Igor Eskinja

In his work Igor Eškinja creates multiple layers of interpretation by way of simple interventions in the space. The Croatian artist hereby questions the perception and the presence of the viewer in an environment he constructs. In the installation Project for unsuccessful gathering, created for the Project Room at Casino Luxembourg, Eškinja challenges the idea of the public encounter. As the title of the exhibition suggests, the possibility of collective interaction is denied in the work. Every element in this exhibition calls for public engagement, but at the same time interferes with this process and leaves the viewer with nothing than unsatisfied curiosity. The visitor gets drawn into the space by what seems to be a vast monochromatic painting. At close sight, however, s/he discerns the soundproof foam that covers the surface and seems to absorb every presence, be it physical or immaterial, like a sponge. What does it suggest? Is it art or mere decoration? Street Display shows a drawing of a public gathering on wooden panels that are assembled against the opposite wall. The conveyed atmosphere of a street demonstration invites the viewer to join into the scene. By removing one part of the puzzle, however, the whole image is destroyed and the invitation becomes invalid. With his works, the artist seeks to lay bare the tensions that surface between what is potentially possible and the often ensuing disillusion that it is not. His works reflect our everyday condition and make us conscious that most of our actions have direct consequences.

( Casino Luxemburg)