Kristina Kinkela Valčić is a visual artist who specializes in abstract art.

Her exclusively abstract work allows her to constantly explore new painting techniques, inviting the viewer to see and feel her art in diverse ways. In her expressive-emotional manner, she is transmitting abstract mental maps onto the canvas. That manifests in multiple layers of acrylic and mixed media. All those layers intertwine, complement, flirt and negate each other and form harmonious imaginary landscapes. 

Existing places do not serve as an inspiration for those imaginary landscapes. They arise directly from internal emotional states into visual form. The result, therefore, is not planned. They evolve from multiple, more or less transparent, layers of paint and other media that she uses. The described process is very intuitive and intimate, which points to the fact that the identity and inner states of the creator are crucial for the entire process of creating. In contrast to the organic shapes, she sometimes uses geometric lines, which present peculiar mental boundaries and frames that impose themselves in the same unnatural way in the real world. The result allows the observers to feel and experience her art in their way and encourages them to fantasize and be free from reality.

  Kristina Kinkela Valčić received her MA in Art Education and Art History at the Academy of Applied Arts, University of Rijeka and she is also a Ph.D. student in Cultural Anthropology and Ethnology at the University of Zagreb. Her thesis is concerned with historical changes in conceptions of the cultural identity of the Kastav region. She claims that identities are a result of negotiations between social participants and that they are constantly changing. These facts are reflected in Kristina's artwork. In the same way, her abstract, intuitive, and intimate representations of imaginary landscapes realize their essence in communication with observers who receive and interpret presented visual codes in their own way.  

She exhibited both nationally and internationally and she is a member of the Croatian Association of Artists (Rijeka, Zagreb), Salvador Club (AAMI platform) and the online art project Art Ćakula.  She works in her studio in Opatija and teaches Visual Arts at Adria international school, also in Opatija, Croatia.

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

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

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 “Artbox.proect 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, Firenza, 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 river Zrmanja organized by 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 “Photographieaussstellung 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