IVANA TKALČIĆ

ASTRONAUT(S) WITHOUT A SPACESHIP: CATCHING THE WIND

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November 22nd - December 13th 2024

Exhibiton opening: Friday, November 22nd, 20h

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“Catching the Wind” is a new stage in Ivana Tkalčić’s artistic research entitled “Astronaut(s) without a Spaceship”, and it is a documentation of a performance performed in April and May 2024 during her residency in Finnmark, Norway. The works were produced for the exhibition in Prostor, where it is presented for the first time. Ivana’s approach in these works is - as in her previous works as well - experimental and playful, representing the processuality, fragility, but also the multidimensionality of artistic research and artistic work in general.

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The concept of the project “Astronaut(s) without a Spaceship” is related to space exploration, and here Ivana explores the motives and logic behind the current “space race” between nations and private companies and the potential ethical, political and ecological implications that the space race has on our planet and its resources. Ivana’s interest in space exploration began in 2019 when she came across a document on the establishment of the Center for Space and Innovative Technologies in her hometown, Sisak. As part of her initial reflection on this information, she performed several performances in the forest near the Sisak Steel Mill and Oil Refinery. This was followed by participation in the Analog Astronaut Training in 2022 in Poland where, by infiltrating among scientists, she recorded everyday events in controlled conditions, transforming a scientific experiment into an artistic one.

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In “Catching the Wind,” the artist focuses on the fragility of the Earth’s surface, exploring the connections between ecosystems and the human body. The work was realized in the Finnmark area during the Hyperborealis artist residency, in collaboration with Kvitbrakka AiR and Berlevåg Havnemuseum. Since she was staying near the Kjølnes lighthouse, where the wind research station is located, the research through performance focused on the element of wind. 
The performance documentation transforms the wind's motion into movements, bringing the principles that underlie how the wind behaves, by making the invisible forces of nature visible and tangible. This is the first step in testing — currently she is focusing on the development of a tactile "bodysuit" that explores natural elements through an immersive, tactile experience.

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The project relies on the theoretical frameworks of ecofeminism and postcolonial theory, which criticize exploitative interactions with the landscape and advocate for more respectful, sustainable practices. It emphasizes the importance of using Earth's resources by focusing on these qualities, and it aims to foster a more intuitive and empathetic approach to environmental stewardship.

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One of the research focuses is also the term terraforming (a hypothetical process of atmospheric, temperature, topographic, or ecological adaptation of a celestial body to the conditions of life on Earth) and its use when talking about planet Earth in relation to other heavenly bodies. There is a discussion about terraforming the Moon or Mars, but soon we will need to “terraform” Earth.

In the past 10 years, space exploration and travelling have again become a big topic with many discussions, from statements like “we need to be multiplanet species” to asteroid mining. There is a noticeable increase in this space race, not only between nations but also between private companies. The artist therefore asks: What is the logic behind the new space race? For whom will this “new world” on Earth or some other astronomical body be built? How far can the exploitation of resources on and around Earth be stretched?

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Ivana Tkalčić (b. 1987) is a multimedia artist and art researcher. She obtained her master’s degree (mag.oec.) in economics in 2012 from the Faculty of Economics and Business at the University of Zagreb, as well as master’s degree (MA) in fine arts in 2016 from the Academy of Fine Arts Zagreb. In 2019/2020 she also graduated from WHW Akademija. She has exhibited independently a number of times in Croatia and Europe, and took part in group exhibitions and biennales worldwide. She has received numerous nominations and awards: Contemporary Art Collection – European Parliament, EU; ART OMI: ARCHIVE – collection, USA; 20th Radoslav Putar Award, Young Visual Artists Awards; HPB Grand Prix award at the 35th Youth Salon; Erste Fragments 12; The Rector’s Award for Student Excellence; RCAA - young European art award. She has participated in multiple residencies in Italy, The Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, Norway, Austria and Greece, such as: 2023 Art Omi: Artists Residency, Ghent, NY, USA; 2022 EMMPOL Poland, Analog Astronaut Training Center, Poland; 2021 EthicAI=LABS, Goethe-Institut; 2019 SciArt Project, The Joint Research Center, European Commission, Italy; 2018 Summer Session, V2_ Lab, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; 2017 NXT Residency, ELIA & Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, Vienna, Austria. A central aspect of my practice is the fluidity of the medium, which I see not as a rigid boundary but as a tool for realizing diverse ideas. 
Her process is akin to a playful investigation—an experimental method that leads to unexpected discoveries and new perspectives. This approach fosters collaboration with a range of experts, including scientists, curators, and institutions, to explore themes such as archives, databases, memories, and the boundaries between realities and identities. These explorations often stem from personal memories or collected objects, which I transform and reinterpret through speculative narratives.

https://ivanatkalcic.com/