- my artistic hubs at the oldest castle in Slovenia documented in the archives, the Bled Castle, highlighting the Advent time.
What an honor it is to have been entrusted with creating 4 artistic nodes at the Bled Castle overlooking the beautiful glacier lake with its fairy-tale island and small pilgrim church on it.
1 - My Cloud of E@motions at the Lapidarium, the castle's pavilion overlooking the magnificent glacier lake with its island . the pilgrim place since prehistoric times:
2 - My Ivy DBE in front of the medieval Knights' Hall:
3 - My Infinity Loop at the castle chapel:
4 - the Web Chains at the castle Tower:
Thank you to everyone who, in spite of the terrible weather last Friday joined my magical opening at the Bled Castle - and took part in the artistically inspired dialog led by art historian, curator and art critic: Andreja Rakovec.
My thanks to Mag- Lea Ferjan, the director of the Bled Culture Institute for inviting me to create my artistic hubs at the Bled Castle during the advent time, and to her team for their help in realizing this.
My thanks also to the art historian and curator Mag. Andreja Rakovec for her commentary and thought provoking dialog at Friday's opening. Some of Andreja's inspiring comments on my art works:
On Ivy DBE in front of the Knights' Hall:
Laces, which come from different parts of the world and which the artist sews into organic wholes, represent an important part of Eva Petrič's oeuvre. DBE Ivy, Data Bank of Emotions is designed as an organic shape. The motif of growth is immanent in life forms, whose constituent element is DNA. In Eva Petrič's interpretation, DNA is conceived as an internal, microcosmic world that reflects the external world, and according to her, marks our emotional data bank. Like a plant, emotions grow, intertwine and die. (From Andreja Rakovec guiding through the exhibition).
On Infinity Loop in the castle chapel:
The lacy net, the arms of which spread under the vault like sun rays, is accompanied by a sound composition with the artist's vocals. The symbolism of light in the installation is associated with the approaching holidays. These are based on the winter solstice, which humanity has attached special importance to since ancient times. After weeks of fading daylight, however, the light begins to gain its strength, as step by step, day by day, it spreads its mantle more and more luxuriously across the sky. The light in the works of Eva Petrič dresses the castle ambience in a royal mantle of splendor and light. (Mag. Andreja Rakovec)
On my WEB Chain at the castle tower:
Castles are anchored in the collective consciousness as romantic remnants of a world that has long since passed and awakens our imagination. However, the central purpose of castles was to protect its inhabitants from outside invaders and to strengthen the power of its owners. Women also found themselves in this game of showing strength and brilliance. In the chessboard of political moves made by men, they played a key role in arranging marriages. With the girls who were given in marriage, alliances were strengthened, influence increased, and peace was even ensured between the warring parties. What price women paid for this we will never fully know. Their fates, happy and unhappy, are partially revealed by archival and other sources, and countless intimate stories remained forever hidden behind the castle walls. The interpretations of Eva Petrič in the photographic series in the links of the network bring to mind the fate of these young women. (Andreja Rakovec)
In the photographs, the image of the woman with her fragility and tenderness merges with the lace net, the woman becomes the net and everything that it symbolically represents. On the one hand, the lace network can be understood as a parable of social networks that were woven with the help of women, and on the other hand, the lace network is a metaphor for female nature, in which we can discern innocence, sadness, longing and suffering. (Andreja Rakovec)
On Cloud of E@Motions
The theme of emotions is also covered in the Cloud of Emotions, which the artist exhibited with the color of the sunrise and sunset in Bled in mind. Just as the sun travels across the sky and illuminates the paths of man, which intertwine, form networks and nodes, the Cloud of Emotions silently stares at the lake. In the light, it gently floats like the sun, towards which the eyes, full of hope and longing, hesitate. It acts as a fragile node of desires born from the emotions of present and past generations. (Andreja Rakovec)
Snowflakes or wishes? Which weigh more?
Snowflakes or wishes?
Which are lighter ?
Which float longer in the air?
Snowflakes or wishes?
Which evaporate faster?
Snowflakes or wishes?
Which melt faster?
Which are more unique?
Snowflakes or wishes?
How to stop their passing away and ensure their infinity?
(Eva Petrič)
Thank you to everyone who joined my magical opening marked by artistically inspired dialog lead by art historian and art critic (Andreja Rakovec) and myself.
My artistic nodes will remain on view from now till February 4th 2024. Kindly invited to visit them. If you won't come to Bled, kindly invited to experience the atmosphere of my artistic hubs at the Bled castle in this short video:
Copyright ©Eva Petrič,2023, Bildrecht Vienna, All rights reserved.