16 October 2022
NINA SUMARAC / ARTIST
Nina Sumarac is a renowned Serbian-Cypriot multidisciplinary social visual artist based in Cyprus with a background in fine art, painting and mechanical engineering.
Sumarac’s work questions the very nature of daily global and bio-political narratives which form the fabric of our consciousness and, in a sense, are the revisitation of past experiences. By articulating them through a poetic and often metaphorical lens, Sumarac uses a critical approach and visual vocabulary that pieces together a variety of social and political issues, questioning how we embody socially constructed stereotypes on a personal and collective plane in an endeavour to develop new ways of thinking.
“Combining my passion for engineering, fine art and philosophy, my current evolution focuses on inter-media art integrating new media and technologies with varied artistic practices as a means of seeking out ways of healing and empowerment,”says Nina Sumarac, the artist of international acclaim.
Sumarac attended the Polytechnic University for New Technologies in New Belgrade, where she studied mechanical engineering and computer numerical control systems. She earned a BFA from Buckinghamshire New University in the United Kingdom, as well as a Postgraduate Diploma in Fine Art from Cyprus College of Art in Larnaca. Sumarac is a multi-awarded artist. Her works are owned by the State Gallery of Contemporary Cyprus Art and many private collections.
She has exhibited many shows including ten solo exhibitions and has participated in numerous international exhibitions and workshops. Sumarac had worked on experimental films and animation production by Toonachunks animation studio with which today she collaborates. Sumarac is one of three founders of the contemporary art group Arboreal Collective which has focussed on developing contemporary art projects with a critical approach to social and environmental issues.
Taking the opportunity to present her latest 1 st prize winning work “I’ll See You In The Trees”which already participated at exhibitions: The ‘FOREST’ curated by the Arboreal Collective, hosted by NeMe Arts Centre, Limassol ; prize and solo at The Cultural Institution Associação Estação Viva, Canelas-Estarreja, Portugal; “Forest and Life” Geumgang Nature Art Biennale, organized by YATOO, Gongju-si, South Korea; TERRA Espacio Gallery, Curator Judit Prieto. London; Rare Effect led by Arroz Estúdios & Art Progression Now Lisbon, Portugal and soon at The International Performance Art Festival for Ecology and Sustainable Development Cameroon. Artistic Director Raphaël Christian Etongo, Yaoundé, Cameron.
“Inspired by Angelo Badalamenti and David K. Lynch’s song ‘Sycamore Trees’, work ‘I’ll See You in the Trees’ is a comparative study of people and trees, which explores humanity and its complexities within the context of nature, thus forging a path to self-realization. In a bid to convey dynamic connectivity, which neutralizes bias while initiating empathy and compassion, participants were asked to illustrate their innermost self while considering the anatomical attributes of trees. It is these deep personal insights, which the artist has forested into a collective plantation of 110 curated selves/people that offers viewers a truly polyphonous experience. Re-establishing this symbiotic connection is an attempt at saving trees and people simultaneously since both are under threat.” – Dr. Frosoulla Kofterou
The work ‘I’ll See You in the Trees’ is a 4-channel video, large surround-space installation projected onto the gallery’s walls illuminating the darkroom using four video projectors. The immense trees cover the walls entirely accompanied by minimal animation with the effects of foliage moving in the breeze and pre-recorded audio taken from the sounds of the forest, all to make an illusion for visitors like they are stepping into the woods. As well, benches are provided for viewers to take their time to immerse themselves fully and mindfully into this experience.
Through the whole process of creating this project, my intention was to encourage people to re- engage with nature through practices that inspire reflection, imagination and channelling, modelled on the life of trees by “transplanting” participants into the oldest community of beings, amplifying new pathways of thinking and being by communicating via the technological lens that has become our ‘new normal,” Nina Sumarac specifically explains about her installations ‘I ‘ll see you in the trees’ and the workshop ‘We, Trees’ in the group exhibition ‘THE FOREST’ in NeMe Arts Centre held last March.
To see the videos, read more about it, as well see the list of all Tree-Contributors please check work’s page here:
https://www.ninasumarac.com/illseeyouinthetrees.
