Interview: Karolína Netolická
Luca Curci talks with Karolína Netolická during FRAGMENTED IDENTITIES, second appointment of BORDERS Art Fair 2020, at Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello.

“I am a visual artist. My favourite art techniques are soft pastel and micro pencil. For me is important theme like boundary, plastic world, monological dialogue, external versus internal environment and its influence on the formation of the living creature etc. My soft pastel drawings are based on dark atmosphere. But in dark is sometimes light. The light symbolizes hope for me. The light allows something to show. The contrast between dark and light is one of main constituents of ambivalent atmosphere in my pictures. For drastic and serious problems I use euphemism which is embodied by poetic atmosphere and silence in my works. I try to depict environmental problems, which go hand in hand with alienation from nature. In my works the alienation is symbolized by barrier tape or feather jacket and plastic bags. These products of modern times symbolize boundaries that hinder dialogue between human and nature. But these boundaries come from us. The nature is lost home for us. I show human like lonely person. This person constantly looks for his lost ‘flock’. The human isolation is emphasized by feather jacket. The feather jacket is extension of human skin in my pictures. We are consumers of body covers of other species. My inspiration comes from ethology. This scientific discipline is based on the statement that people and birds have lot in common. Another source of inspiration for me is literature and philosophy. For example: Czech ecologist Erazim Kohák, South Korean-German philosopher Byung-Chul Han, American philosopher Hannah Arendt, German philosopher T. W. Adorno, Polish philosopher Abraham Joshua Heschel and British environmentalist James Lovelock etc. I am often driven by the question such as: Is human only passive consumer in relation to nature? How can art change the human attitude to nature and the whole environment? Is there an alternative way?”.

Luca Curci – What is art for you?
Karolína Netolická – Art is for me to show something to light. I like to let things to show up through my pictures. I think the art allows us to be in metaphorical dialogue and the picture is like face of another creature.

LC – What are you currently working on?
KN – I am currently working on soft-pastel cycle which deals with theme of “externals versus internals landscapes of human living”. That is problem which goes hand in hand with living in environment which shapes our inner world. But the external environment is shaped by us.

LC – How is being an artist nowadays?
KN – I think that is quite difficult, because in this time we are under big pressure of new technologies and new informations. And artist is sometimes drowned in water of liquid modernity.

LC – Where do you find your inspiration?
KN – I am inspired by literature, philosophy and nature. I like literature and philosophy which examines problems of environment and relationship between human and nature. For example books of ethologist Konrad Lorenz or books of ecological philosopher Erazim Kohák.

LC – Which art themes do you pursue? What is your preferred subject, if there is any?
KN – My favourite theme is so called “Monological dialogue”. I think the problem of dysfunctional dialogue between humans is one of dominant problems of contemporary era. I depict human ‘communication’ through social media which do not allow to look to another human face. Another important theme for me is the one of boundaries. I show boundaries like limits of living or restriction of living space. The boundary is embodied by red and white warning tape in my pictures. This is my favourite theme. And the third dominant topic which I would like to introduce is the so called “Plastic World”. This soft-pastel cycle shows world like jumping castle with its possibility of expansion. In this world is everything possible. This world can change its plastic shape. The truth can be anything, because in this world is everything without borders.

LC – What do you think about the concept of this festival? How did it inspire you?
KN – The concept and theme of this festival are very close to me. It was for me an amazing occasion to show my picture with the similar theme.

LC – What is the message linked to the artwork you have shown in this exhibition? How is it connected to the theme of the entire festival?
KN – I have shown my work named “Quarantine”. It is connected with Covid situation. In this situation we are restricted but protected too by boundaries. I show human in cage without liberty. The plastic swan is free, but the swan is not a living creature. It is only an artificial animal. I show the liberty like danger for us. My theme is about boundaries as the theme of the festival.

LC – What do you think about ITSLIQUID Platform?
KN – I think it is a very important platform, because it is so important to make an international exhibitions and keep the dialog across the artistic world.

LC – What are your suggestions about our services? Is there something more we can provide to artists?
KN – I am satisfied. I think your services are very good. A big plus for me is the opportunity to exhibit contemporary works in historical buildings.

LC – Do you think ITSLIQUID GROUP can represent an opportunity for artists?
KN – Certainly.