Prigušena egzistencija - Muzej savremene umetnosti Vojvodine
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Prigušena egzistencija The Subdued Existence 1 Prigušena egzistencija Savremena umetnička scena SRBIJE Umetnici | Artists Igor Antić | Breda Beban | Goran Despotovski diStruktura | Dragan Ilić | Jelena Jureša Stevan Kojić | MP_art | Museum of Childhood Andrea Palašti | Vessna Perunovich | Nataša Teofilović Zoran Todorović | Miloš Tomić | Selman Trtovac Subdued Existence Serbian Contemporary Art Scene Novi Sad, 2015. U stanju prigušene egzistencije Svetlana Mladenov umetničkim vrednostima i univerzalnom umetničkom diskursu, tražeći često utočište u najužem okruženju, porodici, prijateljima i istomišljenicima. n Postignuti rezultati, u oslobađanju srpske umetnosti od uticaja partijski usmeravanog i kontrolisanog realizma i kasnijeg partijski tolerisanog socijalističkog modernizma posleratnog (II svetski rat) birokratizovanog i tehnokratizovanog društva samoupravnog socijalizma, kroz novu umetničku praku i talase konceptualnih istraživanja s kraja šezdesetih i tokom sedamdesetih godina prošlog veka, te kroz pluralističku, dinamičnu, prevratničku, eklektičku, citatnu, prožetu dekonstruktivističkim taktikama postmodernističku atmosferu osamdesetih godina, bledeli su pred stihijom ratnih razaranja tokom devedesetih godina na prostorima ex-Jugoslavije i terorom Miloševićevog režima u Srbiji. Umetničke slobode, pred kraj 20. veka, trebalo je ponovo osvajati. U ovako komplikovanom i nezahvalnom kontekstu vodili su se dijalozi i uspostavljale relacije unutar umetničke scene Srbije devedesetih. Karakteristika ove scene je nepreglednost, postojanje mnoštva pojedinačnih, ličnih poetika, među kojima se teško može odrediti glavni tok, ali zato je moguće utvrditi postojanje više paralelnih tokova koji nisu suprotstavljeni, već se, naprotiv, dopunju. Početak devedesetih godina prošlog veka obeležen je pojavom „nove skulpture” koja je u tadašnju aktuelnu scenu Srbije unela novi duh i pomerila granice samog medija. Koristeći racionalniji postupak ona se okreće svedenim formama, geometrizmu, minimalizmu, neokonstruktivizmu…. Umetničkoj praksi devedesetih više odgovaraju termini već ranije usvojeni za savremenu skulpturu, kao što su umetnički predmet, objekt, instalacija, fragment, ambijent, a sam način rada primerenije je označiti kao građenje, konstruisanje, slaganje... Odnos prema materijalu je izmenjen. Pored klasičnih, uvodi se obilje „ne-skulptorskih” materijala (filc, koža, najlon, mreža, staklo, poliester, vinaz, guma..). Sve može poslužiti, a mogućnost različitih kombinacija sasvim raznorodnih materijala izazov su za mlade umetnike koji slobodno i veoma autoritativno eksperimentišu. Utisak privremenosti i nedovršenosti njihovih skulptura govori o značaju i važnosti koju pridaju samom procesu rada. Često je on za njih važniji od završnog umetničkog oblika. Delovanje iz ilegale, u prigušenoj egzistenciji, za mnoge umetnike, kao i za samu umetničku scenu Srbije devedesetih, bilo je jedino moguće rešenje. Tokom devedesetih godina prošlog veka, u obeshrabrujućoj atmosferi, nenaklonjenoj novim umetničkim istraživanjima i eksperimentima kao i pojedinačnim, ličnim poetikama koje su težile ka usvajanju univerzalnog jezika umetnosti, krio se iznenađujuće bogat umetnički potencijal. Ontološka potreba za kreiranjem, stvaranjem, građenjem, uspostavljanjem relacija, kao i traganjem za sopstvenim identitetom, unutar globalne umetničke scene, bila je snažnija od neprijateljskog okruženja i odvijala se