Group exhibition “the cook is burned out, but the food is great”

with Željka Aleksić, Željko Beljan & Rebecca Merlić, Katharina Höglinger, Finnegan Shannon, Alina Sokolova, Nardina Zubanović

curated by Asija Ismailovski and Eva Kovač

Opening: 17.05.2024, 7 pm
Duration: 18.05. – 29.06.2024

the cook is burned out, but the food is great is a co-curated group exhibition that looks into the intricate choreography of expectations, obligations, and needs – work, leisure, and care – set against the backdrop of a world perpetually teetering on the edge of the overwhelming overwhelm.

Navigating the ups and downs, burdens, friendships, feelings of happiness and hopelessness, everyday failures and successes, fortunes and misfortunes (and all that in-between) – from the relentless grind of work to the tumultuous currents of emotion and the pressures of societal expectations, this exhibition encourages and invites for a pause, reflection, fun, and (mutual) support.

Seven artists and two curators invite the visitors to embark on a playful exploration of the frighteningly common state of burnout and the subtle art of resistance in the face of hustle culture. Artists and their practices become echoes and guides, offering glimpses into alternate realities and pathways to navigate the overwhelming tide.