Kristina Kinkela Valčić (mag. art.) is a Croatian visual artist based in Rijeka and Opatija. She graduated from the Academy of Applied Arts at the University of Rijeka, earning a Master’s degree in Visual Arts and Art Pedagogy, and is currently a PhD candidate in Croatian Culture at the University of Zagreb.
Her artistic practice explores the relationship between painting, space, material, and perception through abstract and interdisciplinary forms. Working primarily with acrylic, pigment, mixed media, and spatial installations, she develops works that investigate traces, memory, identity, and the shifting boundaries between the physical and the immaterial. Blue tones, particularly indigo and ultramarine, often appear as recurring elements within her visual language.
Kristina has exhibited in numerous solo and group exhibitions in Croatia and abroad, including projects in galleries, public spaces, and contemporary art fairs. Alongside her artistic practice, she is actively involved in art education, workshops, and cultural projects that connect contemporary art with community engagement and interdisciplinary collaboration. She is a member of HDLU Rijeka, HULU Split, Salvador Club (Ljubljana) ans Online platform Art ćakula.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2026 "Neba", Artsada Gallery, Volosko, Croatia
2026 "Reflections of presence", Idealni grad Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia
2025 “Quiet spaces of blue”, Pik Gallery, POU Rab, Rab, Croatia
2025 “Preplitanja/Intertwinings”, Ambassador Art Gallery, Split, Croatia
2025 “Preplitanja/Intertwinings”, Juraj Kloić Gallery, HDLU Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
2025 “Čarolija sinergije/ The magic of synergy”, Fonticus Gallery, Grožnjan, Croatia
2024 Solo booth, Art Expo Trieste, Magazzino 42, Trieste, Italy
2024 “Tragovi/Marks”, Art pavilion Juraj Šporer, Opatija, Croatia
2024 “Imaginary Landscapes”, Ambassador Art Gallery, Split, Croatia
2023 Solo booth, Art Expo Ljubljana: The Premier Art Fair and Gathering, Brdo Estate, Slovenia
2023 “Deconstruction: from (un)familiar landscape to monochrome”, Oblok Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia
2023 “Dijalog: Grad” (“Dialogue: City”), Exhibition of 4 artists, Juraj Klović Gallery, Rijeka, Croatia
2021 “Unfamiliar landscapes”, Galerijica Gallery, Matulji, Croatia
2018 “Izložba slika” (“Exhibition of Art”), Bianco&Nero Gallery, Opatija, Croatia
2016 “Apstrakcija” (“Abstractions”), Prodom Gallery, Rijeka, Croatia
2015 “Apstrakcije” (“Abstractions”), City Hall Matulji, Matulji, Croatia
2015 “Izložba animalištičkih motiva u mrtvoj prirode” (“Animalistic motifs”), Museum of Bell ringers, Rukavac, Croatia
2012 “Negativi” (“Negatives”), Photo Exhibition, City Hall Matulji, Matulji, Croatia
2012 “Prozor i Vrijeme” (“Time”), Photo Exhibition, City Hall Matulji, Matulji, Croatia
2012 “Mi” (“We”), An Exhibition of sculptures, Gallery OK, Rijeka, Croatia
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2026 "Što je umjetnost" (What is Art?), Galerija Razvid, Zaprešić, Croatia 2025 “A Quite distance”, NMB Brown studio, Jelsa, Hvar, Croatia
2025 “Swiss Art Expo”, Powered by Artboxy, Zurich, Switzerland
2025 “Potraga za drugim životom/The search for another life”, group exhibition of Art čakula members, Aluz Gallery, Zrenjanin, Serbia
2025 “Grožnjan 60”, collective, thematic, selected art project, Fonticus Gallery, Grožnjan, Croatia
