Exhibition Lena Kramarić

About the exhibition

Anybody that’s familiar with the work of the significant artist from Dubrovnik, Lena Kramarić, could certainly get some kind of idea even before they see the aptly titled exhibition Lena Kramarić (35). The passage of time, its relativization, the artistic and spiritual growth of the artist, and some sort of a mutual connection of specific projects, is something that has been distinguishing Lena for years, and in many ways makes her a problem artist. In the creative reflection about her own work (which can particularly be noticed at the recent exhibition), she mostly turns to the past and the present, but she turns to the future as well. However, that focus on the past does not mark some nostalgic reminder of the past times, but quite the contrary. By referring to her art created in the early stages of her work, Kramarić will try to decontextualize it in a certain manner, and by doing so, release it from any possible historization.

The mere fact that the artist exposes “herself” and her past, which has nothing to do with the present subject problematisation - looks refreshing at this moment. In that way, Lena created a transtemporal interspace made of an amalgam of present and past, while both categories preserved their authenticity. Already in her early work, the artist was occupied with subjects that would later become the basis of her art work - groups of young women, girls and women observed from various perspectives, in the dialogue of one towards other. The artist also retained writing certain words, phrases and sequences in her later work, which has also become an important characteristic of her painting - negation of the traditional composition in the simple playfulness of the spontaneous, abstract and figurative.

A steady drawing which outlines and summarizes at the same time, a painting construction built on an ambivalent synthesis of a coloured plane and drawing, those are the elements of the entire work of Kramarić, out of which her personal experiences, changes and opinions can be observed. Within the spatial arrangement, compositional treatment and iconography of Lena’s planes, all the prerequisites for a rich painting story have been defined. In the solid harmonies of drawing and colours, this artist from Dubrovnik intertwines her coded expression with the intimate element, while the saturated unison of colours forms a return to simple harmonies of the elements. The colours, associatively related to natural elements, luminously encompass the author’s artistic and life introspection.

Apart from being focused on the current exhibition, Lena also remembers what was and still is her preoccupation. It is about the creative process which took place during last exhibition Ateljerija, not in the studio, but at the premises of the gallery. That is also one of the characteristics connecting the new cycle thematically, but also points out the life and painting maturity of this artist from Dubrovnik. In Lena’s case, the emanation of her artistic will achieved a certain character and solid importance, which transcends the spiritual uneasiness of the environment it is made in. The paintings from the new cycle are made of representations of women figures with an intimate note, which pulsate with dynamism and temper, and discover the psychologically mysterious sensitivity, which may seem already known on the thematic level, but their life dimension is just an idea for some “new” future paintings. By taking the space, metaphorically speaking, from the intimate to the universal, Kramarić shows through her work that, for each accomplished spiritual and painting success, it is necessary to have a creative accordance between the artistic individual and his wider context, where Lena proved herself to be an exceptional and unique artistic personality.

Andrea Batinić Ivanković

About the author

Lena Kramarić (1982, Zagreb) graduated from the School of Applied Arts and Design (Graphic Division) at the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb (Lecture Department, direction of painting) which ends in 2008 and continues her education at Postgraduate Doctoral School of Painting. He has participated in many independent and group exhibitions in Croatia and the world. She now lives and works in Dubrovnik. She thinks she's too young for serious things. She thinks that when we grow up we can expect a lot from her. At the moment, she alone expects much from herself.