burno, naročito u drugoj polovini devedesetih. To je vreme obeleženo pojedinačnim naporima stručnjaka i umetnika da sopstveni suženi kulturni prostor priključe internacionalnoj umetničkoj sceni i sa njom uspostave trajni dijalog. U društvu poremećenog sistema vrednosti, postavljaju se, za umetnost, brojna pitanja o njenoj ulozi, društvenom statusu, njenom uticaju na okruženje, o vrednosti njenih ideja i poruka, o moći da kanališe promene i utiče na svest i savest savremenika. Iz perioda izopštenosti prožetog ratnom pometnjom, zabranama, terorom, getoizacijom, podelama, ušlo se na samom kraju dvadesetog veka u period tranzicije koji je još uvek u toku. Proces prodora slike u prostor započet u osamdesetim i stvaranje slike-objekata i instalacija specifičnog dejstva nastavljen je u devedesetim, naročito u drugoj polovini decenije kroz istraživanja u polju sasvim različitih instalacija i rada in situ ali sada u drugačijoj atmosferi relacionih odnosa oslonjenoj na teoriju umetnosti inspirisanoj relacionom estetikom, čiji je utemeljivač Nikolas Burio. Njihovi autori ne dolaze uvek iz vajarskih redova, već češće iz slikarskih . Rad na licu mesta uslovio je prebacivanje težišta interesovanja umetnika za realizaciju svojih plastičkih koncepata iz galerijskih u alternativne i slobodne gradske prostore koji svojom arhitekturom, istorijskim pamćenjem, patinom, urbanističkim osobenostima nude bogat materijal za istraživanje u polju društveno-istorijskih Angažovanost umetničke prakse i pojedinačnih umetničkih napora usmerenih protiv svih tragičnih dešavanja nije bila burna i glasna, već tiha, pritajena i diskretna. Ona se manifestovala u nečinjenju, ignorisanju, ekskluzivitetu, elitizmu, sa vizurom ka autonomnim 5 i estetskih premisa. Druga polovina desete decenije i godine posle obeležene su i pojavom sve intenzivnijeg, od strane umetnosti, osvajanja zaboravljenih i napuštenih gradskih prostora Useljavajući se u njega svojim intervencijama, akcijama, performansima, instalacijama, objektima i privlačeći publiku, omogućila je najdirektniju komunikaciju konteksta, dela i publike. polju novih tehnologija i elektronskih disciplina. Umetnik se slobodno kreće kroz sasvim različite medijske prostore prevazilazeći njihove granice i klasične podele. Mogućnosti kombinovanja su brojne: slika, svetlo, zvuk, pokret, miris... Svaka provokacija na naša čula je dozvoljena. Često se gotovi ili nađeni odbačeni predmeti kombinuju sa svetlom, zvukom, ekranskom slikom. Takođe fotografije, plakati i sve što može biti reprodukcija (umnoženo nebrojeno puta) može biti u relaciji sa video-artom ili komjuterskom slikom. Rezultat su instalacije, video-instalacije, ambijenti, performansi, hepeninzi spektakli... Umetnost sve manje teži za konkretnim i trajnim proizvodom. Često su njene akcije usmerene u pravcu odgovora na izazove određenog prostora ili arhitektonske celine, te se intervencije izvode na licu mesta ili interaktivno preko kompjuterske slike. One mogu ispoljiti želju za provokacijom, šokantnošću... Ponekad su jedini dokumenti o nekoj umetničkoj akciji, hepeningu ili izložbi: fotografije, video-zapis i štampani materijal. U pluralističkoj atmosferi devedesetih mogle su se uočiti tendencije obnavljanja modernizma što je već nagovestila „nova skulptura”, a što se sredinom decenije u slikarstvu manifestovalo geometrizmom i potrebom obnavljanja autonomnosti umetničkog postupka kroz redukciju, monohromiju, minimalizam... bilo da se radilo o čistoj površini slike ili slici-predmetu. Likovni kritičar Sava Stepanov ovu pojavu u vojvođanskoj