Sanja Iveković facts for kids
Sanja Iveković (born in 1949 in Zagreb) is a famous Croatian artist. She works with photography, performance art, sculpture, and installation art. Her art often explores important topics like what it means to be a woman, how media influences us, and social challenges. Many people see her as one of the most important artists from the former Yugoslavia. She continues to inspire young artists today.
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Early Life and Art Journey
Sanja Iveković was born in Zagreb in 1949. At that time, Zagreb was part of Yugoslavia.
She studied graphics at the Zagreb Academy of Fine Arts from 1968 to 1971. Her art career started in the early 1970s. This was during a time called the Croatian Spring. She and other artists began to create new types of art. They used video, conceptual photomontages, and performance art.
Much of her work focuses on her own life. It also looks at the role of women in society. Sanja Iveković was the first artist in Croatia to call herself a feminist artist. This means she uses her art to support equal rights for women. She has also been very involved with the Centre for Women's Studies in Zagreb since it opened in 1994.
Iveković also helps with women's groups in Croatia. She has worked with organizations like ELEKTRA-Women's Art Center and B.a.B.e.. These groups help women and promote culture.
Exploring Art Through Different Works
Since she started her career, Iveković has always been interested in how women are shown in society.
One of her early works is "Double Life" (1975). In this piece, she puts her own private photos next to similar pictures of models from magazines. Another work is "Make Up-Make Down" (1978). This project uses filmed or photographed self-portraits. "General Alert: Soap Opera" (1995) was a TV show she created.
In "Figure & Ground" (2006), she made collages. These showed female models dressed in military-style clothes. They looked like armed figures.
"Women's House" is a project she started in 1998 and still continues. It shows plaster casts of faces of women who have faced difficulties. These faces are arranged in a circle. "Women's House (Sunglasses)" is a series of posters and billboards. It talks about gender-based challenges in Croatia.
At the 2010 Gwangju Biennale, Iveković presented "On the Barricades." This was a living memorial. It honored the people who took part in the Gwangju uprising on May 18, 1980. This artwork was based on her earlier "Rohrbach Living Memorial" (2005). That piece remembered the Roma victims of the holocaust. In the new version, volunteers acted as statues of the victims. They were surrounded by screens showing photos of 545 victims. The artist intentionally closed their eyes in the photos.
The Famous Lady Rosa of Luxembourg
One of Sanja Iveković's most well-known artworks is "Lady Rosa of Luxembourg." She has said that three main ideas have always been important in her work: gender, identity, and memory.
She explained that as an artist, she looks at how women are shown in everyday life. This includes how media presents women. As a feminist, she tries to make art that shows her thoughts. She wants to show what it means to be a woman in a society where men often hold more power.
Her "Lady Rosa of Luxembourg" sculpture caused a lot of discussion. It was placed near an original monument. People had strong opinions about it. Some even called for a minister to resign because of the language on the plaque.
Awards and Special Recognition
In 2009, Sanja Iveković won the Camera Austria Award. This award recognized her photography. The judges noted how important her work is today. They also mentioned its meaning for younger artists. They praised her dedication to improving the role of women in society. Her work "Women's House" was specifically mentioned.
In 2014, she was chosen for the Artes Mundi prize. She showed her photography works, GEN XX (1997–2001) and The Disobedient (The Revolutionaries). These were displayed at the Turner House Gallery in Penarth, Wales.
Selected Exhibitions and Performances
- SC Gallery, Zagreb, 1970
- Triangle, Savska 1, Zagreb, 10 May 1979
- Town-Crier, Franklin Furnace, New York, 18 May 1982
- Center for Film, Zagreb, 1986
- Manifesta 2: European Biennial of Contemporary Art, Luxembourg, 1998
- "Sanja Iveković: Personal Cuts," Galerie im Taxispalais, Innsbruck, Austria 2001
- 10,000 Lives, Eighth Gwangju Biennale, South Korea, 2010
- Sanja Iveković: Sweet Violence, MoMA, New York, December 18, 2011 – March 26, 2012
- Sanja Iveković: Unknown Heroine, South London Gallery & Calvert 22, London, December 14, 2012 – February 24, 2013
- Sanja Iveković: WORKS OF HEART (1970.-2023.), MSU, Zagreb, June 15 - November 2, 2023
- The Visible ones (Vidljive), MSU, Zagreb, June 18 - October 1, 2023
See also
In Spanish: Sanja Iveković para niños
