Ksenija Kantoci
Chimney (Moirae), 1980. - 1984.
wood
18 x 17 x 13.5 cm
MG-5950

Ksenija Kantoci (1909 – 1995), one of the most prominent Croatian sculptors of the 20th century, her work "Chimney (Moirae)" is an abstract sculpture of smaller dimensions, made of wood, as an archetypal monolithic figure. The work exemplifies the author's intention to reduce mass and form and compress volume to express existential and psychological themes, a characteristic that has become recognizable within her oeuvre. "Chimney (Moirae)" is an example of this because, through the simplicity of the form, they suggest complex stories about fate, the passage of time, and human existence.
Moirae (Suđenice) are mythological beings in Slavic mythology who are in charge of people's destinies. They are often depicted as figures who determine destinies by weaving the thread of life, which puts them in a position outside the human world but with a direct influence on it. Kantoci explores this liminal position through this sculpture. The subjects are simultaneously part of the world and outside it; they belong to the past and mythology but are always present through their function and symbolism.
At the same time, Kantoci uses wood as a material that carries with it the impression of warmth, naturalness, and connection with nature, as well as hardness, durability, and resistance.The sculpture exudes monumentality despite its small dimensions through its simple stylization and almost archaic form. This work reflects the artist's tendency to create solid and fluid figures rooted in the material but with symbolic power transcending physical presence.

Text: Marta Radman, curator of the National Museum of Modern Art © National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb
Translated by: Robertina Tomić
Photo: Goran Vranić © National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb