Sanja Iveković's Activist Art: Gender, Memory, and Public Space
Born in 1949, Croatian artist Sanja Iveković has been a pivotal figure in Eastern European art since the 1970s. In 2012, her creations were showcased in three monographic exhibitions at MoMA, Mudam Luxembourg, and Calvert 22. In October, she performed "Why can't an artist represent a nation-state?" at MAC/VAL. Iveković's work delves into themes of gender, identity, and memory, rooted in the Nova Umjetnička Praksa movement following 1968 in Yugoslavia. Her early pieces, such as "Tragedija jedne Venere" (1975), critique media portrayals, while her post-1980 works, like "Trokut" (1979), tackle political issues. The "Gen XX" series (1997-2001) emphasizes antifascist resistance. In 1994, she co-founded the Electra art center in Zagreb, where she still resides and creates.
Key facts
- Sanja Iveković had three monographic exhibitions in one year: MoMA, Mudam Luxembourg, Calvert 22, and South London Gallery.
- She presented a new performance at MAC/VAL in October 2012.
- She was part of the Nova Umjetnička Praksa (New Artistic Practice) in post-1968 Yugoslavia.
- Her series 'Tragedija jedne Venere' (1975) juxtaposes Marilyn Monroe images with personal photos.
- The performance 'Trokut' (1979) during Tito's visit to Zagreb involved police intervention.
- The video 'Osobni rezovi' (1982) intercuts her cutting holes in a stocking with Yugoslav history footage.
- The series 'Gen XX' (1997-2001) includes her mother Nera Šafarić, an Auschwitz-Birkenau survivor.
- She co-founded the Electra art center in Zagreb in 1994.
Entities
Artists
- Sanja Iveković
- Marilyn Monroe
- Rosa Luxemburg
- Nera Šafarić
- Bojana Pejić
- Christophe Gallois
Institutions
- MoMA
- Mudam Luxembourg
- Calvert 22
- South London Gallery
- MAC/VAL
- Electra
- Democratic Association for Honorable Persons and Victims' Families
- Biennale de Gwangju
- TV Zagreb
- Duga
Locations
- New York
- Luxembourg
- London
- Vitry-sur-Seine
- Zagreb
- Croatia
- Yugoslavia
- Gwangju
- South Korea
- Rohrbach
- Austria
- Ljubljana
- Berlin
- Auschwitz-Birkenau
Sources
- artpress —