--- type: exposition title: Stanislava Kovalcikova language: en url: "https://www.belvedere.at/en/stanislava-kovalcikova" --- # Stanislava Kovalcikova ## Grotto ![Ölgemälde einer liegenden nackten Frau, die einen grünen Turban trägt](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/styles/header_cropped_1920x480_fp/public/2022-09/Ex%2048803%20%28c%29%20Johannes%20Stoll_0.jpg.webp?itok=5GeZmcnz) **Duration:** 16 September 2022 - 5 February 2023 In her first solo exhibition in Austria, Stanislava Kovalcikova explores the theme of the grotesque. A key stylistic element in the artist's paintings is the deliberate alienation of the familiar. She creates fantastical, whimsical settings populated by fable-like human and animal characters that operate outside of social norms. Kovalcikova's works challenge notions of gender, skin color, identity, social convention, and power relations. In her most recent works, three new large-format paintings, created especially for this exhibition, continue with the grotesque as an ornamental design element in pastoral scenes of Dionysian debauchery. Through her tragicomic depictions, the artist refers to the hedonistic sexuality of her generation. Curated by Stella Rollig. ### [Belvedere 21](https://www.belvedere.at/en/visit/belvedere-21) **Opening hours:** Tuesday to Sunday, 11 am - 6 pm; Late Night: Thursday, 11 am - 9 pm **Address:** Belvedere 21, 1030 Vienna ([Getting there]()) [Tickets](https://www.belvedere.at/en/tickets?location%5B0%5D=4) ## Impressions - ![Ölgemälde zweier nackter Frauen — Stanislava Kovalcikova, Double Venus, 2019 — Courtesy of the artist and Peres Projects, Berlin, Seoul, Milan — Photo: Johannes Stoll / Belvedere, Vienna](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/styles/equal_height_slider_1x/public/2022-09/Ex%2048802%20%28c%29%20Johannes%20Stoll.jpg.webp?itok=AE-Bfbpx) - ![Ölgemälde einer liegenden nackten Frau, die einen grünen Turban trägt — Stanislava Kovalcikova, Sad Venus, 2015-2022 — Private collection, courtesy of the artist and Peres Projects, Berlin, Seoul, Milan — Photo: Johannes Stoll / Belvedere, Vienna](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/styles/equal_height_slider_1x/public/2022-09/Ex%2048803%20%28c%29%20Johannes%20Stoll.jpg.webp?itok=AqZXFPKi) - ![Ölgemälde einer nackten Person, die einen weißen Helm trägt — Stanislava Kovalcikova, Trojan, 2022 — Courtesy of the artist and Peres Projects, Berlin, Seoul, Milan](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/styles/equal_height_slider_1x/public/2022-08/SK17960-Trojan-2022-HIRES.jpg.webp?itok=0kWpo0zz) - ![Ölgemälde einer nackten Frau mit teilweise abstrakten Körperteilen — Stanislava Kovalcikova, Eat your power honey, before it gets cold (Hommage to Anita Steckel), 2022 — Courtesy of the artist and Peres Projects, Berlin, Seoul, Milan](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/styles/equal_height_slider_1x/public/2022-08/SK17961-Eat-your-power-honey%2C-before-it-gets-cold-%28Hommage-to-Anita-Steckel%29-2022-HIRES.jpg.webp?itok=VmmHL_DI) - ![Ölgemälde zweier nackter Männer — Stanislava Kovalcikova, Double Mars, 2019 — Courtesy of the artist and Peres Projects, Berlin, Seoul, Milan — Photo: Johannes Stoll / Belvedere, Vienna](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/styles/equal_height_slider_1x/public/2022-09/Ex%2048801%20%28c%29%20Johannes%20Stoll.jpg.webp?itok=PN-Jw4jm) - ![Porträt der Künstlerin Stanislava Kovalcikova — Portrait of Stanislava Kovalcikova — Photo: Alexander Romey](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/styles/equal_height_slider_1x/public/2021-12/Stanislava-Kovalcikova---photographer-Alexander-Romey-WEB.jpg.webp?itok=9p-fFwum) - ![Ölgemälde einer Frau, die einem Mann mit dem Finger ins Auge greift — Stanislava Kovalcikova, man who walks all alone, 2022 — Courtesy of the artist and Peres Projects, Berlin, Seoul, Milan](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/styles/equal_height_slider_1x/public/2022-08/SK17962-man-who-walks-all-alone-2022-HIRES.jpg.webp?itok=b3vVGqTg) - ![Personen