Foreword to the Fourth Solo Exhibition

In our previous blog, we touched upon the topic of exhibitions—why artists feel the need to exhibit and how the public can support them. Laura Rainbow has just opened her fourth solo exhibition, and here we bring you the full foreword to the exhibition, written by curator Saša Brkić Christensen.

“It’s been just under a year since the opening of Birds of Happiness, the first solo exhibition by ceramic artist Laura Rainbow. Today, ten months later, at the Croatian Society of Fine Artists, her Birds of Happiness once again fill the gallery space—this time in new forms, shapes, and sculptural expressions, under the title Birds of Happiness – Growing Bigger.

The Birds of Happiness series was born as the artist’s response to the restriction of human freedoms. Observing people who were unhappy and unfree, she became acutely aware of how essential freedom is to happiness. Her ceramic birds, soaring effortlessly and freely through the world, became the Birds of Happiness. This idea and message remain just as important to her today as they were at the moment of their creation, and with the same passion, she continues to shape her Birds of Happiness.

Laura Rainbow, a Zagreb-based artist with eighteen years of experience in ceramic art, continuously finds new ideas and inspirations within this thematic framework, creating unique forms and expressions. This time, her Birds of Happiness take on significantly larger dimensions, with sculptures that command attention with their impressive presence. At the same time, she explores smaller-scale figures—just as captivating in their artistic and coloristic solutions—almost filigree-like miniatures that intrigue both individually and as harmonious flocks.

Once again, the artist has chosen to work with both alternative and traditional clay-shaping and firing techniques. The gallery space reveals works crafted in terracotta, as well as those created using the demanding saggar and raku techniques. In terms of color, she draws from nature—creating birds in muted, earthy browns, as well as in vibrant shades of yellow, blue, purple, and pink. Some tones are subdued with a matte finish, while others radiate intensity from their smooth surfaces. Beyond color, the sculptures’ surfaces are often further refined—transformed into artistic canvases upon which the artist draws, paints, carves, and embosses intricate patterns. The result is a dynamic and playful series of uniquely shaped figures, each with its own name and character.

In addition to three-dimensional works, this exhibition also presents a new series of pieces that could be described as sculptural paintings—almost two-dimensional sculptures distinguished by their relief texture. These works are somewhat larger in scale and feature a darker palette, reflecting the artist’s message. Designed as framed bird reliefs, they still belong to the Birds of Happiness collection, yet they carry a deeper meaning—highlighting the importance of preserving forests as natural habitats for all creatures. They remind us that we, too, are part of the same ecological system, encouraging reflection—especially about the legacy we leave for future generations. While birds may fly freely across the world, they are happiest in their natural homes, which, sadly, are disappearing. That is why these Birds of Happiness appear in a two-dimensional format—still birds in shape, but ones that can no longer fly freely. They are confined within a frame, like birds that have lost their home to deforestation. As the artist explains, every element of nature has its role—even rocks and stones, whose imprints can be found in her two-dimensional works. These stone impressions bring real traces of nature into her sculptures, emphasizing both its beauty and the artist’s message.

Through these two series, Laura Rainbow presents a duality that runs throughout the exhibition—on one hand, vibrant colors, on the other, subdued tones; on one side, three-dimensional plasticity, on the other, two-dimensional reliefs. Birds of Happiness reflect the joy Laura Rainbow finds in her creative process, as well as the happiness they bring to the new homes they travel to. Yet, at the same time, they speak of pressing societal issues—ones the artist continues to address with every new piece she creates.”