Mihaela Kavdanska / Mika (BG)

Born in Bulgaria, in Blagoevgrad in 1976, Mihaela Kavdanska established herself
in Bucharest in 1995 to pursue the classes of the Art Academy. In 2001 she graduated the Art Academy with the project "Family portraits" in which she questioned the status of the image and text in the digital era.

In her study years, Mihaela Kavdanska took part in several personal and group exhibitions both in Romania and in Bulgaria. Here we mention the most significant: the exhibition of the series of paintings "Couples" at Cervantes Institute, Bucharest in 2000 and at ART 36 Gallery, Sofia, Bulgaria; the exhibition of the series "Family Portraits" at the Museum of Literature, Bucharest and the installation "The Nature of Bed" at the International Centre of Contemporary Art, Bucharest.

Her interest in video and multimedia has lead to the undertaking of her first projects in collaboration with the Bulgarian artist, Dilmana Yordanova. Between 2001 and 2009 the two artists have participated at several national and international exhibitions and biennales of contemporary art : dia/audio "Intimacy" installation at the Museum of Literature in 2001, "Preview" at the National Museum of Contemporary Art, "Intimacy" and "Histories" at the Biennale of Contemporary Art "Periphery" in 2001, "Five Stories" in 2002, video work "Histories" at the International Triennial of Contemporary Art Balkan Digital & Video Art, in Novi Sad, Serbia in 2002, Free Biennial, New York.

In 2003 and 2004 the artist took part in several artistic events abroad such as the international art camp Iwano Project and the Video Festival Video Medeja, both in Novi Sad, Serbia; the event dedicated to electronic music and visual arts "Moving Patterns Festival", Bucharest and Vienna, 2004; "We are the Weather" – the second edition of the Feminine Biennale organized by the National Museum of Foreign Art, Sofia, Bulgaria in 2003; "Identities, Signs, Visions - Young Romanian Photography" organized by Ratiu Family Foundation, London, UK – the same year.
In 2003 Mihaela Kavdanska took part in the exhibition of the curator Harold Szeman entitled "Blood and Honey" at Essl Sammlung Museum, Vienna and in 2004 she took part at the exhibition "Shake the limits", Re:Location project", National Museum of Contemporary Art (MNAC)/Kalinderu Media Lab in Bucharest.
The most important participations of Mihaela Kavdanska during 2005 and 2007 are: "Global Fusion – close up 2005" and "Global Fusion – 2006 at the Basement Gallery, Vienna; projects' presentation "Waiting" (audio-visual project) and "Charging the City" (video projection on facade) as resident artist in Casino Luxembourg in Luxemburg; the workshop "WJ-s workshop & performances" at the National Museum of Contemporary Art.

Other personal projects 2007 include: "Charging the City" for the International Biennale "August In Art", Bulgaria in 2008; the project New Media Art and Interactivity In Public Spaces, undertook at the fifth edition of the art camp "Asia-Europe Art Camp: Re-Vision Bangkok" in Thailand, March 2008; video projections on the facade of the Architecture University "Aschii" and "Charging the Cities" for the project "Urban Art", organized by the Art Mix Association in September 2008 or more interactive projects by KOTKI Visuals for the series of events Future Shorts between 2008- 2009.

Known as KOTKI Visuals, together with Dilmana Yordanova the two artists undertook the following projects: "NTERVINO AV urban explorer", presented at the event Public Art Bucharest, organized by Goethe Institute; the collaboration with the Architecture magazine and Union of Architects from Romania for the exhibition "Jukebox City. Bucharest today. Histories & Architectures" in Barcelona, Spain, both in 2007.

In collaboration with Stefan Tiron, Mihaela Kavdanska is the coordinator of the first edition of AVmotional festival, organized at the International Centre of Contemporary Art, Bucharest. Between 2005 and 2006, VJ mika has collaborated with well renowned electronic musicians such as Gojira&Kosak and Cristian Stanciu for projects such as AVmotional 02, Casa Tranzit, Cluj Napoca in 2005; Faithless concert, visual mix for musicians Gojira&Kosak, May 2005; International Festival of Theatre, Sibiu 2005, Rokolectiv Festival in 2006 at the National Museum of Contemporary Art; Gravity Free Festival at Red House - Centre for Culture and Debates, Sofia, Bulgaria.

In 2006 AVmotional Platform launched the first audio-visual DVD audio
visual, organized the third edition of AVmotional festival and in 2007
organized the event "Focus on Japan" followed by the launch of a long term
project AVion. Between 2007 and 2008, in partnership with Orange Concept
Store, more than 10 editions were organised that involved significant Romanian
and foreign artists.
In 2009, AVmotional Association has organised the following projects: up:DATE Bucharest/ AV Focus on Indonesia, AV DUTCH. Audiovisual Focus On The Netherlands in partnership with the Embassy of the Kingdom of The Netherlands; a new edition of AVion project in partnership with the Administration of National Cultural Fund and the 5 years old anniversary of AVmotional Platform and the production of a new compilation of AVmotional 2009 DVD.
In 2009 Mihaela Kavdanska has participated at the PLUG-IN -
a series of audiovisual trainings, integrated in IN THE PALACE short film festival, Balchik, with partners: PLATFORMA festival in Athens, MEDIAWAVE in Dijon (Hungary), AVmotional in Bucharest and International Film Festival in Ankara.

kotki.id-highway.com/

back