mit teilweise wehendem Haar, die an einem Gitter stehen — Stanislava Kovalcikova, Cargo, 2022 — Courtesy of the artist — Photo: Johannes Stoll / Belvedere, Vienna](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/styles/equal_height_slider_1x/public/2022-09/Ex%2048809%20%28c%29%20Johannes%20Stoll.jpg.webp?itok=rByREdPU) - ![Dreiteiliges Ölgemälde mit einer Frau am Baum gelehnt sitzend — Stanislava Kovalcikova, Die Gute Hirtin, 2022 — Courtesy of the artist and Peres Projects, Berlin, Seoul, Milan — Photo: Johannes Stoll / Belvedere, Vienna](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/styles/equal_height_slider_1x/public/2022-09/Ex%2048799%20%28c%29%20Johannes%20Stoll.jpg.webp?itok=lNAWeDNY) - ![Zweiteiliges Ölgemälde von sechs Personen in Blau- und Rosatönen — Stanislava Kovalcikova, Wait till the sun shines, 2022 — Courtesy of the artist and Peres Projects, Berlin, Seoul, Milan — Photo: Johannes Stoll / Belvedere, Vienna](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/styles/equal_height_slider_1x/public/2022-09/Ex%2048800%20%28c%29%20Johannes%20Stoll.jpg.webp?itok=BzqrrtF6) ## The Exhibition - ![Ausstellungsansicht "Stanislava Kovalcikova. Grotto" — Exhibition view "Stanislava Kovalcikova. Grotto" — Photo: Johannes Stoll / Belvedere, Vienna](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/styles/full_content_width_no_crop/public/2022-09/Stanislava_Kovalcikova_B21-01.jpg.webp?itok=vrhFTz41) - ![Ausstellungsansicht "Stanislava Kovalcikova. Grotto" — Exhibition view "Stanislava Kovalcikova. Grotto" — Photo: Johannes Stoll / Belvedere, Vienna](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/styles/full_content_width_no_crop/public/2022-09/Stanislava_Kovalcikova_B21-04.jpg.webp?itok=Rx-E-aDh) - ![Ausstellungsansicht "Stanislava Kovalcikova. Grotto" — Exhibition view "Stanislava Kovalcikova. Grotto" — Photo: Johannes Stoll / Belvedere, Vienna](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/styles/full_content_width_no_crop/public/2022-09/Stanislava_Kovalcikova_B21-05.jpg.webp?itok=HcBuvBU0) - ![Ausstellungsansicht "Stanislava Kovalcikova. Grotto" — Exhibition view "Stanislava Kovalcikova. Grotto" — Photo: Johannes Stoll / Belvedere, Vienna](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/styles/full_content_width_no_crop/public/2022-09/Stanislava_Kovalcikova_B21-09.jpg.webp?itok=YICXz8Gw) - ![Ausstellungsansicht "Stanislava Kovalcikova. Grotto" — Exhibition view "Stanislava Kovalcikova. Grotto" — Photo: Johannes Stoll / Belvedere, Vienna](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/styles/full_content_width_no_crop/public/2022-09/Stanislava_Kovalcikova_B21-10.jpg.webp?itok=s7xJd0hv) The exhibition space at the lower level of the Belvedere 21 reflects big city urban life on pause – the passage of time seems distorted. The enigmatic nature of Kovalcikova's work invites visitors to look within themselves as well. The title Grotto takes its name from a man-made grotto at Hugh Hefner's Los Angeles mansion, where the former Playboy editor used to entertain; after his death, reports of sexual abuse and drug excesses there became public. ## Biography ![Porträt der Künstlerin Stanislava Kovalcikova — Portrait of Stanislava Kovalcikova — Photo: Alexander Romey](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/styles/full_content_width_no_crop/public/2021-12/Stanislava-Kovalcikova---photographer-Alexander-Romey-WEB.jpg.webp?itok=p1g0PCJN) Stanislava Kovalcikova was born in Czechoslovakia in 1988 and lives and works in Düsseldorf. She studied painting at the Düsseldorf Art Academy with Peter Doig and Tomma Abts. She spent her childhood and youth living in various places around the world. In her art, she addresses the experiences of crossing borders, not belonging to a community, and motherhood. Her work examines issues of familiarity, alienation, self-perception, and the construction of identity.