Mother Mandala 2020
Mother Mandala celebrates the human origin, the connection to nature and its healing powers, as well as complex connections in the Mandala, on the Internet and the underground "communication networks" in the forest through mushrooms and roots. The permanent installation in the forest features donated, coloured dresses, which are enriched with small found treasures and natural materials. Ultimately, each segment is linked to the history of the garments, their previous owner and their contemporary history. The personal stories behind the donated dresses are presented in a digital form on the Internet and address cultural identity as well as questions todays values in relation to textiles. In Mother Mandala the clothing pieces and their history are symbolically honoured. It is also an investigative visual journey into the spheres of the patterns of the Darmstadt Art Deco, the Hindu Mandala, the Christian Rosette, the Maya Tzolk'in as well as the Persian Shamseh.
PTS Pandemic 2020
PTS Pandemic (PTS_Post Traumatic Shock) is the first public performance by Regina Frank The HeArt is Present after the COVID 19 Lockdown. A white dress features the COVID development Curves of 77 selected countries, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, according to the Corona Virus Pandemic Data Explorer at ourworldindata.org.
In contrast to the cold lines of the data development graphs Regina paints the lines by hand following the movement of the graph as closely as possible. Her personal ductus interferes with the curve symbolically, leaving space for the emotional quality of the line. Combined with a sequence of headlines and short news, the piece tries to capture a political climate focusing on diverse aspects of the crisis. In the performance Regina Frank sits still and only her right hand slowly traces the 77 countries death toll, honouring and mourning the losses. The performance was shown after as installation for the remaining time of the exhibition.
iLAND 2018
iLand is an installation that shows environmental issues and their healing processes as a photomontage on the tapestry. The center sculpture is made from sustainable corn oil.
MAAT (Museum of Art Architecture and Technology), featured Regina Frank’s work “iLAND: In Sickness – In Health” on the cover of their site for six month. Web Summit 2018 and Museum of Natural History Lisbon MUHNAC with the New Art Fest 18 featured the same piece in altered versions. Additionally Regina Frank performed in slow motion every day at Websummit creating a time lapse film with the viewers participation.
Regina Frank performed versions of iLAND for seven years in 28 locations in Europe, Asia and the USA. It is part of her “The HeART is Present” concept to appear in highly frequented museums as a reminder of presence and the gift to change the course of environmental issues. On Augmented Reality virtual gardens grew on the iLAND tapestry with sustainable healing plants covering it as time passes.
Note: The text above was written by the Artist. No modification was made by COCA.
Regina Frank
Germany
The HeArt is Present bridges technology with traditional techniques. Regina Frank's work focuses on social, scientific topics in relation to environmental problems. Recent projects 2020/2021 Silenced Science at MUHNAC Lisbon, PTS Pandemic and Mother Mandala for the International Forest Art Path and CCB Lisbon are related to the COVID pandemic. Earlier works include 1993 in the New Museum New York, Serpentine Gallery London, 1995 MOCA LA, the Bronx Museum, 1996 Spiral Wacoal Art Center and the GlassBeadGame for the 1996 Cultural Olympics in Atlanta. Museum of Modern Art Sapporo, Chienku Technology University China, Expo 2000, Unesco in Paris, 2003 San Diego Museum of Art, working with issues of history, sustainability and information processing. iLAND (environmental issues) was shown 2018 at Museum of Art Architecture and Technology (MAAT), the Websummit 2018 and 2020 in the Pavilhao do Conhecimento (Science Museum). Featured on the cover of various magazines, newspapers, TV and books.