub Abu Dhabi / Abu Dhabi / UAE
MLADE KONE / Koniaren Gallery / Trebišov / SK
SUMMERSHOW / Kunsthuis Gallery / North Yorkshire / UK
MARK ROTHKO 2017 / Mark Rothko Art Centre / Daugavpils / LV
HONEY, I'm HOME / A217 Gallery / London / UK
PROJECTED AREA / Caraffa prison Gallery / Presov / Sk
2016
SLIDESHOW / Roman Susan Gallery / Chicago / USA
9x9 SPIS-SPAIN / Coll Blanc Espai D'Art Gallery / Culla, Castellon / ES
PAROLES EN FRICHE / Taverne Gutenberg / Lyon / FR
BLUEPRINTS / Chicago Arts & Design Center / Chicago / USA
30 x 30 x 30 / curator Reinhold Sturm / ZS Art Gallery / Vienna / AU
CACHET DE LA POSTE FAISANT FOI / Fondation Hippocrène / Paris / FR
ABSOLVENTS / Caraffova prison Gallery / Presov / SK
2015
MEMORY AND DREAM / 6th Beijing Art Biennale / National Art Museum of China / Beijing / CN
MARINA 2015 / FaroArte Gallery / Ravenna / IT
ASROPA / Yegip Art Museum / Gunsan City / KR
2014
SLOWAKISCHE KUNST IN WIEN / Rearte Gallery / Vienna / AU
PATCHWORLD / Basın Müzesi Museum / Istanbul / TR
VUB PAINTING OF THE YEAR / Nedbalka Gallery / Bratislava / SK
WHO ART YOU ? / Ex-Fornace Art Space / Milan / IT
HOMMAGE TO JOZEF HASCAK / East Slovak Gallery / Kosice / SK
PERFECTIONISTS II / Pracownia pod Baranami Gallery / Krakow / PL
SACRAL ELEMENTUM III / Kasarne Kulturpark / Kosice / SK
L´ACQUA E IL SUO SIMBOLICO / Ex-Fornace Art Space / Milan / IT
2013
ITALIA ARTE / Museum MIIT / Turin / Italy
SACRAL ELEMENTUM I – II / Spis Artists’ Gallery - Zemplin Museum / Spisska Nova Ves - Michalovce / SK
BEAUTE – UNIQUE / City Hall Gallery / Metz / FR
PERFECTIONISTS / Fabryka Trzciny Art Centre / Warsaw / PL
2012
L'ECCEZIONE E LA REGOLA / Aripa Gallery / Turin / IT
25x25 / 25 ARTISTS & 25 WORKS / Spis Artists’ Gallery Gallery / Spisska Nova Ves / SK
DEFINIZIONI INCROCIATE / Torino Art Gallery 56 / Turin / IT
LENTILKY / Zemplin Museum / Michalovce / SK
GLI OCCHI DEL BORGO / MAU Museo d'Arte Urbana / Turin / IT
2011
ZEITGENOSSISCHE KUNST IN DER SLOWAKEI / Museum im Minoritenkloster / Tulln an der Donau / AU
2010
MALBA MALBUCA / Tabacka Kulturfabrik / Kosice / SK
2007
MAPPING / Andy Warhol Museum of Modern Art / Medzilaborce / SK
AWARDS:
2019
Martin Benka Prize for 2018 / Fund of Fine Arts / Bratislava / SK
2018
Visegrad Scholarship / Hungarian University of Fine Arts / Budapest / HU
2017
BLOOOM Award by WARSTEINER 2017 nominee / Cologne / DE
2016
4th International UPPER EGYPT SALON, finalist / selected by international jury / Luxor / EG
2015
6th BEIJING INTERNATIONAL ART BIENNALE, finalist / National Art Museum of China / Beijing / CN
BLOOOM Award by WARSTEINER 2015 nominee / Cologne / DE
2014
PAINTING OF THE YEAR, finalist / VUB Foundation Painting Contest / Nedbalka Gallery / Bratislava / SK
WHO ART YOU ?, finalist / NOlab International Art Contest For Young Talents / Milan / IT
2013
PERFECTIONISTS, finalist / Modessque International Painting Contest / New Era Art Foundation / Warsaw / PL
2011
PHOTO OF THE YEAR, finalist / VUB Foundation Photo Contest / Bratislava / SK
SYMPOSIUMS / ART RESIDENCY / ART FESTIVALS:
2020
RANG MALHAAR / 11th edition / Jaipur / IN - online
27. EUROPEAN ARTISTS SYMPOSIUM / Kitzeck, Graz / AT
CREATIVE PLAYGROUNDS / media art symposium / Akadémia Umení / Banská Bystrica / SK
2019
CREATION OF THE MIR art residence / Volgograd Museum of Fine Arts named after I.Mashkov / Volgograd / RU
111 ELYSIAN FIELDS European Artists Symposium / Tenerife / CI
2018
CROSSROADS European Artists Symposium / Neviges Dusseldorf / DE
31th FESTIVAL LES INSTANTS VIDEO 2018 / Galerie Art-Cade / Marseille / FR
LONDON BRIDGE RESIDENCY / Art Number23 Gallery / Old Biscuit Factory / London / UK
2017
SLOVAKIAN ART MONTH residency / Art Hub Abu Dhabi / Abu Dhabi / UAE
MARK ROTHKO 2017 symposium / Mark Rothko Art Centre / Daugavpils / LV
CULLA CONTEMPORANEA residency / Coll Blanc Espai D'Art Gallery / Culla / ES
