croatian pavilion at the 60TH
international art exhibition
la biennale di venezia
vlatka horvat
by the means at hand
april 20
november 24
2024
croatian pavilion at the 60TH
international art exhibition
la biennale di venezia
vlatka horvat
by the means at hand
Engaging with the theme of Adriano Pedrosa’s main exhibition for La Biennale di Venezia, “Stranieri Ovunque – Foreigners Everywhere,” Vlatka Horvat’s project for the Croatian Pavilion, curated by Antonia Majaca, exists as an accumulative exhibition of artworks by a wide-ranging group of international artists living “as foreigners,” reflecting on questions and urgencies of the diasporic experience.
The exhibition is generated through a social and performative exchange taking place over the course of the Biennale Arte 2024. Vlatka is inviting artists living in diaspora all over the world to engage in a series of reciprocal exchanges of artworks and other materials, all of which are sent between Venice and other places by improvised means – via various friends, travelers, and strangers who are enlisted as informal couriers for the project.
The title of the project – By the Means at Hand – refers to the improvised transport systems whereby individuals activate informal networks of friends, acquaintances, and even strangers to deliver letters, parcels, documents, money, and other material goods to family members and others who live in cities or countries far away. While such practices are born out of social dispersal, migration, and displacement, the networks they give rise to build effectively on wider principles of solidarity, shared struggle, mutual support, and friendship – factors that the project emphasizes as prerequisites for co-existing with others, and as key elements in the toolkit for those living “in foreign lands.”
By the Means at Hand also points to a wide range of broader themes such as alternative logistics, the spontaneous production of social relations, informal and gift economies, and the idea of trustfulness. On a subtler, yet crucial, infrastructural level, the project takes off from a recognition of the state of emergency when it comes to the climate crisis, and the substantial environmental footprint of institutionalized modes of production, transportation, and presentation of contemporary art. The project’s improvisatory system of delivering artworks to and from Venice forgoes the formal transport system, using instead journeys that are happening anyway.
Situated within the intimate space of Fàbrica 33 in the Cannaregio – Fondamente Nove neighborhood of Venice, the Croatian Pavilion stages a dynamic interplay of three-dimensional structures, images, and drawings. The venue also serves as Vlatka’s temporary studio for the duration of the biennale.
The Croatian Pavilion at the 60th International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia is commissioned by the Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia, and organized by Apoteka – Space for Contemporary Art (Vodnjan, Croatia).
Vlatka Horvat is an artist working across a wide range of forms from sculpture, installation, drawing, collage, and photography to performance, video, writing, and publishing. Reconfiguring space and social relations at play in it, her projects often rework the precarious relationship between bodies, objects, materials, the built environment, and landscape.
She has had exhibitions at a wide range of international institutions, including the Museum of Contemporary Art Zagreb; PEER London; Kunsthalle Wien in Vienna; Hessel Museum – Bard Center for Curatorial Studies in Annandale-on-Hudson, NY; MARTa Herford Museum, Herford; Stroom, The Hague; Bergen Kunsthall; the Kitchen and MoMA PS1, both in New York City. Her work has been shown at the Aichi Triennale in Nagoya, the 11th Istanbul Biennale, and the 16th Architecture Biennale in Venice. Her performances have been commissioned and presented internationally by venues including HAU Hebbel am Ufer in Berlin; LIFT – London International Festival of Theatre; PACT Zollverein in Essen; Kaaitheater in Brussels; KunstFestSpiele Herrenhausen in Hannover; and the Fondation Cartier in Paris, among others. Her recent fiction has been published by Nightjar Press, Vassar Review, and minor literature(s); and her artist’s book To See Stars over Mountains, which gathers 365 works on paper produced one per day over the course of a year, was published in 2022 by PEER and Unstable Object.
Born in Croatia, she moved to the United States as a teenager and spent twenty years there. She lives in London, UK.
Antonia Majaca is an art historian, curator, and writer based between Venice and Berlin, whose work incorporates art history, political theory, epistemology, and intellectual history. She was one of the curators of Parapolitics – Cultural Freedom and the Cold War at HKW – Haus der Kulturen der Welt in Berlin in 2017 and is the author of the itinerant project Feminist Takes.
She was the principal researcher of “The Incomputable” at IZK – Institute for Contemporary Art of the Graz University of Technology, and is the editor of the Incomputable Earth: Digital Technologies and the Anthropocene (Bloomsbury, 2024).
By the Means at Hand relies on solidarity and a growing network of artists and contributors who have stepped up to the challenge of finding alternative means to deliver their works to Venice. What follows are the names and websites of contributing artists without whom this project would not be possible. This list will be regularly updated as works continue to find their way to the Croatian Pavilion from all corners of the world.
