Artist Statement/ Biography

The central theme in Martin Vongrej’s work is the issue of human (visually decipherable?) consciousness. To examine and interpret it, to find the possibilities or rather impossibilities of perceiving and seeing it: this is what Vongrej is engaged in, using complex spatial compositions in which he combines photography, drawing and painting with textual records and objects. He acknowledges that his work results from his interest in conceptual art, notably that of Stano Filko. Although Vongrej’s work represents one of the tracks of continuity of conceptual art, his own idea of consciousness is closely linked with the inner quality of the artwork.

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Martin Vongrej (1986) is an artist based in Bratislava, Slovakia who has presented his work first time internationally at biennial Manifesta 8, ES in 2010 with artwork Self-observing Consciousness. He has participated in group exhibitions: Useful Photography – Photography in Contemporary Slovak Art, Slovak National Gallery, SK, 2018, Orient, at KIM?, BOZAR and Bunkier Sztuki in 2018 or Non-profit & Profit, Spazio A, IT, 2014. Solo shows include The Meaning, Soda Gallery, SK, 2018, The Inverse, HIT Gallery, SK, 2018, Seven Uncountable Lines, Futura, Karlin Studios, CZ, 2017 or “2014” Moravian Gallery, Brno, CZ, 2014. He received fellowships from Kone Foundation, FI, 2014, or Terra Foundation, USA, 2015.