EMILIJA KASUMOVIC 

Emilija Kasumovic is a deep thinker. Fuelled by a fascination of physics and philosophy, her research based arts practice transports audiences to that illusive intersection between innate feeling and scientific discourse. Here, Kasumovic investigates some of ontology’s[1] most complex ideas and hypothesises about the lesser-known dimensions of human existence. Inner Mirror, Inverted Space explores the hypothetical boundary between our internal and external worlds. The exhibition is anchored by its central installation, Outer Edges of Inner Space, which expands across POP’s vestibule like a cloudy web. This is not just one artwork but an interconnected network; a hazy matrix which could seemingly go on for infinity or just as easily dissolve. It comprises thousands of metres of thread which Kasumovic has repetitively unravelled, brushed, pulled and stretched to create fluffy foam-like forms. Hundreds of droplets of glue permeate these forms which are then suspended by a black metal grid, evoking an atmospheric quality in the work. Like so much in science - and in life- Kasumovic’s work starts micro and evolves slowly into macro. This physical act of making inserts the artist’s presence into the work, alluding to how our bodies are conduits between our inner self and the external environment. Outer Edges of Inner Space extends these ideas by inviting viewers to physically enter the work and become catalysts of the installation. From within the work, our perceived surroundings become distorted and things that were previously ‘known’ seem uncertain. Here, we are embedded in the grid like atoms are embedded in the fabric of space and time. Kasumovic uses mirrors to further test these ideas. Ordinarily a mirror shows us what our mind chooses to see. They observe us observing. Good or bad, our reflection is a combination of our inner and outer selves. In Kasumovic’s mirrors, the already inverted image is intentionally fogged up forcing the observer to construct the remaining view. By doing so, they question how our minds come to ‘know’ about the space around us and form connections between our inner and outer realities. Inner Mirror Inverted Space marks an expansive and experimental shift in Kasumovic’s practice. Whilst her past artworks have invited audiences to engage through sight or touch, this exhibition compels viewers to actively experience the work by being an essential part of it. Together, the works manifest an ethereal sense of feeling – as if our bodies intuitively know they are part of something bigger. They offer a poignant opportunity to consider the involuntary ways our mind and bodies interact with our environment and how this fundamentally connects us to the universe. Steph Cibich Curator and Arts Writer working on Kaurna Land. 1. Ontology is the philosophical study of being and what it means to exist