By the Means at Hand relies on solidarity and a growing network of artists and contributors who have stepped up to the challenge of finding alternative means to deliver their works to Venice. What follows are the names and websites of contributing artists without whom this project would not be possible. This list will be regularly updated as works continue to find their way to the Croatian Pavilion from all corners of the world.
Vlatka will continually be reconfiguring the exhibition over the course of the biennial, to display the works of all the contributing artists. Works Inventory is updated every day a new work arrives, and lists all the works received at the pavilion to date.
Works Inventory PDF / Works Inventory web page (last addition: 7 Sept 2024)
A
Adriana Bogdanova, Adrijana Gvozdenović, Ahmet Öğüt, Akshay Bhoan, Alban Muja, Alejandro Cesarco, Alisa Oleva, Alison Turnbull, Amanda Trager & Erik Moskowitz, Ana Bilankov, Ana Hoffner ex-Prvulovic, Ana Maria Millan, Ana Pavlović, Ana Prvački with 19 MFA Public Art students from Bauhaus University, Ana Roldan, Anahita Razmi, Anamarija Ami Podrebarac, Andrea Božić, Andrea Breinbauer, Andrea Knezović, Andrea Medjesi-Jones, Andrew M Mezvinsky, Andrii Dostliev, Anita Sulimanović, Ann Yan, Anna Mészáros, Anna Perach, Anna Schwanz, Anne Bean with Serah Chule (aka Serah Chibombwe), Annika Ström, Ant Hampton, Arseny Zhilyaev, Asako Iwama, Ashkan Sepahvand, Assaf Gruber, Asya Gefter, Aude Hérail Jäger, Azra Halilović
B
Bo Sun, Bojan Stojčić, Bojana Janković, Britt Hatzius
C
Carla Armour, Caroline Bergvall, Christian Sleiman
D
Danica Dakić, Daniel Rey, Daphne Kokkini, Darija S. Radaković, Déirdre Kelly, Dejan Kaludjerović, Diana Shpungin, Dino Zrnec, donna Kukama, Dora Durkesac, Dragan Vojvodić, Dragana Jurišić, Dushko Petrovich Cordova, Dušica Dražić
E
Ekaterina Shapiro-Obermair, Elena Bajo, Eli Cortiñas, Elizabeth Magill, Emily Jacir, Emily Roderick, Erica Scourti, Erika Tan, Erika Trotzig, Esperanza Mayobre, Eva Ďurovec
F
Felix Gumbsch, Filipa César, Florian Roithmayr, FoAM (Maja Kuzmanović & Nik Gaffney), Francisca Gigante & Francisco Teles da Gama
G
Georgia Metaxas, Giles Eldridge
H
Hana Yoo, Heike Liss, Heman Chong, Hristina Ivanoska, Hrvoje Slovenc, Huda Takriti
I
Ilona Balaga, Iman Issa, Ines Borovac, Ingrid Ogenstedt, Irene Fernández Arcas, Ištvan Išt Huzjan, Ivana Franke, Itamar Gov
J
James Bridle, Jamie Pazmiño, Janez Janša, Janine Thüngen-Reichenbach, Jasmina Cibic, Javier Areán Alvarez, Jeanno Gaussi, Jelena Fužinato, Jelena Jureša, Jemima Yong, John Rowley, José Madrigal Despaigne (JoMa), Juan Cruz, Julieta Aranda, Julija Zaharijević
K
Karlo Štefanek, Katarina Zdjelar, Kathy Prendergast, Katya Muromtseva, Kendell Geers, Kira O’Reilly, Krasimira Butseva, Kristina Leko, Kruno Stipesević
L
Lala Raščić, Lana Čmajčanin, Lantian Xie, Lia Dostlieva, Lisa Tan, Lola Arias, Lovro Artuković, Luiza Margan
M
Maja Bekan, Maja Čule, Maja Zećo, Majda Vidaković, Manca Bajec, Margareta Kern, Mari Bastashevski, Marianne Holm Hansen, Marina Naprushkina, Mario Mu, Mark Jeffery, Marta Burhan, Marta Popivoda & Ana Vujanović, Marwa Arsanios, Meta Drčar, Mila Panić, Mila Turajlić, Milica Tomić, Millree Hughes, MishMash group, Mladen Bizumic, Mohammad Namazi, Moi Tran, Murat Adash
N
Nada Prlja, Nadežda Kirćanski, Najah Rizvi, Natascha Sadr Haghighian, Nathalie Harb, Nebojša Šerić Shoba, Nela Milić, Nelly Agassi, Nemanja Cvijanović, Nika Radić, Nika Špan, Nikola Ukić, Nikolay Karabinovych
P
Pablo Helguera, Patricia Reed, Paula Muhr, Pauline Marcelle, Pedro Gómez-Egaña, Pedro Torres, Penny McCarthy, Peyman Shafieezadeh, Pilvi Takala
R
Rabih Mroué, Rajkamal Kahlon, René Lazový, Robert Muntean, Romeo Alaeff, Ruoru Mou
S
Sajan Mani, Salvatore Arancio, Sam Porritt, Sarah Fortais, Selma Selman, Sharon Kivland, Shura Skaya, Siniša Labrović, Sinta Tantra, Sophie Ko Chkheidze, Stipan Tadić, Susan Sentler, Sylwia Ciszewska-Peciak, Sylwia Narbutt
