Stanislava Kovalcikova, Exhibition, Belvedere 21, Vienna: 16 September 2022-5 February 2023

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In her first solo exhibition in Austria, painter Stanislava Kovalcikova unveils the alluring and enigmatic side of her work.

The daughter of a Russian mother and a Slovak father, she spent her childhood and youth living in various places around the world. The experience of crossing borders – geographically, linguistically, culturally, and socially – and of not belonging to a community is present in her work as well. Kovalcikova's works examine issues relating to the notion of self and the construction of identity. Her images frequently capture intimate, ephemeral moments, which harbor a dreamlike, surrealistic dimension. Time plays an essential role in her artistic process. Kovalcikova's paintings are created over many years and are constantly reworked, resulting in a distinct coloring and finish. In her paintings, the artist is not particularly concerned with telling a story but rather making faces, bodies, and their presence palpable. Initially, Kovalcikova draws on the classical canon of art history. She takes elements from masters such as Titian, Giorgione, Goya, Renoir, Van Gogh, or Manet and combines them with a consistently contemporary take on explosive current events. Her artwork challenges one-dimensional ideas about gender, race, identity, social conventions, and power relations.

Stanislava Kovalcikova was born in Czechoslovakia in 1988. She studied painting at the Düsseldorf Art Academy with Peter Doig and Tomma Abts. The artist now lives and works in Düsseldorf.

Stanislava Kovalcikova, Goldkopf, 2021  Courtesy Peres Projects, Berlin
Stanislava Kovalcikova, Goldkopf, 2021 Courtesy Peres Projects, Berlin
Stanislava Kovalcikova, Virgin High, 2015  Courtesy Peres Projects, Berlin
Stanislava Kovalcikova, Virgin High, 2015 Courtesy Peres Projects, Berlin

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