with Elena Kristofor, Irene Hopfgartner
curated by Angela Zach-Buchmayer, Kahan Art Space Vienna
2023
Otto Wagner Areal, Vienna
At this year’s PARALLEL, the Dr. Eva Kahan Foundation presents two artistic approaches that explore the relationship between humans and nature. The works of Elena Kristofors and Irene Hopfgartner reflect on the question of human perceptions and the conditioning of our view of nature. The interpretation of their works is multifaceted, but upon closer examination, certain parallels emerge: Inherent in all the works is a questioning of the concept of “nature,” particularly the deconstruction of the notion of nature as a phenomenon that is not, or only minimally, shaped by humans.
Elena Kristofor’s subtle artistic interventions in a seemingly untouched landscape are unsettling. In her series Anomalie im Raum (Anomaly in Space), the artist presents a manipulated landscape; through the use of reflections, the spatial line of sight is distorted, thereby disrupting our perception of perspective. In this context, Kristofors speaks of a “folding of space,” as a new, surreal landscape emerges that grants new spatial access. The analog photo series refers, on the one hand, to human traces in nature; at the same time, nature is thrown back upon itself and duplicated. In doing so, she explores the limits of perception through reflections and superimpositions. Kristofor’s works occupy a space between photography and installation by crossing the threshold between image and reality.
In her artistic practice, Irene Hopfgartner explores human systems of classification and organization of fauna and flora. In this sense, her artistic interest also extends to taxidermied animals, which historically have always served as important “natural” illustrative material in natural history cabinets and collections. Questioning this seemingly “natural” order is a recurring motif in her work. Hopfgartner employs a play on “unnatural” forms to open up new perspectives. The room installations Meadow and Forest, Jay and Sparrowhawk’s Head on a Pine Trunk, and Pearl Catcher address the ongoing reduction of wildlife habitats as well as the reckless genetic animal experiments conducted by humans. Hopfgartner has created a new sound installation for PARALLEL.
Text: Angela Zach-Buchmayer
Photos: Kunstdokumentation