umetničkoj produkciji naziva „diskretni modernizam”, a teoretičar umetnosti Ješa Denegri . govori o tome da se sve češće polovinom devedesetih u okviru umetničke kritike može uočiti upotreba termina kao što su obnova modernog projekta, moderna posle postmoderne, neomoderna, druga moderna i sl. Kraj dvadesetog veka za umetnost je vrlo kompleksno i složeno vreme. Pogled na umetničku praksu ovog vremena daje sliku nepregledne, eklektičke situacije u kojoj nema velikog značajnog zajedničkog projekta, nema određenog definisanog stila ni pravca, stroge koncepcije, vodeće ličnosti... Umetnost na kraju milenijuma, inventarišući po prošlosti i sopstvenom biću stavila je pod sumnju neke već ukorenjene činjenice i prihvaćene istine, kritički se odnoseći prema tradiciji i mnogim zavodljivim iluzijama. Nema više velikih istina niti ideala, nije više toliko bitno ni samo umetničko delo, rad na njemu kao i sam krajnji rezultat. Važniji su i zanimljiviji odnosi među umetničkim disciplinama, mogućnost novih relacija, kao i njihova egzistencija u određenom prostoru i vremenu. Slobodno kretanje kroz široko polje umetnosti uz stalno eksperimentisanje i istraživački diskurs postali vrlo inspirativni za umetnike. U Srbiji, osvajanje novih medija i uvođenje novih tehnologija proširilo je izražajno polje umetnosti i omogućilo više prostora za eksperiment čije su granice nesagledive. Radoznalost, istraživački duh i hrabrost same umetnosti da se upusti u novo i neistraženo, doprinelo je mnoštvu različitih diskursa koji su otvorili neslućene mogućnosti novoj umetničkoj praksi u Srbiji devedesetih godina dvadesetog veka. Nasuprot ovom opredeljenju za apstraktne forme, početkom devedesteih godina zapaža se, od jedne druge grupe mladih umetnika, insistiranje na figuraciji i vraćanju figure u centar zbivanja što je praćeno jednim više relističkim i podražavalačkim pristupom umetnosti oslonjenim na na tradicije „pop arta”, „nove figuracije”, „hiperrealizma”, primitivne i naivne umetnosti. Za razliku od figuracije s početka osamdesetih koja je sva u ekspresivnom grču, deformacijama, ružnoći, ova sa početka devedesetih je uzdržana, ravnodušna, depresivna. Snažne emocije zamenjene su intelektualnom kontemplacijom. Osećanje ugroženosti sopstvene egzistencije čini vezu između umetnika i dela tešnjom, te umetnik svoju ličnu sudbinu poistovećuje sa sopstvenim delom, tražeći u njemu i kroz njega potvrdu sopstvenog identiteta. Predstavnike ovog toka umetnosti u Srbiji povezuju slična osećanja i atmosfera kojom odišu njihova dela, a to su otuđenost, usamljenost, izolovanost, melanholija, nekomunikativnost, nezainteresovanost, ravnodušnost, ponekad blaga ironoja ili tek nagovešteni humor. Takođe, atmosfera umetničke scene u Srbiji devedesetih (sredina i druga polovina decenije) obeležena je pojavom neokonceptualističkih istraživanja i to kroz nastojanja ponovne aktuelizacije inicijatora „nove umetničke prakse” s kraja šezdesetih i tokom sedamdesetih godina prošlog veka, kroz njihovu revalorizaciju i ponovnu afirmaciju preko mnogobrojnih izložbi i javnih nastupa. U toj poslednjoj deceniji prošlog veka u kojoj se umetnost sve više internacionalizuje, u kojoj se umetnici slobodno kreću različitim kulturnim prostorima, u kojoj umetnost sve više poprima nomadski karakter, jugoslovenski umetnici i galerije, kontakte su ostvarivali vrlo teško i sporadično, a kada je do njih dolazilo, oni su bili rezultat ličnog zalaganja pojedinaca i njihovih već ranijih privatnih kontakata sa umetnicima i galerijama iz Evrope i sveta. Druga polovina devedesetih