About

Irena Kukric’s (1983) practice and research are related to the absence of the human body in time-based installation performance. Her performances focus on the balance between digital or mechanical dimensions of the works and on the poetics of human experience through non-human actors.

Irena studied scenography at the Faculty of Applied Arts at the University of Arts in Belgrade, Serbia and Digital Media at the University of Arts in Bremen, Germany. She is currently a PhD candidate at the PhDArts Leiden (in collaboration with the University of the Arts Bremen).

She worked as a stage designer in theatre and as a production designer in film. In 2012, she interned at the installation department at MoMA PS1, New York. She created various installation performances for different galleries, digital media festivals, and theater festivals such as OUTNOW!, Galerie Herlod, Städtische Galerie, Bremen, Resonate, Belgrade, and C28, Hanover.

Irena lectures at the University of Arts Bremen and is a coordinator and researcher in the research project ‘The Dynamic Archive’ at the University of Arts Bremen.

She was born in Belgrade and lives and works between Bremen and Berlin.

current position

Education

Master Digital Media, University of the Arts Bremen, Germany
Studied Digital Media at the University of the Arts Bremen, Germany
Diplom for Scenography for Theater, Film uand TV, University of the Arts, Belgrade, Serbia
Studied Scenography at the University of the Arts in Belrgarde Serbia, Faculty of Applied Arts

Teaching

Course: “Exploring Rituals Through Automated Movement” (2 SWS), University of the Arts Bremen WS 23/24
Course: “Thinking through landscapes” (4 SWS), University of the Arts Bremen SS22 (together with Elburuz Fidan)
Workshop: "Poetics of feedback loops", ZHdK Zürcher Hochschule der Künste, together with Julian Hespenheide
Course: “Structures that initiate change” (4 SWS), University of the Arts Bremen WS19/20
Course: “What do things (machines) do when we sleep?” (4 SWS), University of the Arts Bremen SS19
(together with Prof. Dr. Andrea Sick and Prof. Ralf Baecker, Theoretical Part of the Bachelorproject)
Course: “Writing and performing manifestos” (4 SWS), University of the Arts Bremen WS18/19
(together with Prof. Dr Andrea Sick)
Course: “Transitions. Identities in {Digital} Collectives” (4 SWS), University of the Arts Bremen WS17/18
(together with Prof. Dr Andrea Sick)
Course: “The Network of Absence” (2 SWS), University of the Arts Bremen, WS17/18

Publications

Kukric Irena, "Performance Installation as a Haunted Landscape". In Giulia Gelmi (ed.), Anastasia Kozachenko-Stravinsky (ed.), Andrea Nalesso (ed.), Space Oddity: Exercises in Art and Philosophy (Edizioni Ca’ Foscari - Venice University Press) Venice 2022




Kukric Irena, "Starting Points 03". In Claudia Reche (ed.), Andrea Sick (ed.), COAPPARATION I, II, III, (thealit) Bremen 2022
Kukric Irena, "Starting Points 03". In Irena Kukric (ed.), Andrea Sick (ed.), The Dynamic Archive 03, Bremen (The Dynamic Archive) 2021
Kukric Irena, “Nobody is here”. In Ralf Baecker (ed). Dennis Paul (ed.) Andrea Sick(ed.), Reenactments in Art, Design and Science, Hamburg (Textem Verlag) 2020
Kukric Irena, “The stage, things and no body manifesto”. In: Andrea Sick (ed.), Nevertheless. 17 Manifestos. Issue No 2, Hamburg (Textem Verlag) 2018
Kukric, Irena, “Clueless Manifesto”. In: Andrea Sick, 20 Manifestos 2014/2015, Issue No 1, Amsterdam (aboem) 2015.

