Humans have always lived in mutual connection with nature and our environment. However, since industrialisation in the western world, we have lost this connection more and more. We live in cities and work in factories. Consumerism is at an all-time high. At the same time, we rely heavily on digital technologies. Ultimately, this impacts the environment and our connections within nature and with each other.

Modern societies have come to see nature as something distant, to be owned and changed to cater to our needs. But to imagine a future worth living in, we have to rethink our relationships within nature. We are not separate from it—we are intertwined with it. Our health and balance depend on the health and balance of our environment. Just as trees need soil, water and sunlight to thrive, we rely on clean air, water, and a stable climate for our well-being.

The Slovak artists that are featured in Blending In: A Future Connected to Nature explore these themes through their work. They examine post-human sensory perception, the hidden potential of fungi, and our interdependence with the natural world. They present hypothetical and practical concepts and ideas that encourage reflection on a sustainable and interconnected relationship with nature in our everyday lives. These artworks remind us that we are part of nature, and that by respecting and collaborating with it, we can create a sustainable future. The future depends on living in harmony, not conflict, with the natural world.

Patrícia Chamrazová

She received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Intermedia from the Academy of Fine Arts in Bratislava. She received her second diploma in Transmedia Art from the University of Applied Arts in Vienna. In her artistic practice, she moves from the abstract to the organic, from the conceptual to the intuitive, or from science to metaphysics. She is close to digital art, audiovisual installations, virtual and augmented reality. She currently lives and works in Vienna.

Janka Sanetriková

She is currently studying at the Department of Intermedia at the Academy of Fine Arts in Bratislava. In her installations she reflects on contemporary society and our interactions with the natural world, holding up a mirror to our actions and values. In her work she works with facts and data, which she processes for the general public. She seeks to show that behind the „mere numbers“ there are concrete events and processes that have a profound impact on our daily lives.

Sára Stupková

She studies photography and new media at the Master’s degree at the Academy of Fine Arts in Bratislava. As a multimedia artist, her previous work has focused on scientific and metaphysical themes, as well as pseudo-scientific research in order to reveal phenomena invisible to the eye or the observation of microscopic organisms. Her work explores the boundaries between the material, and the immaterial, as well as the transition from the physical to the virtual. She uses photography, video, installation and works with processes such as photogrammetry, microscopy, and digital image manipulation.