DE/CONSTRUCTION OF PAINTING CONCEPT:

 

The project De/construction of Painting encourages and addresses contemporary artistic practices within the context of the visual arts center of Eastern Germany, Leipzig, which has transformed into a global hub for the arts with a focus on the painting scene. The former industrial complex Spinnerei in the Plagwitz district spans 10 hectares and has been almost entirely renovated, now serving as the heart of the local and international art scene with 12 galleries, the non-profit art center Halle 14, and around a hundred resident artists. The residency program De/construction of Painting tries to answer the following questions:

• To what extent is the idea of an image/painting still a cultural construct within various dichotomies (Western-Eastern, industrial-post-industrial)?
• How does the media in which the painting is formed correspond to the concepts of representing different realities?
• What is individual in the image/painting and what is symbolic or universal?

Part of this year’s residency program will take place within the EU project CreART 3.0, a European network of medium-sized cities aimed at exchanging experiences and best practices to promote contemporary art through a continuous transnational mobility program for emerging artists, curators, and cultural workers, in order to maximize the economic, social, and cultural contributions that creativity can bring to local communities. As part of the EU project CreART 3.0, 4 residencies will take place in Leipzig in 2024, each lasting 5 weeks, including 2 Croatian and 2 foreign artists from the network of cities.

 

In this year’s edition of the project De/Construction of the Painting, as part of the EU project Creart 3.0, the participants are: Kristaps Priede (LV), Klara Rusan (HR), Shima Salehi (FI) and Lana Zubović (HR).

 

Project website: https://residencyleipzig.hdlu.hr/

 

Kristaps Priede (b. 1990, Latvia) is a Latvian conceptual artist whose multidisciplinary practice spans painting, sculpture, documentary photography, installations, and performance. His work delves into contemporary social, political, and environmental issues, using contrast and transformation as central tools to explore destruction and renewal. Priede adapts his methods to each project, often blending natural and man-made elements to challenge perception and provoke reflection. Rooted in both critical inquiry and emotional depth, his art invites viewers to confront inner and societal tensions—offering space for identification, catharsis, and change. With a strong commitment to environmental and human rights concerns, Priede’s practice seeks not just to raise awareness, but to inspire dialogue and collective action through art.

Thinking About Ukraine, 2022

Klara Rusan (b. 1993, Croatia) earned a bachelor’s degree at Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb at the department of Animated Film and the New Media. Plans of pursuing a career in animation were superseded by her receiving a Masters in Authorial Illustration at the Falmouth University of Art in 2017. Her graduate thesis earned recognition as she was the recipient of the ‘Masters of Art Illustration Authorial Practice: Award for Outstanding Creative Writing’. While being a participant in a number of group exhibitions (36 Mountains festival of illustration, Erste fragmenti, To be continued…comics and visual culture in Croatia), she held her debut solo exhibition at the Oris House of Architecture in 2018 where she presented her first graphic novel Where Do People Go After They Die?. In 2024. she had her first international solo exhibition ADHD – Pool of thoughts.

ADHD – Pool of Thoughts, 2024

Shima Salehi (b. 1991, Iran) is a multidisciplinary visual artist based in Oulu, Finland. Her work explores themes of gender justice, women’s empowerment, and environmental sustainability, blending traditional influences with contemporary techniques. She blends different artistic styles, pushing boundaries to create innovative works that aim to raise awareness and inspire social change. Her creative process is driven by a desire to make an impact and spark meaningful conversations through art.

Girl Trilogy, 2024

Lana Zubović (b. 2001, Croatia) is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice encompasses printmaking, performance, video, painting, installation, and drawing. She earned a Bachelor’s degree (Baccalaurea) in Printmaking from the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb in 2023, and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Fine Art Print (MFA Print) at the National College of Art and Design (NCAD) in Dublin. Her work often explores layered narratives through diverse media, with a particular emphasis on collaboration and conceptual depth. Zubović is the recipient of several awards, including the Rector’s Award in 2022 for the interdisciplinary opera-fairytale Animal Farm, created in collaboration between three academies and the Faculty of Textile Technology. In 2023, she was longlisted for the RDS Visual Art Awards in Dublin, Ireland.

Within the project:

Partners:

Co-funded by:

   

Co-funded by the European Union – CREA-CULT-2023-COOP. The views and opinions expressed are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official views of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the European Commission can be held responsible for them. [Project number: 101128499]

Project is co-financed by the Government Office for Cooperation with NGOs.

The views expressed in this announcement are the sole responsibility of HDLU and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Government Office for Cooperation with NGOs.