2025 “Potraga za drugim životom/The search for another life”, group exhibition of Art čakula members, Cultural Centre of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
2025 “Art Salon Contemporary Budapest”, Art Salon Contemporary Gallery, Budapest, Hungary
2025 “Good Morning, Opatija – Artists of Opatija”, Art pavilion Juraj Šporer, Opatija, Croatia
2025 “77th annual exhibition of HDLU Rijeka”, Juraj Klović Gallery, Rijeka, Croatia
2024 “Women’s Touch/Power”, Open University of Buje, Buje, Croatia
2024 “Distopija/Dystopia”, collective, thematic, selected art project, Fonticus Gallery, Grožnjan, Croatia
2024 “Voda” (“Water”), collective, thematic, selected art project, Gallery HDLU Istra, Pula, Croatia
2024 “Artboxy project Basel 3.0”, EuroAirport Basel, Basel, Switzerland
2014 “Grand Exhibition of the Salvador Club”, Space 7-Hall A, BTC City Ljubljana, Slovenija
2024 “77th annual exhibition of HDLU Rijeka”, Garbas Gallery, Rijeka, Croatia
2024 “Filalovy Pštros/ Prague Art Exhibition”, Slovanky dum, Prague, Czech Republic
2023 “Razgovor sa sobom”, group exhibition of Art čakula members, Juraj Klović Gallery Rijeka, Croatia
2023 “Women’s Essence show Berlin 2023.”, Labo 6/2 Gallery, Berlin, Germany
2023 “Premier Istanbul”, Istanbul, Turkey
2023 “7th Zagreb Summer Salon - Freedom”, Kontrast Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia
2022 “76th annual exhibition of HDLU Rijeka”, Kortil Gallery, Rijeka, Croatia
2022 “Razgovor sa sobom”, Art čakula online project members exhibition, Azimut Gallery, Šibenik, Croatia
2022 “Plavo” (“Blue”), collective, thematic, selected art project, Gallery HDLU Istra, Pula, Croatia
2022 “Kefir 22”, Cloister of the Pietro Thourar Library, Firenze, Italia
2022 “Iskra”, Artouratj Gallery, Vrbovec, Croatia
2022 “Kefir 22”, Sveti Ivan Zelina Gallery, Sveti Ivan Zelina, Croatia
2022 “The milk of dreams” (“Kefir 22”), Galleria delle Cornici, Lido di Venezia, Italia
2022 “HDLU Rijeka new members exhibition”, Juraj Klović Gallery, Rijeka, Croatia
2021 “6th Humanitarian Art Colony” on the river Zrmanja, organised by the Privrednik association, Croatia
2016 “7th Zagreb Summer Salon - Spirituality and art”, Kontrast Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia
2016 “Art Exhibition of the City of Zagreb”, Europe House, Zagreb, Croatia
2016 “Spring Exhibition of HDLU Zagreb”, Sunce Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia
2014 “Female photographers 2014.” Principij Gallery, Rijeka, Croatia
2013 “Female photographers 2013.”, Principij Gallery, Rijeka, Croatia
2012 “Photographieausstellung Druckwelten”, Rockie_gallery, Graz, Austria
2012 “Op-Art 2012.” Outdoor exhibition of experimental film, Volosko, Croatia
2012 “Contemporary photography of the City of Rijeka”, Museum of the City of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
2012 “Contemporary photography of the City of Rijeka”, C.V.U. Batana, Rovinj, Croatia
AWARDS
2025 The Award of the City of Grožnjan, Ex tempore Grisignana/Grožnjan, Croatia 2023 First place: Ex tempore “20th Art Colony Ex tempore 2023.” Kostrena, Croatia
2023 “Woman Art Award 2023.” by Musa International, Berlin, Germany
2021 First place: Ex tempore “18th Art Colony Ex tempore 2021.” Kostrena, Croatia
2020 First place: Ex tempore “19th Art Colony Ex tempore 2020.” Kostrena, Croatia
2019 Art recognition “9th Painting Ex tempore competition”, Fontana, Croatia
2019 First place: Finished artwork “16th Art Colony Ex tempore 2019”, Kostrena, Croatia
2018 First place: Ex tempore “15th Art Colony Kostrena”, Kostrena, Croatia