i sam kraj veka otvorili su neograničene mogućnosti umetničkog istraživanja na 6 Zbacivši desetogodišnji Miloševićev režim, Srbija je, na prelazu vekova, zemlja u tranziciji, na putu ka demokratiji. Potreba njene umetničke scene za otvaranjem i snažnijim kontaktima sa svetom, sve više se aktuelizuje. Raste želja za povezivanjem sa svetskim aktuelnim tokovima umetničke prakse i uključivanjem u istu, za uspostavljanjem veza sa internacionalnim kulturnim prostorom i njegovim akterima: umetnicima, galerijama, asocijacijama, velikim izložbama, umetničkim sajmovima, kritičarima, teoretičarima... često prepuštaju multimedijalnim i intermedijalnim istraživanjima. Danas, skoro deset godina nakon sumornog perioda nacionalne istorije, političke izolovanosti i tokom sporog procesa društvenog oporavka, umetnici i kustosi samoinicijativno uspostavljaju saradnju i komunikaciju sa umetničkom scenom Evrope i sveta, istovremeno proširujući svoje polje istraživanja, metode i jezik umetničkog dela kroz međusobne relacije. Razmatranje odnosa lokalnog i globalnog, regionalnog i univerzalnog, intimnog i javnog, ličnog i političkog ostaje i dalje aktuelno unutar savremene umetničke scene Srbije, ali sada sa manjim insistiranjem na velikim, kolektivnim makropolitičkim pitanjima, već sa sve primetnijim usmerenjem ka individualnim, mikropolitičkim konceptima. Neka od pitanja koja se danas postavljaju su: koliki je značaj mikrozajednice, porodice, intimnog i ličnog sveta pojedinca, kakav je kvalitet međusobne komunikacije, koji su danas preovlađujući vrednosni sistemi, koji su etički i estetski kriterijumi prisutni, a koje bi trebalo valorizovati, kako se suprotstaviti vladajućim stereotipima? Na razuđenoj i dinamičnoj umetničkoj sceni prve decenije 21. Veka, u prividnom „neredu” i ukrštanju različitih subjektivnih istraživanja, poetika, plastičkih koncepata, umetničkog i neumetničkog materijala nije se lako snalaziti, a posebno uočiti i izdvojiti značajne pojave i ličnosti. „Više nema ni Velike umjetnosti ni velikih djela i mi smo uistinu ušli u jednu novu ekonomiju, ekonomiju potpune pobjede estetike. Ta pobjeda, koja odgovara "isparivanju umjetnosti", dobiva svoj umjetnički smisao u okviru susreta i miješanjа među kulturama.”1 U umetničkim konceptima mlađe generacije umetnika može se uočiti proces ka uspostavljanju ravnoteže između klasičnih likovnih disciplina i umetnosti novih tehnologija. Slikarstvo kao jedna od vodećih klasičnih likovnih disciplina, u devedesetim godinama prošlog veka biva potisnuto od inovativnih i brojnih mogućnosti koje su pružale nove tehnologije i eksperimenti sa i u novim medijima (video, digitalna fotografija, animacija, veb-umetnost..), da bi ponovo, u prvoj deceniji novog milenijuma postalo predmet istraživanja i interesovanja pre svih mlađe generacije umetnika. U okviru tog istraživanja može se zapaziti izraženi tok ka figuraciji i vraćanju figure u centar zbivanja. Tako portret i autoportret, koji su se kao žanrovi skoro izgubili, ponovo za umetnike postaju zanimljive teme. Umetnike danas ne povezuje neki zajednički stil, tematika ili ikonografija, oni dele nešto mnogo značajnije: zajednički teorijski i praktični vidokrug u kome duluju, a to je sfera međuljudskih odnosa. Zato su komunikacija, dijalog i saradnja domaće likovne scene sa internacionalnom ključni ne samo za afirmaciju savremene umetničke prakse, već i za ispoljavanje onih elemenata umetničkog rada koji bi svojim životom u zatvorenoj, lokalnoj sredini ostao nevidljiv. Danas je Srbija društvo koje, opterećeno s jedne strane