It reminds us of the Droste-effect. Residing within the walls of the IBB pavilion, at the same time within the walls of a psychiatric clinic and after that a ‘wall’ of water called the Caribbean Sea; visual artist Lucia Luptáková (1977, Slovakia) felt enclosed within many layers. An island, in an island, in an island… At the same time Luptáková was struck by the contradictory feeling of freedom of inside and outside spaces and openness she experienced. Invited by the IBB and the BKVB Fund in Amsterdam for an artist in residency period of three months, she started investigating these elements that took form in one of the installations she created. IBB welcomes the public to perceive Luptáková’s two site-specific installations, together with the results of the workshop she did with the IBB student’s, upcoming March 31st at our IBB pavilion.

Luptáková finished her studies in architectural design at the Rietveld Academy in 2002 and moved on to the Sandberg Institute where she obtained her Master degree in fine arts. Balancing between architecture and visual arts her work developed into site-specific spatial installations, very often situated in public space. “The conditions of working in public space always forced me to leave nothing to unforeseen circumstances. I have an object in my head and that’s what it will become. The context of IBB first of all gave me the opportunity I had been looking for since quite some time: experimenting with form, researching the process and making sculptural work that leaves space for accidental factors.” Her studio over the last three months has been a white square space with two shuttered windows on each side, three doors and a big fan on the ceiling. “I put a table and a chair in the middle of the room. The turning fan, the shutters and me in the middle… it reminded me of this scene from the movie ‘Apocalypse Now’ with the turning ceiling fan and the psychedelic effect of the room that started turning. It feels like the whole world starts spinning in your head…” This was the start of a journey towards form and movement, which resulted in the installation “In a White Room”.
Meanwhile Luptáková observed the architecture and the creativity in ‘claiming’ spaces on Curacao and translated her observations into an installation in the garden of the IBB pavilion. ‘Open Air Enclosure’, the title of this piece, consists of many elements she found during her research. At first the ‘openness’ she experienced, created by the wooden shutters, decorative concrete blocks that make marvelous ‘open walls’ and lattices that gives one a feeling of imprisonment but frames your view at the same time. The result can be seen as a condensed view on a broad spectrum of experiences and interpretations on the community of Curacao. The artist recommends visitors to come early in the evening (or during the day), while daylight still plays with the installation.
Finally Luptáková also initiated a workshop with our IBB students based on their favorite spots on the island. They where challenged to let their imagination run free on public space and create a public intervention/sculpture that would relate to their experience or fantasy around the spot. Looking at factors like shadow and light, lines versus surfaces, colors and stories the students created models that were digitally manipulated in a picture of the site.
On Thursday March 31st from 5:30 pm we welcome you all to the opening of this exciting new exhibition at IBB’s Orkidia pavilion (Klinika Capriles, Mohikanenweg 8, Curacao). Admission is free!
More information:
www.institutobuenabista.com
www.lucialuptakova.nl
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