Manuela Pauk: Life Under High Pressure
light installation
Slovene National Theatre (SNG Drama), Slovenska c. // until 20 June
OPENING: Tuesday, 26 May 2026, at 9:30 p.m.

A young Croatian artist’s atmospheric light installation draws the viewer into dark depths of the sea, more precisely, to the seabed, where numerous animal species live hidden and secluded. The extremely fickle living conditions under enormous pressure have, through evolution, led to the development of highly unusual animal specimens, many of which are capable of producing their own light in practically complete darkness. The artist focuses on sea snails, fascinating hermaphroditic creatures. She has recreated them in terra-cotta and adorned them with luminescent colours. These motley dolled-up inhabitants, which are becoming increasingly endangered in their natural habitat, can be observed both in daylight and in the dark, when UV lights are turned on. Through this dichotomy, the artist suggests two perspectives and highlights their contrast, namely: the human one and the snail one. The project, featured in the Supernova cycle, thus challenges the uniqueness of human perception and shifts it into a different comparative framework.

MANUELA PAUK (1994, Zagreb) is an academic sculptor whose work is rooted in research into the natural environment and contemporary ecology. In her work, she thematises the relationship between humans, objects and space, whereby she frequently reflects on contemporary ecological and social issues. Her artworks often transcend traditional gallery formats and incorporate distinctly interdisciplinary approaches, ranging from ceramics to performative practices and light installations. In 2018, she graduated at the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb, where she currently lives and works.