BALLERINA

Josip Konta was born in Livno on May 18, 1946. He graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb in 1972 and completed his postgraduate studies as a collaborator in the master workshop of Professor Antun Augustinčić from 1972 to 1974.

Following three years (1974-1977) as the director of the Art Foundry at the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb, he has been living and working as an independent artist in Zagreb.

Josip Konta’s sculptural works reflect the artist’s deep fascination with themes of alienation, various states of the human spirit, and the individual’s position in society. Through his sculptures, Konta explores the complexity of human nature and the internal conflicts that accompany contemporary society.

His sculptural technique includes voids and irregularities in modeling, which are closely tied to the concept of negative space, further emphasizing the importance of the relationship between form and void in his works.

Konta uses negative space to achieve a specific aesthetic and convey a message in his works. The voids and irregularities in the sculptures symbolize feelings of alienation, emotional emptiness, or a lack of communication, further reinforcing his explored themes. The horse in Konta’s sculptural works often symbolizes humanity’s ideal reflection – that sought-after, better part of us that is difficult, and sometimes impossible, to achieve. The artist uses this motif to underscore the necessity of introspection for every individual.

Notably, the artist supports complete interpretive freedom for viewers of his sculptures, acknowledging that each interpretation of the work is subject to each individual’s personal experience based on their life experiences and understanding of the world.