PATTY MORGAN INTERNET / Foam Fussion Festival / Amsterdam / Netherlands
2016
1st UAE ART BIENNALE / symposium under the Ministry of Culture / Al Ain - Abu Dhabi / UAE
2014
CREATIVITY BETWEEN COMPULSION AND MUTINY symposium / Museum Of Modern Art Al Minya / Al Minya / EG
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN ARTIST RESIDENCY / Kyrenia / CY
ALEXANDRIA SYMPOSIUM FOR MEDITERRANEAN ARTS / under the Alexandria Film Festival / Alexandria / EG
2013
VIDEODIALOGHI / International Festival of Videoart / B5 Art - Arch Space / Turin / IT
2012
TERRE-MOTI / Linea d'Ombra – Art Festival Culture Giovani / Salerno / IT
2009
(R)EVOLUTION / International symposium with Christine Lauenstein / Schloss Brollin / DE
PRESS
URBAN PLANS, HOUSES AND WALLS AS DEFENCE AND SHELTER
The artist starts her research, full of conceptual echoes, from an objective statement: during the last years our cities endured an epochal transformation by growing beyond measure and invaded the spaces of nature. By transforming the environment and landscape, they desertified the habitat where societies of man and animals have been living in balance and respecting each other for centuries. With the loss of a joining nucleus, the vanishing of an historical centre where to live and the end of relationships inside the quarters, the cities of nowadays, similar to nameless and spiritless mushroom beds of cement and asphalt, endured a process of decentralization and social disintegration. Managed by urban speculators and grasping city managers that, to increase their gains, allow a new kind of barracks in the hinterland. Being indifferent to urban disorder, they do not stop neither the erosion of territory nor the disharmonic urbanization. The architectural decay reflects on social tissue thus amplifying the phenomena of misery and fear, increasing the manifestations of intolerance, abuses of power and violence. New stresses settle inside the human soul. Could it be possible to create even new conditions of life in order to live peacefully with the others, to inhabit the world in a better way, balancing the natural processes, along with the seasons and in peace with our individual history? Are our houses, where we guard the memories of generations, still the adequate shield for our feelings? What can we do in order to protect our heritage of affections, memories to which we are linked as a to a mother and that are part of our emotional baggage? Thus Katarina Balunova paints urban plans where the geography of imaginary cities is the record of conflicts not only external. The walls of those houses, skeletons or structures of our identities, that saved us from the decay of time are now frail and vulnerable and longs for a new stability. The maps of the artist are icons of the house as the last fortress of defence, safety, quietness and privacy. They are the last shelter for animals, before Man turns into a destructive, wild and bloody beast. The artist suggests a philosophical attitude as regards space for everyone respecting multiethnic aspects, multiculturalism and globalization and even solidarity. In her paintings, she highlights a new protectionist vision of the world of animals, as the bearer of the right to life and to respect for their existence. So, we should look at the works from Balunova from this point of view notwithstanding the strictly political questions. She is able to climb up to steep paths of creativity, with an interpretative and proactive freedom she is able to read the disquieting signals of our contemporary life and she proposes to us new sceneries for a world full of epochal changes.
Giovanni Cordero
Director of Contemporary Art, Superintendent historical artistic and ethno-anthropological heritage of Piedmont
Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities
Turin, September 4, 2013