Mönchengladbach: Art Association MMIII . lighting installation in

New exhibition in Kunstverein MMIII
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The darker the room, the darker the colors

Art Association MMIII . Artist Joanna Tuzharova in front of her lighting installations in
Photo: Pet, Jana (Jaba)

Monchengladbach Joanna Tuzarova loves light, color and geometry. In her new exhibition “Plasma Soil” at Kunstverein MMIII, she combines three elements. Perfect thing for the dark season.

When Joanna Tuzharova was studying murals in Bulgaria, one thing particularly bothered her: no matter what she tried, the colors she painted were too weak for her. The intensity she was looking for back has now been found in the light. “Lighting is a visual artist’s most important tool. When I plan an exhibition, the first thing I look at is the state of the lighting,” says the 35-year-old.

The artist is known for his work in public places; It is important for him that his creations are in the context of the environment. He did the same at the Art Association MMIII. Under the title “Plasma Soil” she is exhibiting site-specific lighting installations, the titles of the works are named after the coordinates of the Kunstverein. The first level of the room has less natural light. Tuzarova doesn’t think this is a bad thing, because the darker it is, the more intense the colors. The walls now glow blue, red, pink and also illuminate the ceiling. “I interpreted the white areas as canvas and tried to paint with light,” she says. In addition to lighting, geometric shapes play an important role for Tuzarova. His works are influenced by Gerhard Richter and Casimir Malevich, the latter introducing non-representational art with his “Black Square” and creating a new movement in abstract art.

Curator Wilko Ostermann and artist who studied mural painting in Bulgaria.
Photo: Pet, Jana (Jaba)

His other works show that the artist moves between abstraction and representation. On the opposite side of the room is a lighting installation that couldn’t be more convincing: the smartphone display lights up the wall. Tuzharova recorded the screen of her cell phone for a day. She scrolls up and down, swipes, types. “Even my virtual life is inseparable from light,” she says.

An image from his “Touch” series is in dialogue with it: it shows the traces of fat left behind by swiping and scrolling on the display. Tuzarova portrayed these movements equally on her screen. It shows the marks left by those who now carry out everyday activities; Not only analog on performance, but also “on a journey through the vastness of the Internet.” The fact that these ridges can only be seen from afar makes the picture look as if it were painted. It is also the intention of the artist, who wants to combine abstract design with painting.

Curator Wilko Ostermann has been following the works of the Bulgarian artist for a long time. On a visit to the Münster Art Academy, where Tuzarova was a master student of Mike and Dirk Lobert, his lighting installations immediately caught his eye. “She performed between courses. It’s actually a very tough spot for a performer,” Osterman says. But Tuzarova completely transformed the small, narrow space with her light installation and gave it a different depth. “It intrigued and fascinated me – it is the same with this exhibition,” he says.

Information The “Plasma Soil” exhibition will open on 15 January from 6 pm to 9 pm at Kunstverein MMIII, Kunkelstraße 125. Curator Wilko Ostermann will speak in the introduction at 7 p.m.