T
Taey Iohe, Tanja Ostojić, Tara Fatehi, Taus Makhacheva, Tenesh Webber, Terike Haapoja, Tina Gverović, Tina Stipanović, Tomo Savić Gecan
V
Vanessa Enríquez, Vanja Bućan, Veronika Georgieva, Vesna Pavlović, Victoria Kosasie, Vlad Brăteanu, Vladimir Tomić
Y
Yane Calovski, Yeil Joo, Youmna Chlala, Youngsook Choi, Yuko Shiraishi, Yumi Katayama, Yva Jung, Yvonne Andreini
As an extension of the spirit of By the Means at Hand, editors Vlatka Horvat, Antonia Majaca, and Kate Sutton invited ten writers and one collective working across art, literature, anthropology, performance, and political theory to each write a short text for the reader. Contributors were asked to think about the project with us, to find their own angle and focus for their text, and to reflect in whatever way they wanted on the themes or concerns By the Means at Hand raises for them. Some chose to write closer to the project itself, speaking to a particular feature of its structure or Vlatka’s past work; others ventured a bit further away, to think through some aspect of their own practice or their ongoing preoccupations. We are grateful for the breadth of their approaches and the diversity of their voices.
Download Press Release for the project: English, Croatian, Italian, German, French
Download Selected Press clippings
For more information or images, please email contact@croatianpavilion2024.com.
Vlatka Horvat: By the Means at Hand ● Pavilion of Croatia at the 60th International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia ● April 20 – November 24, 2024
Curated by Antonia Majaca
Commissioned by the Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia – Minister dr. sc. Nina Obuljen Koržinek
Organized by Apoteka – Space for Contemporary Art
Project Coordination: Nevena Tudor Perković
Project Management and Production: Morana Matković
Publications and International Communications: Kate Sutton
Croatian Communications: Inesa Antić
Photography: Hugo Glendinning, Vlatka Horvat, contributing artists
Project Fellow: Rose McHugh
Exhibition Design: Vlatka Horvat & OAZA (Nina Bačun, Maša Poljanec)
Technical Drawings: Slavko Petek
Production (Venice): Diego Carpentiero
Exhibition Set up and Production: Rebiennale/R3B: Reuse, Recycle, Rebuild (Giulio Grillo, Piter Perbellini, Tommaso Cacciari, Mirko Pedrotti, Davide Mozzato, Matteo Pavan, Alice Bazzoli, Alessandra Tirel)
Visual Identity: OAZA (Maša Poljanec)
Print Design: OAZA (Nina Bačun, Tina Ivezić, Maša Poljanec)
Web Design: OAZA (Maša Poljanec)
Web Development: Josipa Tadić & Nikola Greiner
Animations / Motion: Sara Salamon
Acknowledgments: Marco Baravalle, Branka Benčić, Andrei Breahna, Anna v. Brühl, Jasmina Cibic, Nemanja Cvijanović, Tim Etchells, Renata Fabbri, Tyler Friedman, Igor Grubić, Katarina and Vladimir Horvat, Kristina Horvat Blažinović, Tevž Logar, Gordana and Stjepan Majača, Ana and Slobodan Matković, Damir Očko, Chiara Onestini, Sabina Sabolović, Janine von Thüngen
Thanks to all the contributing artists, writers, and couriers for helping us realize this project.
The project is financed by the Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia.
Realized with the generous support of Luma Foundation.
Additional support from GAEP gallery and Unstable Object.
Supported by a research residency at Centrala.
In-kind support: Epson, Igepa Plana, Prostoria, Medea Wines.
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Autumn Hours:
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Summer Hours:
April 20-Sept 30, 11am-7pm
Autumn Hours:
Oct 1 -Nov 24, 10am-6pm
Closed Mondays
(except April 22, June 17,
July 22, Sept 2 and 30, and Nov 18)
For all inquiries: contact@croatianpavilion2024.com
IG: @croatianpavilion2024
FB: CroatianPavilionVenice
#croatianpavilion2024
#bythemeansathand
#vlatkahorvat
#antoniamajaca