Maja Kirovska · CLIENT: Maja Kirovska
Luck is a conceptual art installation that combines photography, handcrafted and found objects, and video to ironically reconstruct the process of manufacturing luck. Through step by step photographs and encyclopedias displaying counterfeit four leaf clovers, the work questions authenticity, widely accepted cultural symbols, and the ways in which society simplifies and packages the idea of happiness. Rooted in personal memory, it uses familiar forms to provoke reflection through subtle irony and accessible visual language.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- "Luck" is an conceptual art installation that combines photography, handcrafted objects, found objects, and video to represent ironically a process of manufacturing luck. Seven photographic steps demonstrate the process of creating fake four-leaf clovers and thirteen encyclopedias display dry counterfeit four-leaf clovers. This installation challenges perceptions of authenticity and luck by presenting "do-it-yourself" instructions for fabricating luck, critiquing the superficial pursuit of fortune.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Seven digital photographs (each 460 x 305 mm), thirteen books placed on thirteen pedestals (each pedestal approx. 900 x 300 x 300 mm), video displayed on monitor (dimensions variable). Overall installation dimensions are variable and depend on exhibition space.
- Tags
- irony in art, DIY, conceptual art, mixed media installation, digital photography, video art, contemporary art, participatory art, found objects, narrative art
- Production Technology
- The installation "Luck" combines conceptual and traditional methodologies. The pressed clovers were crafted by attaching a fourth leaf to trifoliate clovers, preserved as herbarium specimens. Encyclopedias, opened to random pages, create meaning by chance, highlighting the role of serendipity. A photographic sequence and video show the process of crafting these clovers.
- Design Challenge
- The main challenge was selecting and combining media to convey the concept clearly and accessibly. Balancing visual elements with the right amount of information was crucial. Professional equipment was used to ensure high-quality documentation of the crafting process. Although the technical execution was familiar, the focus was on clarity, coherence, and strong visual communication to prompt reflection.
- Project Duration
- The project started in December 2014 in Skopje and was first exhibited from December 24, 2014 to January 20, 2015 in the solo show "Cleanroom" at Gallery KO-RA, House of Culture "Koco Racin". It was later shown in 2015 at Gallery Karas, Zagreb, in 2016 at Gallery "Casa da Garrida", University Fernando Pessoa, Ponte de Lima, Portugal, and in 2021 at Beyond the Borders, Chang Kil-Hwan Art Museum, Gangneung, South Korea.
- Operation Flow
- Viewers interact by moving through the space: first encountering seven photographs that act as a step-by-step guide to fabricating a four-leaf clover by attaching a fourth leaf; then exploring encyclopedias opened on random pages, each with a set of pressed clovers; finally, watching a video that reveals the clovers are naturally trifoliate. The interaction is contemplative, guiding the viewer to question constructed beliefs and the superficial pursuit of fortune.
- Research
- This is a conceptual art research project grounded in personal memory and socio-cultural reflection. The objective was to explore how symbols of luck are created and socially accepted. Using visual analysis and memory, a handcrafted method was applied with tools for model- and jewelry-making. The process was documented via video and photography. The work reveals irony in superstition and false luck, using familiar media to make its message accessible and impactful.
- Inspiration
- Inspired by childhood memories of creating four-leaf clovers by hand during summer holidays in the countryside, when real ones could not be found, this project revisits a self-invented crafting process. It draws from personal experience to explore the widespread cultural symbolism of the four-leaf clover, and critically examines how society constructs and embraces ideas of luck, fortune, and superficial happiness.
- Image Credits
- Image #1: Photographer / Ana Lazarevska, Luck, 2014.
Image #2: Photographer / Creator Maja Kirovska, Luck, 2014.
Image #3: Photographer / Creator Maja Kirovska, Luck, 2014.
Image #4: Photographer / Creator Maja Kirovska, Luck, 2014.
Image #5: Photographer / Ana Lazarevska, Luck, 2014.
Video Credits: Videographer/ Maja Kirovska, Luck, 2014.
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