Trauma Bondage

In Trauma Bondage, the inaugural exhibition at Vienna Collectors Club’s new space at Hochhaus Herrengasse, Kristina Kulakova explores trauma as an invisible force that distorts perception and shapes attachment. Through photographic still lifes and two video installations, she examines the emotional and societal dynamics of trauma bonds, where pain can mimic love. Her sculptural compositions—featuring balloons, lava stones, eggshells, dried tulips, string, and leather—echo the Japanese art of Shibari, balancing fragility and tension.

The exhibition includes landscape wallpapers of lava fields and the video Pain That I'm Used To, which contrasts a serene lake with a chair embedded with nails—symbolizing the search for comfort in discomfort. Another piece, Instant Therapy, questions the algorithmic promise of online “healing” content. With Trauma Bondage, Kulakova transforms her studio into a space of personal reflection, inviting viewers to engage with trauma’s tenderness, tension, and potential for change.

Abstract art featuring a large peach-like structure balanced on dark, irregular rocks with a small gray sphere at the bottom. Thin metal wire loops above the peach, set against a brown background framed with a light wood border.

DETAILS:

LIST OF WORKS:

Curator:

Livia Klein

Opening:
November 15, 2023

Duration:

November 15, 2023 to January 15, 2024

Location:

Herrengasse 6-8/2/7, 1010 Vienna

A framed photograph of a white, modern art sculpture resembling a pair of rounded shapes, set against a red background, with rocks and rolling hills in the distant landscape.
Close-up of a small decorative sculpture featuring a dark, textured rock, a thin curved wooden stick, and a circular wooden or metal loop, all set against a warm, orange background.
A surreal sculpture featuring a pastel green balloon with a nozzle, connected to two pieces of driftwood by a multicolored braided rope, with purple and black flowers hanging below, all set against a brown background.
A decorative object resembling a cherry made of yellow eggs with a metal wire stem, placed on a textured dark base, with a dark and warm background.
A digitally edited image of a vast, barren desert landscape with sparse low-lying green bushes and rocky hills in the background, featuring a central inset of a cherry-shaped yellow fruit sculpture placed on a black rock against a brown background.
Woman sitting on a bench with two women and one man standing behind her in a room with a wall art, all in black and white.
Close-up of a wooden frame shelf with a row of small metal nails or pins arranged along the edge, against a plain light background.
A wooden display case with a back panel, featuring rows of metal nails on top, placed on a hardwood floor, with a plain white wall in the background.
Woman watching a video on a mounted tablet with earphones hanging on the wall beside her.
A woman with styled hair taking a photo of an artwork on a wall in a gallery or museum, black and white photo.
Close-up of a chocolate cake with white icing, a copper-colored wire decoration, a chocolate piece, and a speckled speckled chocolate egg, all on a red surface.
Two women in an art gallery, one pointing at a large projected image of a mountain lake scene, the other observing. The room has wooden flooring and white walls, with a door in the background.
A person in a fluffy sweater playing the piano, with their hands on the keys.
A modern sculpture composed of a large peach-colored oval object, dark textured rocks, a round stone at the base, and metallic wire elements, all set against a warm, orange-brown background.