ARTIST STATEMENT

Vlasta Žáková (1981) graduated from the Faculty of Arts, Technical University in Košice, Slovakia. Currently, she’s in the third year of her doctoral studies at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava, Slovakia. Throughout, her works have been characterised by exploring the possibilities of textile fabrics, tailoring, hand- and machine-made embroidery and, lately, digital weaving. Since 2005, the scope of her work has encompassed large-scale textile pictures, objects, soft textile sculpting, dresses and, recently, the overlapping between dresses, live sculptures and performance. Three topics are dominant in her works, the first being the creation of abstract destructed landscapes, exploring the limits of the relationship between nature and mankind and the threat they pose to each other. Noticing both the positives and negatives, the second direction focuses on picturing scenes from weekend parties and has so far created much public debate. Hinting at tradition, the phenomenon of never ending fun appears in the form of handmade embroidery, however, the carnal sexual energy and freedom of the present is clearly visible in Žáková’s stitching. The third direction is a constructed one - a parallel universe inhabited by imaginary beings. Ultraviolet light, often used in her works recently, serves as the link connecting the works, creating an atmosphere of escapism from the lights to a different state of mind and perception. Cooperating with photographers on her dissertation project, she examines their mutual influences on the creative process and how textile and photography overlap.

Vlasta Žáková (1981) študovala na Fakulte umení Technickej univerzity v Košiciach a momentálne je v treťom ročníku doktorandského štúdia na VŠVU Bratislava. Pre jej tvorbu je charakteristické dlhodobé skúmanie možností textilného materiálu, šitia, ručného a strojového vyšívania a najnovšie aj digitálneho tkania. od roku 2005 sa venuje tvorbe veľkoformátových textilných obrazov, objektov, mäkkých textilných plastík, odevu a najnovšie aj presahu medzi odevom, živou plastikou a performance. Vo svojej práci sa zameriava na tri tematické línie. V prvej ide o tvorbu abstraktných deštruovaných krajín, v ktorých skúmala limity vzťahov prírody a človeka a ich vzájomného ohrozovania. Druhá línia jej tvorby zatiaľ zaznamenala najväčší diskurz, nakoľko sa jednalo o zobrazovanie situácií z víkendových parties. Tento fenomén neustáleho kolotoča zábavy Žáková spracúva ručnou výšivkou, teda s odkazom na tradíciu, ale v kresbe jednotlivých stehov cítiť živočíšnu sexuálnu energiu a slobodu súčasnosti. Všíma si pozitívne a negatívne aspekty takéhoto sociálneho správania. Z témy párty sveta Žáková plynule prešla k zobrazovaniu ňou skonštruovaného paralelného sveta a imaginatívnych bytostí ktoré ho obývajú. Spojovacím článkom je v tomto prípade UV svetlo, ktoré Žáková v poslednej dobe často využíva, a ktoré jej pomáha navodiť atmosféru úniku cez hranicu diskotékového sveta na inú úroveň vnímania. V projekte dizertačnej práce spolupracuje s fotografmi a skúma tak vzájomne sa ovplyvňujúci proces tvorby a presahy medzi textilom a fotografiou.

BIOGRAPHY

Vlasta Žáková

31.1.1981 / Rožňava / SK

 

2013- till now / AFAD, Department of textiles, Studio of Fiber Art, MA Doc. Blanka Cepková, Bratislava/ SK

2000 - 2006 / TU, Faculty of Arts, Department of Arts and Intermedia, Studio of Graphic and experimental creation, Zbynek Prokop, M.F.A., Rudolf Sikora M.F.A., professor, Kosice/ SK

2003 / VUT, Faculty of Fine Arts, Environmental department, Vladimír Merta, M.F.A., Brno/ CZ

1995 - 1999 / Industrial High school-Fashion craft, Desining and pattern making of clothing Svidnik/ SK

 

 

Individual exhibition

 

2016 / Light stitching, City gallery, Rimavska Sobota/ SK

2015 / Fragmentary, The new building of Slovak National Theatre, Bratislava/ SK

2014 / Ultraviolet movement, K.A.I.R., Kasarne Kulturpark, Kosice/ SK

2013 / Friday Night Highlights, Chapel gallery, Valasske Mezirici/ CZ

2013 / Ultraviolet movement, K.A.I.R. Artist in Rezidence, RED Gallery, London/ UK

2012 / With the Hot Needle, Ladislav Sutnar gallery, Pilsen/ CZ

2012 / The Second Door, Soda gallery, Bratislava/ SK

2011 / Needle drawing, Central Slovakian gallery, Banska Bystrica/ SK

2011 / Needle drawing, Oravska gallery, Dolny Kubin/ SK

2010 / The End of the party, J. Koniarek gallery, Trnava/ SK

2009 / Vlasta Zakova : Suture, Museum of V. Loffler, Kosice/ SK

 

