Ana Vrtačnik: Učinek dotika / Mere Touch Effect

Ana Vrtačnik: Učinek dotika
Otvoritev: petek, 11. april 2025, ob 19. uri
Galerija Božidar Jakac – Muzej moderne in sodobne umetnosti, Kostanjevica na Krki

Slikarka Ana Vrtačnik je doktorski študij opravljala med pandemijo covida, v času, ko smo umetnost doživljali zgolj prek ekranov, odvisnost od njih pa se je razširila tudi na vsa preostala področja življenja. V odporu do »umetnosti na daleč« in splošnemu tabuju dotika, predvsem v kontekstu muzejev in galerij, je razvila svoje taktilno slikarstvo, ki h kontaktu kliče z evokativnimi formami in izbiro prijetnega materiala – filca. Na razstavi Učinek dotika v lapidariju Galerije Božidar Jakac se predstavlja z mehkimi, a kompaktnimi polstenimi objekti, ki rastejo iz neenakomernih sten in skupaj tvorijo svoj ekosistem.

Biomimetične slike Ane Vrtačnik pozivajo, da umetnine tokrat ne spoznavamo zgolj vizualno, temveč tudi prek dotika, ki je bil ključen skozi celotni ustvarjalni proces. V svoji praksi se poslužuje tehnike suhega in mokrega polstenja z volno, ki ji jo pastirji najpogosteje kar podarijo, saj bi sicer izginila v plamenih. »Odpadki« so tako postali njeno pripovedno sredstvo, s katerim nagovarja vprašanje odnosa do naravnih virov in zapostavljenih tradicij. Z volno modelira vzpone in padce navideznih krajin, gradi otoke, oblikuje zemljevide. Volnene konfiguracije sledijo odnosom tekstur v naravi, njihovem prepletanju, vozlanju, grupiranju, valovanju in kroženju. Kljub navideznemu kaosu v njih vseeno velja nam težko predstavljiv red.

Vse, česar se dotaknemo, se nas dotakne nazaj. V primeru likovnega dela se nas to po navadi »dotakne« na čustveni ravni. Razstava Ane Vrtačnik pa z izzivanjem tradicionalnih muzejskih konvencij o prepovedi dotika odpira vprašanja o telesni izkušnji in dovoljuje neposreden stik z umetninami.

Kustosinja: Deja Bečaj
Foto: Jaka Babnik
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Ana Vrtačnik: Mere Touch Effect
Opening: Friday, 11 April 2025, at 7pm
Galerija Božidar Jakac – Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Kostanjevica na Krki

Painter Ana Vrtačnik pursued her doctoral studies during the COVID pandemic, a time when art was experienced only through screens, and the dependence on them spread to all other areas of life. In resistance to “art at a distance” and the general taboo of touch, especially in the context of museums and galleries, she developed her tactile painting, which calls for contact through evocative forms and the choice of a pleasant material – felt. In the exhibition Mere Touch Effect in the Lapidarium of Galerija Božidar Jakac, she presents herself with soft but compact felt objects that grow out of the uneven walls and together form their own ecosystem.

Ana Vrtačnik’s biomimetic paintings invite us to get to know the artwork not only visually, but also through touch, which has been crucial throughout the entire creative process. In her practice, she uses the technique of dry and wet felting with wool, which is most often given to her by shepherds who would otherwise burn it. “Trash” has thus become her narrative device that addresses the issue of our relationship to natural resources and neglected traditions. She uses wool to model the ups and downs of imagined landscapes, to build islands, to create maps. The wool configurations trace the relations of textures in nature, their interweaving, knotting, grouping, undulating and circling. Despite their apparent chaos, they are nevertheless subject to an order beyond human understanding.

Everything we touch touches us back. In the case of art, it usually »touches« us on an emotional level. However, by challenging traditional museum conventions of »no touching«, Ana Vrtačnik’s exhibition raises questions about the bodily experience and allows direct contact with the artworks.

Curator: Deja Bečaj
Photo: Jaka Babnik