ARCHĒ takes up a concept from pre-Socratic philosophy that refers to the origin, the first principle, and the beginning of all things. In this collage, composed of multiple paper cut-outs, Hristina Ivanoska translates this idea into a multilayered visual structure: fragments of plants, ornamental forms, and linear interlacings overlap to create a dense composition that oscillates between growth, memory, and order.

The work unfolds as an open network of relationships. Organic elements emerge from behind a web of lines, becoming simultaneously concealed and revealed. In this way, a tension arises between appearance and concealment. ARCHĒ evokes a process of becoming, in which origin is always intertwined with transformation and superimposition.

Characteristic of Ivanoska’s practice is the interplay of language, sign, and image. Here, the interwoven lines recall scripts, diagrams, or cartographic systems. The monochromatic palette directs attention to form, shadow, and materiality. Through the relief-like layering of the cut elements, spaces of light and depth emerge, emphasizing the work’s spatial presence. ARCHĒ invites viewers to understand origin not as a fixed point, but as an ongoing process of interconnection. In the context of the artist’s feminist approach, the work can also be read as a reflection on a feminine-coded primal principle.

Text: Heike Maier-Rieper, 2026

Translation: Microsoft Copilot