Ioana Stanca: Open Studio

"I needed something to emulate a body going through a transformation. The idea of in-betweenness is what I’m after: in between hard and soft, like when a firm material suddenly loses its characteristics to become malleable, pillowy. 

Here I am now, filling a soft, polyester chain…
…not to mention all those mornings when a pair of scissors wakes up to discover it’s now 170 cm high, bendable and unable to cut."
Ioana Stanca, 2018, Praha

Ioana Stanca was born in 1987 in Romania. She studied painting at Accademia di Belle Arti di Roma, Italy and the National University of Arts Bucharest, were she received her B.F.A and M.F.A. Her research in textures and tactility, determined Ioana to expand her attention towards other media besides painting and to focus on different techniques of working with textiles. With this mindset, the sewing machine becomes an extension of the artist’s will. Now, an infinity of associations can be made, the automatism of the machine becomes an exploration tool and it can be used to create even embroideries, following techniques that Ioana developed. It is obvious that scale is an important aspect in Ioana Stanca’s new body of work. Her recent installations consists in large scale objects made of iron chains resembling a hyper zoomed piece of fabric, populated by soft sculptures and studio pieces in different shapes and dimensions; this exploration of fabric and its possibilities as a border between our body and the world that can both hide or reveal one’s feelings. Ioana Stanca’s imagery, follows a particular, intimate way of relating to the space of the studio with its variety of associations, textures, situations. Following this way of thinking, images of scissors or spools are recurrent in her work. 

Recent shows include: : Art on Stage, Art Safari Bucharest, DELTA, Studio Project, Bucharest, Valija DADA, Kirchner Cultural Center, Buenos Aires; Objects of desire, Sabot Gallery, Cluj; Zest, Cazarma U, Art Encounters, Timisoara; CARTOON LAW #IV, Nicodim Gallery, Bucharest; I know you, Victoria Art Center Gallery, Bucharest; Oh Robert, you’re my favourite ice cream…, Alert Studio, Bucuresti.

Ioana Stanca's residency is organized in the frame of a collaboration between ARCbucharest, FUTURA and Centrul Ceh (Czech Centre Bucharest), thank you!