In my installations, I create unique environments to evoke individual, intimate experiences. I expose the audience to the series of circumstances linked to my psychological and physical reminiscence of a place, event or feeling. The pieces strongly reflect my interest in and fascination with abstract materials and natural forces such as air, light/color, temperature, and sound. I do not limit myself to a specific medium.
Extensive research is an important component of preparing these pieces. To understand viewers' reactions to my work, I continuously investigate the mechanics and limits of human perception. Because I believe in the power of simplicity, my installations are minimalistic and elusive. Often, they are not easy to capture or document.
I started producing my most recent installations after moving from Prague to Brooklyn, NY in June 2011. I place them in public space and call them Public Space Alterations. I create these works with an intention to gently influence (our) everyday life experience. I install my pieces at various sites within walking distance from my apartment in Cobble Hill. Working in public space gives me different feedback on my work than a gallery exhibition. I see spontaneous reactions from people of various ages and cultural backgrounds.
In Alterations I often communicate through bilingual text . Utilizing two languages in my work simulates my bilingual way of thinking when I naturally switch between Czech (my native tongue) and English. It is a hidden statement of who I am, where I am and where I come from.
Petra Vargova, 2011