About the artist

Born in a former Czechoslovakia, Kiki Spring (maiden name: Kristina Kucerova) was raised in a traditional family in a post-communist country, where societal expectations for women have centred around appearance, marriage and motherhood rather than pursuing ambitious careers and independence. Following her studies of a major in the Slovak language, literature, and fine arts at Comenius University in Bratislava, her aspirations were to utilize her teaching degree in either the educational or corporate sectors, with plans to settle in Slovakia.

However, her trajectory shifted in 2011 when she initially moved to the United States for a few months to improve her English. She ended up staying far longer and, after two years, relocated to Switzerland, where she continues to reside. Living as a single young woman, her years abroad were marked by existential and financial challenges. She navigated various jobs and was not active as an artist for nearly a decade. Despite these hardships, this period proved transformative reshaping her conservative Eastern European background and family values.

In her late thirties, Kiki reemerged as an artist, initially creating a likeable collection of conventional, beautiful female portraits, abstract floral artworks and experimenting with upcycled materials. However, after reconnecting with her family and marrying, her art took on a more personal direction. She began to explore themes of her own life and childhood, delving into the psychology of relationships and trying to find a place and fulfilment in the world. She portrays lonely individuals longing for connection in a “candy world” — a metaphor for the fake, artificial society.

Art Study

2011 - 2013 Graphic Design / St. Louis Community College, St. Louis, USA
2008 Erasmus Scholarship - Fine Arts / University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
2005 - 2010 Master's degree in Fine Arts and Pedagogy / Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia

Awards

2013 Annual Student Art Exhibit in St. Louis Community College, Faculty Choice (Applied Arts) and Best of Show (Applied Arts/Photography) for designing a book about the endangered animal Zanzibar Suni.
2010 Winning design for the representative New Year Card of Comenius University's deanship

Press

Exhibitions

2023 Summer Art Expo, Ragusa, Sicily
2013 St. Louis Community College, St. Louis, USA
2011 Ministry of Defence of the Slovak Republic, Bratislava, Slovakia
2010 Unicredit Bank, Vienna, Austria