Deconstructing Dinner

We invite you to an evening in the company of our resident artists anto_nie and Ola Nenko, where we will gather to bid them farewell.

Why “Deconstructing”?

During their two-month residency, Ola Nenko and anto_nie have been working on the international project Deconstructing Myths. The project addresses the rise of nationalism, particularly within the V4 region, by examining the traditional symbols and narratives of this area.

Why “Dinner”?

We will gather for a themed communal dinner, complemented by a discussion on traditions and rituals. The evening will also feature a screening of archival footage collected by the artists during their residency. We will focus specifically on the figure of Morena—the ancient Slavic goddess of winter and death, who remains present in folklore traditions to this day.

anto_nie’s research project explores the notion of folklore as a naturalised cutlural phenomenon seemingly without political meaning. They focused on the ritual of burning and drowning Morana, a figurine looking like an old woman representing winter and decay. They trace the origins of this ritual and explore representation of women’s bodies. In the upcoming work to be exhibited at aqp Budapest they will show these rituals positioned in the context of protests blending archival footage, documentaristic shots and machinima digital avatars.

Ola Nenko’s project focuses on drotárstvo – a unique wirework technique characteristic of Slovakia – and the symbolism of the egg and the house in relation to national Stockholm syndrome. The author analyzes the situation in which a nation begins to love its oppressors, idealizes times of oppression, and grows attached to the symbols that limit it. By reinterpreting these motifs in a raw metal medium, she debunks myths of false unity and demonstrates how simplified tradition becomes a tool of nationalist oppression instead of a space for freedom.

You can find more information about the artists and the Deconstructing Myths project on our website www.kair.sk.

The project is supported by the International Visegrad Fund. The residency of anto_nie is also supported by the Czech Centres.