Connection
The exhibition emerged from their eponymous residency in Kamba, where accompanying programs were held: conversations, socializing, creating, connecting.
Human identity is in constant flux—shaped not only by age and physicality but also by ongoing cognitive, emotional, and spiritual transformation. Our experiences extend far beyond economic value or visible productivity; at our core lies a deep desire to connect with others. Through connection, we nurture solidarity and mutual understanding. During their residency Connection, artists Valerija Djanješić and Jelena Kovačev explored the theme of friendship, as well as human relationships more broadly. Their
collaborative process centered on the act of making recycled paper,which for them serve as a symbol of the formation of meaningful bonds. The transformation of discarded materials into something new speaks to the delicate, layered nature of human
connection—built slowly, through repetition, alignment, and time. Just as recycled paper requires care and patience, so too do transparent friendships. Rather than focusing on a final product, both artists emphasize the importance of process—whether in art-making or in human relationships.
Buga Kranželić
Gallery
IMPRESSUM
Artists: Jelena Kovačev and Valerija Djanješić
Text: Buga Kranželić
Photography: Juraj Vuglač / Šimun Bućan
Support: “Kultura nova” Foundation, Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia, City of Zagreb
Realization of the exhibition is financially supported by the Ministry of Culture and Media of Republic of Croatia.
Sponsored by: Medvedgrad Brewery
Biography
Jelena Kovačev graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb in 2020, majoring in Sculpture within the Art Education Department under the mentorship of Associate Professor Vlasta Žanić. Following her studies, she began working in scenography with the Boom! Theater association, contributing to various theatrical productions, including the children’s play Reach for the Universe (Dohvati svemir), Mind Games (Igra uma), and others.
Her practice extends into art education, where she create and leads creative- educational programs under the project Uvezionica. She is also a co-founder and vice-president of the association Projektor. Jelena has participated in several solo and group exhibitions. She collaborating with fellow female artists to explore new forms and materials such as sugar, light, line, and the written word. The creative potential of film, she discovered through the New School of Documentary Film in Rijeka, where she began experimenting with abstraction in everyday situations
and dialogues. Regardless of the medium, the core of her artistic inquiry lies in uncovering the hidden beauty in the ordinary—and capturing it in works that resonate with the viewer.
Valerija Djanješić is a visual artist and art educator. She earned her Master’s degree in Art Education at the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb (2020), in the class of Associate Professor Vlasta Žanić. After graduating, she began create and lead educational art
programs, sharing her passion for visual expression through creative workshops aimed at broader audiences. These workshops are part of the Uvezionica project, which serves as a platform for
generating ideas and experimenting with diverse artistic materials and formats. Alongside her work in education, Valerija’s artistic practice focuses on exploring compositional relationships—playing with elements of space, light, and sound. She often merges video works and spatial objects to create multimedia installations. She has exhibited in two solo and numerous group exhibitions across Croatia.
Glossary
Garaža Kamba 