Family As A Means Of Making Art
Abstract
This portfolio presents a selection of artworks by the Slovak photographer, Zuzana Pustaiová. The artist gained wider recognition in 2012 when she won the international competition Frame as an art student. Following her success, she became recognized internationally and her work was included in several art and photography festivals around Europe. She is one of the few artists who follows the strong tradition in imaginative and staged photography, represented by artists such as Jana Hojstričová, Silvia Saparová or Gabriel Kosmály. Pustaiová’s main subject is the family, seen through the network of relationships between its members, and the roles they actively play in the family life. The portfolio is organized chronologically. Starting with two series exploring the lives of the artist’s grandparents (Trivial Stories/Trip to Mountains, Trivial Stories 2/Winter Games). The presentation continues with two series dedicated to Slovak folklore (Each Country – Its Customs and ‘Čiľ-ej’), followed by the works Family Album and Faces of Family dedicated to exploration of Pustaiová’s own family. The former draws material from photo albums, while the latter explores ties between actual living relatives. The portfolio ends with the autobiographical series Interlude dedicated to the artist’s current existential situation. Deeper insight into Pustaiová’s artistic program, ideas and motives is provided by the accompanying interview.
Key words
Staged photography, visual arts, family, relationships, portrait
PUSTAIOVÁ, Z.: Family As A Means Of Making Art. In European Journal of Media, Art and Photography, 2020, Vol. 8, No. 2, p. 36-71, ISSN 1339-4940.