Iva Krupicová (*1987) is a graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice. She has participated in several internships, solo and collective exhibitions in Poland, Belgium, Spain and Slovakia. After finishing her teaching activity at the Faculty of Arts of the University of Ostrava, she embarked on her own path of authorial creation. Her last solo exhibition entitled "Imprint of Time" was held in Prague at the HYB4 Gallery. She is a graphic artist, book designer, designer and lecturer. At Telegraph, she will be presenting a Coptic Binding Book Workshop, which will take place on 13 2 2022 at 14:00 at Telegraph Coworking.
You completed your doctoral studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice. She spent her studies creating book objects called ,,Wandering Boulder". What do these objects symbolize?
Stones play an important role in my work. From a geological point of view, boulders are the remains of glacial activity. I was interested in them not only because of their history, the myths of the time, but also because of the name "errant". They refer to the search for a path, where the word path can have more than one definition. Wandering, wandering - a metaphor for the way the stone has travelled during its existence, or the search for the meaning of journeys, as well as the search for one's own place on Earth, and a form of theoretical reflection in the search for the meaning of one's own work.
The intention was to record the journey of the stone, which hides within as something unexpected, mysterious. Symbolism of beginning - origin - journey - distance - wandering - energy - power - strength - weight - trace - legacy - memory - reflection - stopping - end, similar to human life.
The output is three book objects, two of which are inspired by the largest wandering boulders in Poland and the Czech Republic. I present them in different treatments, but always adhering to the principle of the book, or layering, in which I address the imprint as an undefined record of a journey. The third object, or rather the form of a large classical French book binding, symbolizes a box, a box for "My" wandering boulder.
Graphics and the book are your dominant. What do these two media bring to you?
Graphics and books are two different yet very related mediums. They have their tradition and their craft origin. Accuracy, precision and patience are important to them.
Graphics gives me more freedom and openness of expression, flexibility. But the book maintains its intimacy through its own meaning. However, in my free work I work with the book more in the form of objects. I look for other meanings in it, as for example in the objects "SIGN", where I traditionally write not in the book, but with the book.
Which graphic techniques do you use most in your work and why are they important to you?
I use the techniques of intaglio printing and lithography the most. I gravitate towards techniques that take their time, where the process of creating the work plays an important role for me. Lithography offers me more ease and experimentation. In the actual process of drawing on stone, it can constantly surprise and fascinate me. With intaglio printing, I have most loved the mezzotint technique, which reveals the mystery from the dark velvety black. More specifically, the matrix the artist must first prepare for creation by a lengthy and laborious outlining process that determines the resulting uniform black surface, which is smoothed back into and explained by the resulting image. Not only the process, but also the result has its charm.
You have worked as an assistant professor at the Department of Graphic Arts and Drawing at the Faculty of Arts, University of Ostrava. What do you consider to be the biggest positive in your teaching activity? Were the students an inspiration for you?
As an educator, one tries to pass on information, experience and skills. There is a wide range of types of students, but there are those who bring new suggestions that are not in your range and the mutual transfer of information can be rewarding for both parties. Some form of inspiration may have arisen here due to the flexibility and fearlessness of the students.
You are involved in bookbinding, free graphics and design. How did the IVUK brand come about?
The IVUK brand was created as a form of fun and extra income during my school years. It had some connection with childhood memories in connection with the new lifestyle of zerowaste. Hence, I started sewing bags for the items in question, which give them a place and also serve as a protective cover or pocket.
What are you currently working on?
I am concentrating mostly on bookbinding and the creation of my bookbinding studio. I'm working out the concept, creating the materials and adding equipment. In addition to that, after many years, I've started doing more intimate graphic design. I am also preparing for other exhibition projects.
By Erika Kovačičová / Telegraph Gallery
Photo: Hanna Rozpara, Barbora Stepanova
