Lucia Čarnecká has long been dedicated to sculpture as a medium in her artistic practice, exploring its new forms and transitions from material presence to the virtual realm.
She deliberately strips her work of physical substance, rendering it, in a sense, intangible. By adapting the sculptural medium to the contemporary world, she innovates its very essence—yet classical modeling and figuration remain consistently present in her work.
A recurring motif that dominates her practice is one of the most fundamental and classical forms of sculpture: the bust.
Beyond its physical symbolism in art history, the bust also represents a metaphor for identity, thought, and the human mind itself. In her most recent work, Čarnecká focuses specifically on the Velata figure—a phenomenon rooted in art history, where the veiled (female) face and head have been prominent motifs since antiquity. These depictions have played significant roles throughout the history of art, carrying various symbolic interpretations across cultures. Building on this tradition, the artist explores the interplay between concealment and revelation, the visible and the invisible, while also reflecting on the societal position of women.
The veil becomes a bearer of meaning, symbolizing layering. Veiling can stem from many causes and hold various interpretations: it is associated with modesty, the covering of ugliness or imperfection, and can signify hiding, but also protection—of wounds, scars, or vulnerability. Paradoxically, it may also suggest a form of disclosure.
The artist reveals and shapes potential gestures hidden beneath the drapery in the exhibition’s central work, where she herself becomes the Velata figure in a digital performance. In doing so, she ascribes new meaning to the anonymous woman—partially legible, typified, one among many similar ones. Čarnecká gives her specificity, humanizes her, uncovers her identity, gives her a face—and through that, brings her to life.
This site-specific installation carries a nearly altar-like quality, celebrating the individuality of the woman beneath the veil—an impression amplified by the context of the Jewish synagogue, where the exhibition is installed.
As in her previous work, theatrical elements are palpable in Čarnecká’s practice, reflecting her collaborative, interdisciplinary approach to the different components of the work. The piece was conceived as an original performance production, where gesture serves as the central carrier of the concept.
Exhibition architecture: Anna Mihoková
Sound composition: Lenka Novosedlíková
The exhibition was realized with the support of the Internal Grant System of the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava.
