Ilona Kalnoky
| 1987-1995 |
Ausbildung zum Gesellen für Keramik und Ofenbau |
| 1995-2002 |
Studium der Bildhauerei an der Kunsthochschule Weissensee, Berlin |
| 2002 |
Diplom bei Prof. Wilde und Prof. Karin Sander |
| 2003-06 |
Meisterschüler |
| 1999 |
Raumskulptur für das Laborgebäude Schaefer-Kalk, Hahnstätten/Lahn (D) |
| 2001 |
"Skulptur", Founders Farm, Berlin |
| 2002 |
"Versuch am Raum", Projektraum Torstraße 158, Berlin |
| 2003 |
"Drei Sequenzen", Projektraum, Weimar |
| 2006 |
"Kontemplation", Galerie Heike Curtze, Berlin |
| 2007 |
"LEIB" Galerie Heike Curtze Wien "ONE MINUTE", Berlin (Beteiligung) |
| 2008 |
"Geste", Traklhaus, Salzburg "UM 08", Uckermarck (Beteiligung) |
| 1998 |
"Drehpunkt Mitte", dezentralisierte Skulptur für den Stadtraum Berlin |
| 1999 | "Weissenseer Fenster", Bernd Wilde und Schüler, Berlin |
| 2006 |
"Boulevard", Kunstherbst Berlin "Crescendo", Galerie Heike Curtze in Salzburg "Arbeiten von Papier auf Papier", Galerie Pankow, Berlin |
| 2007 |
"LEIB - Skulpturen und Maquetten", Galerie Heike Curtze, Wien "Spannungsfelder", Galerie Heike Curtze in Salzburg "Kirchen / Kunst / Route 2007", Uckermark (D) |
"My sculptures and objects emerge through the encounter of
body and space. They are concerned with the relationship
between these two. I use the term 'body' because it includes
the emotional aspect of the viewer."
Ilona Kálnoky
Ilona Kálnoky's sculptures guide our perception towards an intimate dialogue with space. The materials of her three-dimensional elements and the structure of her gestures convey the impression of living spacial objects in an interplay of light and form. She develops their plasticity both horizontally and vertically with materials such as acrylic glass, plaster, modelling clay, wax, plastic foam, string and paper, with stainless steel, brass or aluminium, mirrors and wood.
Kálnoky's sensitive treatment of the surfaces produces the physical impression of hard and soft spatial objects; plastic and physical aspects merge into associations of constriction and amplitude, flow and rigidity, security and alienation.
The artist sees the resultant material forms as body. The related materials coagulate into bodies in form and gesture - as a thrown releif, a damp plaster mass thrown at the wall and left there to dry until the wall-throw detaches itself to the vertical. Solidified like a fossil, these objects appear almost as though from the vegetable world. Kálnoky alters the surface of the material by using a tight corset of twisted cords to attach one or more balls to it in a geometric pattern, thus enhancing the plasticity of the objects as bound bodies.
Thus in a feminine manner, she manages to symbolise corporeality as a force in an explosive state, as pain in the concentrated swelling of material. The sculpture appears as though fixed in a state of plant mutation.
Ilona Kálnoky likes to play around with distortion and development, achieving a transparency of floating solidity with the aid of balls laid as ballast between sheeds of Plexiglas and piled up. A further pile, of soft balls flattened by their own weight, rises like a tuberous plant. Her sculpture develops an architectural effect when she fixes elastic strips of wood to form arcs between floor and ceiling of a room. The resultant arc-sections divide the structure in the room into rythmic segments. Depending on the architectural shell, they transform it, with easy elegance into a Gothic arcade.
Marie-Louise von Plessen
(Translation: Gail Schamberger)