 

Group exhibition

 

2015 / Liquid Muse, Slovak National Gallery, Bratislava/ SK

2014 / Escapes and Returns, Satelit, Hurbanove kasarne, Bratislava/ SK

2014 / Haute Couture, Nitra gallery, Nitra/ SK

2014 / Project Snow White, White night, Kasarne Kulturpark, Kosice/ SK

2014 / Light Strip underneath my Lashes, Nitra gallery Bunker, Nitra/ SK

2013 / Woman, The Bricklane gallery (Annexe), Londýn/ UK

2013 / Hard Nut, Miskolc city gallery, Miskolc/ HU

2013 / Weekend of Design and Fashion,Opening Ceremonial of Košice- European Capital of Culture 2013, Kosice/ SK

2011 / Zero Years, Dom umenia, Bratislava/ SK

2011/  HomeEdition, East Slovak gallery, Kosice/ SK

2011 / Outstrokes of Embroidery/ Thinking with needle, Gallery X, Bratislava/ SK

2011 / HomeEdition, Central Slovakian gallery, Banska Bystrica/ SK

2010 / Inter-view, Nitra gallery, Nitra/ SK

2010 / Vedro, MeetFactory gallery, Prague/ CZ

2010 / Unobtrusive medium, East Slovak gallery, Kosice / SK

2009 / Unobtrusive medium, Povazska gallery, Zilina / SK

2009 / 5th Youth Salon, Regional gallery of fine arts, Zlin / CZ

2009 / Pecha Kucha Night, Stanica Zilina - Záriečie, Zilina / SK

2009 / Three Graces, Stanica Zilina – Záriecie, Zilina / SK

2008 / East of Eden, Karlin Studios, Prague/ CZ

2008 / From the West to the east, East Slovak gallery, Kosice / SK

2007 / Cut and Carve!, GMB, Bratislava / SK

2007 / Make it Up, AVU Gallery, Prague / SK

2007 / Scooter I.: Biennial of Slovak Contemporary art, Tatranska gallery, Poprad / SK

2007 / Object- sculpture, GMB, Bratislava / SK

2007 / East of Eden, SPACE gallery, Bratislava / SK

2007 / ViennaFair, The International contemporary art Fair, Wien/ AT

2007 / Kanóczová-Sirka-Žáková, Museum of V. Loffler, Košice/ SK

2007 / PitoreSKa, Wannieck gallery, Brno/ CZ

2006 / Boundary Fields, J. Koniarek gallery, Trnava./ SK

2006 / New Generation, Povazska gallery, Zilina / SK

2005 / Skart.sk, Kunstverein Heilbronn, Heilbronn / DE

2004 / East Slovak art group show, A.M.180, Prague / CZ

2004 / Red kiss message, A.M.180, Prague / CZ

2003 / Avantgarda 03, City gallery, Rimavska Sobota / SK

2003 / Fresh, Museum of V. Loffler, Kosice / SK

 

 

Awards

 

2010 / 333 Award and the CEZ Group , NG – Veletrzni palace, Prague / CZ / Finalist

2009 / Scooter II. Biennial of youmgart, J. Koniarek gallery, Trnava / SK / Price of Jury

2008 / 333 Award and the CEZ Group , NG – Veletrzni palace, Prague / CZ / Finalist

2007 / Egoart Price, Bastart gallery, Bratislava / SK / Finalist

 

 

Biennal

 

2015 / 3rd DANUBE BIENNALE, Danubiana, Bratislava-Cunovo/ SK

2007 / Praque Bienniale 3, Karlin hall, Prague / CZ

2007 / Scooter I.: Biennial of Slovak Contemporary art, J. Koniarek gallery, Trnava / SK

 

 

Residency

 

2013 / K.A.I.R. artist in rezidence, Red Gallery, London/ UK

 

Art collections

 

Slovak National Gallery, Bratislava/ SK

Nitra gallery, Nitra/ SK

Private collections in Slovakia, Czech republic and Austria

Publications

2012 / Baraníková, Katarína: The Second door of Vlasta Žáková, VLNA No. 50/2012, Industrial, year XIV., p.110-111

2010 / Geržová, Barbora: Inter-view, catalogue of exhibition, Nitra: Nitrianska galéria 2010, p. 94-99

2009 / Kasaj Poláčková, Ľudmila: Focused on... Boris Sirka and Vlasta Žáková, Profil 2009

2009 / Tajkov, Peter: Vlasta Žáková, catalogue Suture, Trnava: GJK 2009