PARALLEL VIENNA
Elena Kristofor & Irene Hopfgartner
At this year's PARALLEL, the Dr. Eva Kahan Foundation presents two artistic positions that deal with the relationship between man and nature. Elena Kristofor’s and Irene Hopfgartner's works reflect on the question of human ideas and the conditioning of our view of nature. The readability of their works is complex, but a close look reveals some parallels: inscribed in all the works is the questioning of the concept of "nature", above all the deconstruction of the idea of nature as a form of appearance that is not, or only slightly, reshaped by man.
Elena Kristofor's analogue landscape photographs refer to signs of man in nature. Through the artist's artificially created reflections and superimpositions, the boundaries of perception are shifted, while at the same time nature is thrown back on itself and illusorily doubled.
In her practice, Irene Hopfgartner investigates human systems of order and classification of fauna and flora; in this sense, her artistic interest is also directed at animal taxidermy. Her spatial installations address the progressive reduction of the habitat of wild animals as well as genetic engineering interventions by humans.
Elena Kristofor, born 1983 in Odessa, Ukraine. Studied architecture at the Vienna University of Technology and art/photography at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. The artist lives and works in Vienna.
Irene Hopfgartner, born 1986 in Bruneck, South Tyrol/ Italy. Studied painting at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Venice and fine arts/photography, textiles and art and communicative practice at the University of Applied Arts Vienna. The artist lives and works in Vienna.
Curated by Angela Zach-Buchmayer
Kahan Art Space at PARALLEL
You can find us at Pavillon 24/EG