prošlošću i negativnim nasleđem, a sa druge novim tranzicionim procesom koji je u toku, stvara uslove za razvoj atmosfere neizvesnosti, nesigurnosti, depresivnosti, razočaranosti, beznađa, apatičnosti, što još više otežava realizaciju svake kreativne ideje, pozitivne akcije, pa samim tim i umetničke prakse. Savremena umetnost od devedesetih godina prošlog veka do danas nije uspela da se izbori za vidno značajniju poziciju u sopstvenom društvu, već i dalje deluje iz stanja prigušene egzistencije. Podrška, razumevanje i priznanja stižu više sa međunarodne umetničke scene, dok su u sopstvenom društvu njena istraživanja i rezultati marginalizovani. Umetnička scena Srbije danas predstavlja složeni sistem koji na prvi pogled deluje rasplinuto i nepregledno, ali je, zapravo, jedan živo pulsirajući organizam u kome se prepliću uticaji tranzicionog, balkanskog, ali i uređenijeg, srednjoevropskog umetničkog prostora. Teško je izdvojiti glavne umetničke tokove i pravce i njihove najznačajnije aktere jer istovremenost različitih umetničkih istraživanja, njihovo dodirivanje i mešanje čine situaciju na umetničkoj sceni zamršenijom i kompleksnijom. Usvojivši internacionalni umetnički diskurs, obogativši ga specifičnim duhom regiona iz koga potiču i u okviru koga deluju i usvojivši nove tehnologije, umetnici se 1 Yves Michaud, Umjetnost u plinovitu stanju, esej o trijumfu estetike, Zagreb, 2004. 7 Cargo East – Prigušena egzistencija Sanja Kojić Mladenov prošlosti (iako različitih modela komunizma), te raskidanje sa njenim idealima i vrednostima, težnja ka ubrzanoj demokratizaciji društva i otvaranje ka postliberalnom tržištu. Industrijski, tehničko-tehnološki i ekonomski razvoj prisutan na Tajvanu, koji prati snažni razvoj savremene umetničke i medijske prakse, izostao je u Srbiji. Izgradnja i razvoj egzistentnih institucija kulture posvećenih istraživanju, prezentaciji i čuvanju savremene umetnosti, kao i podsticanje izlaska umetnosti u javne prostore (stanice, ulice, trgovi, javni objekti i sl), kod nas još uvek nisu naišli na adekvatnu finansijsku podršku ili nisu smatrani prioritetnim usmerenjima državne politike. Kultura je više ili manje skrajnuta, pod izgovorom „elitizovane“, i zamenjena profitabilnom zabavom primerenijom ukusu širokih narodnih masa. Proces tranzicije, počet devedesetih godina 20. veka, još uvek nije završen, te pravac razvoja ili ekonomskopolitički sistem još uvek zavisi od političkih previranja i partijskih promena. Na snazi je korupcija državnih institucija, politička i ekonomska nestabilnost, nizak standard građana, kulturni diskontuitet, duboka moralna kriza praćena osećanjem beskorisnosti, koji podrivaju umetničku scenu Srbije. Stvaralački rad umetnika i aktivista, prožet kontekstualizacijom društvene stvarnosti, postaje iluzoran, njihov kritički stav se uglavnom ne uzima ozbiljno, ne dobija potrebnu institucionalnu i ekonomsku podršku ili vidljivost u masmedijima, te ostaje zatvoren unutar okvira umetničke scene i prepoznat uglavnom samo od strane stručne javnosti. Stanje savremene umetničke scene Srbije prožeto je dubokom krizom svih segmenata, od institucionalne, političke, ekonomske do socijalne, kulturne, etičke i vrednosne. U takvom stanju gotovo konstantno prisutne nevidljivosti i državne marginalizacije, umetnička scena Srbije prigušeno egzistira razvijajući modele kritike, preživljavanja, alternativnog saodržavanja i samosnalaženja. Njena pritajenost je zato dvostruka, zavisna od odnosa ka dominantnom kulturnom modelu lokalne sredine i zavisna od podrške na internacionalnoj