Shadow Catcher
Robert Gabris Iva Ivanova Natalia Dominguez Rangel Theodor Moise Curated by Lorena Moreno Vera
Sept. 19, 2025 – Febr. 8, 2026
An immersive exhibition on the garden of the night
KINDER KUNST LABOR
FOR CONTEMPORARY ART
Shadow Catcher
Welcome to the KinderKunstLabor!
The sounds, sensations, scents, and visual impressions of a garden at night can be experienced in Shadow Catcher, the current exhibition at the KinderKunstLabor for contemporary art. When the sun sets, life takes another form. In the shadows of the night, chirping insects, fluttering wings, and faint whispers rise to form a new soundscape. The exhibition space at the KinderKunstLabor glimmers in deep blue, creating this garden of the night with silhouettes and shadows, movement, and sound. Through subtle shifts in sound, touch, and light, a living terrain emerges, revealing creatures that transform over the course of the night.
Visitors are invited to leave their own mark—at the threshold between day and dream.
Iva Ivanova Sense of Identity (2025) Ball point pen on paper 50 × 70cm, framed
Artists and curator
Robert Gabris works with drawing and performance at the intersection of identity, body, and resistance. His works are characterized by autobiographical narratives, queer perspectives, and a critical examination of social norms. In 2024, his work was featured at the Sydney and Lyon Biennales as well as at mumok Vienna; in 2023 at Belvedere 21; and in 2022 at documenta fifteen.
Iva Ivanova combines drawing, costume design, scenography, and art therapy in her artistic practice. She explores the relationship between memory, trauma, and identity in fictional, emotional imagery. She is founder of the Living Museum Sofia and works participatively with diverse communities.
Natalia Dominguez Rangel combines sound art with sculpture and installation. Her works function as acoustic shelters that transform space through sound, silence, and memory. She teaches at ArtEZ in Arnhem and has worked at the mdw and Columbia University, among others. She was a finalist for the Mario Merz Prize 2025.
Theodor Moise works with drawing, painting, photography, and objects. His poetic imagery explores nature and time, identity and change, in their subtle transformations. In addition to exhibitions in Austria, Germany, and Romania, he has designed numerous books and graphic works.
Lorena Moreno Vera works as an interdependent curator and writer between Vienna and Mexico City. Holding a Master’s degree in Critical Studies from the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, she explores alternative narratives of sonic and visual phenomena at the interface of feminist theory and philosophy of science. She has curated numerous exhibitions and worked with institutions and independent projects in Mexico, Austria, Spain, Switzerland, the Netherlands, the US, and Australia.
Children are encouraged to actively participate!
Within the framework of the exhibition and the special relationship between night, nature, and habitat, the art education team offers a variety of artistic educational activities set within the exhibition space and labs. Children, families, teenagers, and interested adults are invited to participate in the following settings:
• Open workshops and labs for all age groups
• School workshops and inclusive formats
• Themed tours on art, materials, and biographies
Building on the themes of the exhibition—light and shadow, shared habitat, insects and animals—artistic techniques and materials are taught from an interdisciplinary perspective. A range of workshop formats is offered, including drawing and painting, as well as exploring light and shadow to bring your own imaginative ideas to life.
Mobile, detail (2025)
Acrylic panels
Various formats, Colored foil, wire
Design your own publication
In the exhibition space, you’ll find individual pages free for use: texts, drawings, instructions, and posters. At the binding station, you can turn these pages into your own, unique exhibition catalog. The artists have also designed six posters that can be folded—exclusively for Shadow Catchers. With each exhibition, your collection grows.
Program and activities
↑ Draw your own insect or animal for the garden of the night here!
The program is conceived for children, young people, and adults. It is moderated and supervised by experienced art educators and artists.
Activities can be booked individually on afternoons and weekends. Specially tailored formats for school and kindergarten groups are available during the week.
Information on the full program is available here.
© Max
Kropitz
Opening hours KinderKunstLabor
Tue–Sun and holidays, 10am–5pm
Opening hours “Das Altoona bistro”
Tue–Sun, 10am–5pm
Altoonapark
Schulring 24
3100 St. Pölten
kinderkunstlabor.at
Instagram: @kinderkunstlabor
● Published by: NÖ Kulturlandeshauptstadt St. Pölten GmbH, Schulring 24, 3100 St. Pölten ● Graphic design: Manuel Radde ● Illustrations: Iva Ivanova ● Printing: Dockner druck@medien, 3125 Kuffern ● Printed on environmentally friendly upcycled paper with byproducts from corn processing
© Patrick Johannsen