Exhibitions / Performances / Lectures

Kukric Irena, REHEARSING WITH NON-HUMANS, Performance-installation as a research tool, Performance-Lecture, CARPA8 (Colloquium on Artistic Research in Performing Arts), SOLVITUR AMBULANDO, ‘solved by moving’, DRAMATURGIES OF ARTISTIC RESEARCH, Helsinki, FI
Kukric Irena, REHEARSING WITH NON-HUMANS: On The Possibilities of (Dis)embodied Gestures, Performance-Installation/ Research Residency by Irena Kukric, GAK Bremen, DE
Kukric Irena, "Performance Installation as a Haunted Landscape", Lecture at 4th Postgraduate International Conference
Space Oddity, Exercises in Art and Philosophy, Venice, IT
“No Longer, Not Yet", Performance Installation by Irena Kukric, part of the group exhibition “Halbe Halbe – Floating in, Swerving out, Doing Art and Theory", Dauerwelle, Bremen, DE
"HOW TO WALK ON WATER", Performance Installation by Irena Kukrić, Schwankhalle Bremen, Bremen, DE
"Window, Starting points 0.2" Installation by Irena Kukrić Thealit Arbeitzimmer, supported by The Dynamic Archive, Bremen, DE
"Grid, Starting points 0.1" Installation by Irena Kukrić and Sinopale Team, Sinopale, Sinop, Turkey, supported by The Dynamic Archive, Bremen, DE
production assistant for installation "Putting the Pieces Back Together Again" by Ralf Baecker, Berlin, DE
‘Staging Nature’, ‘(un)natural encounters’, Galerie Herold, Bremen DE
‘No-body is here’, solo exhibition, C28, Hannover DE
‘Staging Nature’, ‘(un)natural encounters’ Group exhibition, Dom Kulture Studentski grad, Belgrad RS
‘Staging Absence’, Performance Installation by Irena Kukrić, OUTNOW!, Bremen DE
‘Automatic Orchestra’, European Media Arts Festival, Osnabrück DE
‘Automatic Orchestra’, Resonate Festival 15, Belgrade RS
‘Happy Days’, Performance Installation by Irena Kukrić and Canny Sutanto, Städtische Galerie Bremen DE
‘Barefoot in the great expectations’, ‘ONE NIGHT STAND with Irena Kukric’, Immigration Office, Bremen DE
‘Interpreting Present’, Group exhibition “AS IF”, Immigration Office, Bremen DE

Stage design – Theater

‘Light Blue Day’ (Ein hellblauer Tag), Komposition: Andys Skordis, Text / Visuals: Jelena Vuksanovic, Stage: Irena Kukric | Costume: Magdalena Klasnja, Video: Julian-Anthony Hespenheide, Directed by: Miriam Göt, Neuköllner Oper, Berlin DE
*The winning opera of the Berlin Opernpreis, premiered in June 2022
‘Knausgård III: Spielen’ Dramaturgy Viktorie Knotková, Robin Sondermann, Frank Abt , Directed by Frank Abt, Stage and Costume by Susanne Schuboth, Stage and Costume assistent: Irena Kukric, Theater Bremen, Bremen DE
‘Valjevo hospital’ Written by D. Cosic, Directed by S. Saletovic, Krusevac Theater, Krusevac RS
‘My son is walking a bit slower’ Written by I. Marinic, Directed by von P. Stojmenovic, Belgrad Drama Theater, Belgrad RS
‘Dance of Smalltime Demons’ Dramaturgy by M. Pelevic, novel von M. Vidojkovic, Directed by Milan Neskovic, Theater Dadov, Belgrad RS
‘Boarding school’ Written by O. Dimitrijevic, Directed by Jovana Papovic, Theater Dadov, Belgrad RS
‘And they lived happily ever after…’ Written by J. Djordjevic, Directed by V. Djurovic, Theater Dadov, Belgrad RS
‘Pit’ Written by Lj. Stojanovic, Directed by P. Stojmenovic, Theater  Dadov, Belgrad RS
‘The long life of King Oswald’ Written by V. Lukic, Directed by P. Stojmenovic,  Nationaltheatre Pirot, Pirot RS
‘Cyrano de Bergerac’ Written by E. Rostand, Directed by P. Stojmenovic, National theatre Sterija, Vrsac RS

Scenography – Film

‘Enklava’ Directed by Goran Radovanovic,
Production Design Vladimir Lasic
Art Direction Irena Kukric
Co-production: Nama film / Sein+Hain Film (Serbia / Germany)
‘Flashback’ Directed by Aleksandar Jankovic
Production Design: Irena Kukric, Ljubica Milanovic
Produktion: House Gnezdo (Serbien)
‘Love and other crimes’ Directed by Stefan Arsenijevic, Production Designer: Volker Schäfer, Co-production: Icon Film / Art & Popcorn / KGP Kranzelbinder Gabriele Production / Studio Arkadena / Intermedia Network (Serbia/ Germany / Austria / Slovenia)
trainee in Art Department

Talks and Presentations

Lecture: “Staging Absence”, European Media Arts Festival, Osnabrück
Lecture: “Staging Absence”, Sneak Talks, Hochschultage 2017, HfK Bremen

Awards and scholarships

DAAD Matching Funds-Stipendium
Hochschulpreis Digital Media, University of the Arts Bremen
the annual award for scenography from Theater DADOV, Serbia

Internships

Internship for the ‘Oper Lady Macbeth von Mzensk’ Directed by Armin Petras, Theater Bremen, Bremen, Deutschland
Installation department, MoMA PS1, New York, USA

Imprint

Irena Kukrić

Berlin

 

 

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Irena Kukric GERMANY 2015 – 2020