Apolena Vanišová

About the artist:
Apolena Vanišová (*1986) lives and works in Prague but she spends the spring lockdowns at workshops in Chodsko region. Creating her projects, she does not search for drama in situations but in arranging and layering scenes and stage actions. Until recently, she cooperated with the audio-visual artist Petr Krusha. Together, they verified theatrical possibilities of electro-mechanical object performances and autonomous theatrical installations. They were awarded the Theatre Newspaper Award and the příští vlna/next wave festival homage for their cooperation on the Kračun Project. During last three years, Apolena cooperates intensively with the visual artist Johana Střížková. They explore the inception of theatrical communication in a performative installation which blends the public with the private and the close with the far. They experiment with the art form that sees the spectator participating in person and the performer participating from the distance. Apolena regularly directs at the MeetFactory Theatre, where she created several productions in cooperation with the dramaturge Matěj Samec.

Education:
Since 2008, she has been studying under the tutelage of Professor Karel Makonj at the Department of Alternative and Puppet Theatre (KALT) of the Theatre Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts (DAMU) in Prague, where she is finishing her doctoral studies. During her studies, she focused on theatre production at originally non-theatrical spaces and on socially theatrical projects. She participated in the practical training in the Painting Studio of Jiří Černický at the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design (UMPRUM) in Prague in 2013.

Selected installations and theatre installations:
2021 Psohlavky, Studio hrdinů, Prague
2021 Hang Kang: Bílá kniha (White book), MeetFactory, Prague
2020 Chodka, HYB4, Prague
2019 Self-concept32, The Prague Market - Hall 29, Prague
2019 Aluminiová královna (Aluminium queen), MeetFactory, Prague
2018 Kračun Project, OPEN Letohradská, Prague
2017 Pohřeb sardinky (Sardine funeral), MeetFactory, Prague
2015 Woman in a taxi crossing New York, MeetFacory, Prague
2013 Zavřeno kvůli soukromému večírku (Closed due to a private party), Trafo Gallery, Prague
2012 Valentýn (Valentine), NoD, Prague
2011 Až nadejde čas (When the time comes), Moving station, Plzeň

During her residency she is working on a project eNeRPe.

Date of residence: 1. 2. 2022 – 31. 3. 2022