Kristina Kokalj: Systems of Maintenance
Trg narodnih herojev / Valvasorjev park (National Heroes Square / Valvasor Park)
23. May–18. June 2022
light installation

Systems of Maintenance by Kristina Kokalj reflects on the process of systematization in the context of various attempts, made to preserve our natural and cultural heritage. As the author herself says, systematic preservation of our heritage is not something we should take for granted; each choice in collecting objects is determined by subjective circumstances of individuals who have the power to make decisions, next to objective circumstances that always play a role as well. Reflecting on processes of preservation and oblivion, the author created an installation and set it up in direct vicinity of one of the biggest museum institutions. The project is made from multiple mirror surfaces hanging from tree branches: in them we can see reflections of different fragments from immediate surroundings but the selection is coincidental or rather it is the arbitrary view of the visitor. Metaphorically, the artist questions our perspective on history and is critical of how deceitful it is because it isn’t really based on objective facts as they are practically impossible.

KRISTINA KOKALJ (1993) graduated in 2017 from Painting at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Ljubljana, Video and New Media Department, and continued her studies at the Department for Visual Communication Design where she’s currently finishing her Master’s in photography. She works in the field of film, visual projections, light design, photography and sound. But most of all she wants to explore the possibilities of the analog film. In her works she attempts to create a holistic immersive experience, which generates situational potential in space, establishes a dialogue between sound and light, addresses technological imperfections and consistently adds repetitiveness and dissonance to her works. Since 2014, next to her study projects, she performs as a VJ (she’s a frequent collaborator of the Haiku Garden group), and since 2018 she’s a light designer in Gala Hala club at Metelkova City, Ljubljana.

Co-produced: Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering (University of Ljubljana), Rog Center