hr / en
Currently on view

Mimmo Paladino – Zagreb

Marko Gutić Mižimakov – Split

Dubravka Rakoci

Memories

14. 3. – 1. 5. 2024. Split

“…By applying the motif of circle, Rakoci saw an end–oriented possibility to declare the production of work as a motor activity, as motion and action in time lacking the flavour of mystification and expressive transfiguration. The demand for an art free and pure of subjective ornaments can be inscribed into the purified and convincing structure of the circle. The painting ground was first covered by circle forms, the radius of her own body and her arms being one of the measures determining the painting. The monotony of a circular painting event that gradually concealed the ground was predominant in these works. The way of presenting the picture continued the intention of a discrete painting–discovery that eluded any spectacular gesture. Without using frames and tools that would declare or glorify the painting status, these early works were simply stuck to the wall or unfolded on the floor, establishing a connection with their environment. This environment was included as basic material and could have been experienced as a part of a comprehensive working situation, for which the atelier was considered the adequate place. The consequent reduction to circular forms and the intentional erasing of the individual hand-writing out of the work led Rakoci finally to the form of an immaculate circular line. In order to eliminate the last remnants of expressivity, which could have been evoked by a dropping and fraying trace of colour, Rakoci first limited her work to the accurate, lineary drawn circle containing purified peace and symbolism of geometrical order. Thus, the rounded line of the circle stood for a temporary decision in the confrontation with painting as a directed trace of motion within her own oeuvre. As a stabilized and soothed picture of motion, the circle became a kind of permanently developing super-logo and the visual key-word of a practice reacting on contemporary tendencies in art production in a distant up to the ironical way. While on the international scene (trans-avantgarde, new wildness) the return of the author as a medium of new sensuality and expressivity was announced, Rakoci even more strongly adhered to the tradition of constructivist and conceptual art insisting on her principle of stringent reduction of representation means. This kind of solution meant for Rakoci not only a kind of purification, but also a gesture of extinguishment, by which she gained a platform to sum up and
resume her own objectives…” ( an excerpt from the text by Rainer Fuchs, 1998. )

Dubravka Rakoci was born in Zagreb in 1955. In 1979 she graduated from the department of painting of the Zagreb Academy of fine arts in Raoul Goldoni’s painting class. She has exhibited her work since 1979. From 1980 she’s been working as a graphic designer as well. From 1983 to 1984 she ran several painting workshops in student campuses. During the 1991/92 schoolyear at École d’art de Aix-en-Provence she tutored third- and fourth-year students in professor Valensi painting class. From 1993 to 1998 she conducted art classes at the Zagreb high school for textiles, leather and design. From 1998 to 2007 she was an art director at Školska knjiga d.d. in Zagreb. As a senior lexicographer she was the head of the Visual Arts editorial office at the Miroslav Krleža Lexicographic Institute in Zagreb since 2007. Now retired.