The Institute of Visual Arts (Inova) opened their international traveling exhibit “Spatial City: An Architecture of Idealism “ on February 5, which explores architectural utopia and environmental context amid continual cultural change. Thirty-four artists representing French architecture participated, including Kristina Solomoukha, who traveled from France to Milwaukee to give lectures and workshops for the UW-Milwaukee art and architecture students. This prominent woman artist from Kiev, Ukraine graduated in 1995 with honors from the Ecole des Beaux Arts of Paris, France. Now in the midst of her first trip to the Midwest as an Artist-in-Residence for the current Inova exhibition, Solomoukha speaks about her recent artistic experiences.
Q : Do you primarily work in art and architecture where you live now?
A: I’m from the Ukraine, live in Paris, but teach in Switzerland [The Geneva Institute of Art and Design]. I’m an artist working in art and design, with architecture and then installation. I also work in watercolor, drawings and public space interventions.
Q: Where did the inspiration for you installation in “Spatial City” derive from?
A: My installation show photographs, images from my residency in Brazil. The photos represent San Paulo, Brasilia and Rio. But I brought them back to France, worked on them in Paris to finish the work. It is easier to realize in France. But I packed it up, and then shipped it here and UWM set it up perfectly. It was good to show this art again.
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Q: Could you speak to your recent work, Mind the Gap fountain in Cleopus Johnson Park, Atlanta?
A: It’s a small park near Castleberry Hill and it was in the context of an exhibition on French architecture. This analyzes public spaces, a combination of public and private spaces. I used a swimming pool, inflatable swimming pool, a pick-up truck….and then one of those gadgets that give off water. What is this, you know [a sprinkler]. This is like a found fountain. I put the pick-up truck in the swimming pool with the sprinkler on top, to show combining public and private spaces.
Q: What’s the future look like for your art in 2010?
A: I’m creating a permanent installation at the harbour in Mokpo, Korea, another sculptural and architectural piece that relates culturally. It will be a pavilion that people will be able to sit in, use. I need to visit, travel there, to find out exactly what I will use for it, but this will be [constructed from] local materials. Then in London I am working on a temporary installation at a Music Festival in July. This will be inflatable, but again only temporary. I’m looking forward to London again.
Q: What surprises you about the Midwest, Milwaukee?
A: This is my first time in Milwaukee and Chicago and it’s snowy, which I like. In Paris, it is worse, damper, more water in the air, and you can put on layers of clothes and it’s still cold. We met John from the Green Gallery here, and this was fun. There are so many artists and some friends here. It’s been such a free artistic community and energizing. I like Milwaukee a lot even thought I will leave on Tuesday.
(View Kristina’s artwork on her website: www.solomoukha.free.fr or at the exhibit that continues at Inova until April 18. The exhibit then travels to Chicago’s Hyde Park this summer, and The Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit in fall, and changes slightly to meet the needs of each unique city.)
