Takeover: #108 - Valentina Gal
︎ by Simon Lenskens Valentina Gal: Instagram / Website
#108 (6/4 - 12/4 2020) written by Anisa Demirci and Cheyenne Pattiwaël
Valentina graduated from Fine Art (BEAR) from ArtEZ Arnhem in 2017. As an artist, she finds it very interesting to highlight hidden worlds to the public. Subcultures she has been doing research on are dog shows, wellness centres and the furry fandom. First, she becomes part of such a world, which takes quite some time, before giving herself permission to make artworks about it.
In researching these subcultures she noted that the more hidden the worlds are, the more intense the connections with the objects are. Instead of viewing it as fetishes, she breaks down the prejudice by showing the good, the beautiful of it. She translates and abstracts this personal fascination into other visual languages.
Valentina is fascinated by all new techniques that are available, like deep fake and 3D animation. By using these techniques and touching on historical topics as well, whole new visual languages are being formed. Her work is often a combination of videos, objects, light, smell and sound. By stimulating multiple senses, the experience becomes richer. You, as a spectator, become part of these worlds without having any prior knowledge of them.
It is important for the works to have a certain balance, between tranquility and dynamics, between being stimulated and reassured, and that the viewer experiences it this way. Valentina describes her artworks with having the adaptive quality of a chameleon; they adapt to how she feels and how she looks at the space.
“I would like to inspire the viewer through showing the wonderful worlds there are to explore.”
In researching these subcultures she noted that the more hidden the worlds are, the more intense the connections with the objects are. Instead of viewing it as fetishes, she breaks down the prejudice by showing the good, the beautiful of it. She translates and abstracts this personal fascination into other visual languages.
Valentina is fascinated by all new techniques that are available, like deep fake and 3D animation. By using these techniques and touching on historical topics as well, whole new visual languages are being formed. Her work is often a combination of videos, objects, light, smell and sound. By stimulating multiple senses, the experience becomes richer. You, as a spectator, become part of these worlds without having any prior knowledge of them.
It is important for the works to have a certain balance, between tranquility and dynamics, between being stimulated and reassured, and that the viewer experiences it this way. Valentina describes her artworks with having the adaptive quality of a chameleon; they adapt to how she feels and how she looks at the space.
“I would like to inspire the viewer through showing the wonderful worlds there are to explore.”