I have been living in Austria since 2003 and originally come from Croatia.
After completing my sociology studies at the University of Zagreb and publishing my second (award-winning) poetry collection, I moved to Tyrol. When I arrived in Tyrol alone, I first had to learn the language, which is why I had to support myself with temporary jobs in factories or in the hospitality industry. Consequently, I experienced a real culture shock upon my arrival. Everything I had built up over the years, especially in the art and cultural scene in Croatia, played no role here. I had left Croatia to break free from the highly traditional and patriarchal social structures.
However, for the first time, I was now confronted with xenophobic and misogynistic microaggressions. Due to my lack of language skills, I felt helplessly exposed to these experiences, especially at the beginning of my time in Innsbruck. I felt like a child again, simply lacking the words to defend myself.
The abrupt loss of language traumatized me emotionally to such an extent that I was no longer able to continue writing Croatian poetry. However, the need to express myself creatively was stronger than ever, and so I found an interest in the visual arts. Since I lacked a network in the art and cultural scene in Tyrol, unlike in Croatia, I had to pursue my artistic work on the side.
According to my self-perception at the time, I was particularly fascinated by outsider art (Art Brut), children’s art, and naïve art. The term Art Brut refers to works of art created by people who have no formal artistic training or work outside the traditional art world. This includes works by mentally ill individuals, criminals, people with disabilities, but also children. These artworks are usually raw, unrefined, and unconventional. For their work, artists use a variety of materials and techniques. In the anti-capitalist discourse, outsider art should be given much greater importance, as it represents an alternative to commercialized art, which is controlled by the art world and the market. Art Brut can thus be interpreted as an expression of freedom and independence from the constraints of the market and the art world. The artists who create such art are not bound by the expectations and standards of the art world and society and are able, or even forced, to create art according to their own demands and ideals. Art Brut can also be seen as an expression of diversity and/or the voices of people who are normally excluded from the market, the art world, and society. The artists categorized as Art Brut come from diverse backgrounds and experiences, and through their art, they manage to give expression to a variety of themes and perspectives in ways they otherwise would not have been able to. Thus, the representatives of Art Brut can express opinions and perspectives— their position in society is irrelevant. Outsider art can be interpreted as a movement for emancipation, independence, diversity, and democratization in art.
The "Princesses" series consists of 13 large-format (150 x 100 cm) paintings on canvas, created in mixed media in the style of children's art, addressing a feminist theme. With the project, I aim to provide a platform and plenty of space for early childhood forms of expression. Specifically, I seek to depict the princesses as a kind of superheroes.
To approach an authentic representation, I researched and studied numerous real children's drawings. The passionate, almost disrespectful spontaneity with which young children address problems when drawing, their fearless, ruthless, and boundless handling of materials on one hand, and the loving, sometimes kitschy depiction of various personality traits of these princesses, always appear sovereign, autonomous, subversive, and emancipatory. The attributes highlighted in the princesses are, of course, also culturally, socially, and politically influenced. The emphasis on gender-specific traits often found in children's drawings, in this context, I do not view as symbols of the sexualized objectification of women, but as expressions of strength: the children use gender stereotypes as insignia of their feminine power.
In this context, I want to positively connotate the term "princess": they are not passive, lifeless figures waiting to be kidnapped. On the contrary, princesses are strong, independent, and resilient women. Children's drawings depicting princesses have a feminist significance, as they can undoubtedly strengthen girls' self-confidence in a lasting way. Princesses make their own decisions and fight for what is important to them. Drawing princesses helps the young artists create a world full of fantasy and magic, in which they themselves, an idealized version of themselves, or other real or fictional characters play the main role. Children's drawings of princesses provide children with a way to create their own reality and meaning, and to resist the helplessness of their childhood existence.
That there will be 13 works, thus 13 "princesses," is no coincidence but should be understood as a reference to at least one fairy tale. In the fairy tale "Sleeping Beauty," the king invites 12 fairies, but not one—the 13th—who is excluded because only 12 golden sets of dishes are available. When the 13th "evil" fairy arrives uninvited to the celebrations, she is swiftly offered a silver set instead. Both the number of fairies and the materials of the dish sets have an intriguing symbolic significance on a meta-level. The twelve fairies who received golden dishes can be understood as guests desired by the king (the representative of the patriarchy). On one hand, gold, which is often associated with the sun, is masculine, while silver, which is associated with the moon, is feminine. Similarly, the number twelve symbolizes the twelve months of the year, whereas the year also includes 13 full moons and monthly menstrual cycles. Dividing the year into 13 months would not be least logical because the word "month" is etymologically derived from the word "moon." Visual content and forms of representation that initially seem trivial or childish have always fascinated me as an artist because I perceive their carefree approach not only as authentic but also as anarchistic and subversive.
Spring 2023
* * *
Text by Ivana Marjanović for the exhibition at Kunstraum Innsbruck on March 8, 2024:
The two paintings by Nikolina Žunec are part of the series Princesses (2023–ongoing), which is conceived as thirteen paintings in the style of children's drawings. By mixing materials and disregarding realistic depictions and proportions, these works celebrate the unconventional way in which children approach art. Enlarged to the size of a 100 x 150 cm painting, the drawings of the princesses gain a monumentality and attention that is usually not afforded to ephemeral children's art. The use of the "Art Brut" or "Outsider Art" style is, in this case, a conceptual decision that relates to the artistic expression of minorities and people on the fringes of the capitalist market. Nikolina Žunec, who identifies closely with this social group due to her experience with migration and exclusion, critiques capitalist monocultures, the hegemony of styles, tastes, and discourses, and their privileged access to art.
At first glance, the two displayed paintings appear innocent and playful, but upon closer inspection, they reveal an uncanny visual language with unrestrained forms, unorthodox relationships to body shapes, and alternative concepts of beauty. Body parts morph and transform into each other or disappear. The culturally and socially conveyed image of the princess, which carries an ambivalence of empowerment and passivity, undergoes a form of distortion and redefinition. Even when intentionally reproducing some conventional elements, these images reflect the status of the princess as a superhero in the imagination of the girls, who perceive her as a powerful, self-confident figure and leader. These works address the democratization of art forms, but also sharpen awareness of body positivity, children's upbringing, and, in general, the position of children in our society, their discrimination, and their rights. Nikolina Žunec, who works as an artist, art therapist, and interpreter, sees her work as a call for the development of diversity, inclusion, autonomy, and sovereignty.