umetničkoj sceni (iako pripada evropskoj, geografski i prirodno). Izlazak van granica predstavlja izazov mnogim umetnicima i kustosima, koji samoinicijativno uspostavljaju saradnju i komunikaciju sa umetničkim scenama Evrope i sveta, istovremeno proširujući svoje polje istraživanja, metode i jezik umetničkog dela kroz međusobne relacije. Traže saradnike u inostranstvu, n Umetnici su danas kreativni putnici koji prelaze granice različitih disciplina, formata i prostora, nomadi koji su u stalnom kretanju, bilo realnom ili virtuelnom. Postali su istraživači drugih kultura u koje odlaze, beležeći i dokumentujući viđeno, a zatim obrađujući i reprodukujući doživljeno. Donose nova znanja, razmišljanja i koncepte, i zatim ih prenose u različite geopolitičke sredine. Putovanje je danas postala neminovnost društvenog, ekonomskog i kulturnog razvoja, a u umetnosti gotovo zaseban medij sa temama kao što su migracija, raseljavanje, komunikacija i prevođenje, dnevnički zapis, egzotizam događaja, mapiranje terena, umetnički aktivizam u ugroženim zemljama i slično. Umetnici sve češće odlaze na drugi kraj sveta kako bi tamo pronašli materijal za svoj umetnički rad (video-zapisi, fotografije, komercijalni proizvodi, dokumentacija, lične priče lokalnog stanovništva, način života i sl), naglašavajući subjektivni doživljaj viđenog. Društveno-geografska arheologija, antropologija i bliski susret sa drugim mogu postati primarni impuls za nastanak dela, bilo da je u pitanju pojedinačni umetnički rad ili kompleksni kolektivni projekat, dok lično poznanstvo i direktna komunikacija otvaraju prostor za neposredniju saradnju među protagonista globalne savremene umetničke scene. Uspostavljanje relacija između umetničke prakse Tajvana i Srbije, omogućeno projektom Cargo East, osim što predstavlja retkost, gotovo kuriozitet, postavlja i niz pitanja o mogućim sličnostima i razlikama tih geografski udaljenih teritorija. Dijalog dve umetničke prakse locirane na istoku svojih kontinenata, Azije i Evrope, poslužilo je kao osnova zajedničkog koncepta i podsticaj za analiziranje značaja geografske pozicije i specifičnosti mesta na razvoj umetničke scene. Za oba aktera se postavljaju pitanja: da li postoji izvesna izolovanost tih teritorija u odnosu na vodeću kulturnu politiku Evrope ili Azije, da li je prisutna marginalizacija njihovih umetnika i umetnica, kao i da li zbog geografske skrajnutosti umetničke scene Tajvana i Srbije imaju specifičan razvoj u odnosu na vodeće tendencije kontinenata na kojima su locirane? Kolike su prednosti, a kolike mane takve (istočne) geografske pozicije i da li one imaju veze sa stereotipnim posmatranjem dominantnih delova sveta i davanja prioriteta civilizaciji i kulturi zapada? Osim geografske udaljenosti od političkih centara, za Tajvan i Srbiju je blisko i zajedničko iskustvo socijalističke 8 Evrope, Severne i Južne Amerike, podstaknuti društvenopolitičkom i kulturnom krizom (naročito prisutnom tokom devedesetih godina 20. veka). Biti izvan granica ili ih ne prihvatati je, i pored svih povlastica višestrukih hibridizacija takozvanog nomadskog subjekta, veoma teška, nimalo romantična pozicija sa kojom se danas susreće veliki broj savremenih umetnika i umetnica iz Srbije. Oni egzistiraju na internacionalnim umetničkim scenama, definišući sebe kroz različite društvene kontekste, geografske odrednice i identitete, razbijajući tako tradicionalne forme egzemplara nacionalne umetnosti. Koncept Prigušene egzistencije formulisan je tako da teži razbijanju tradicionalnog modela nacionalne izložbene selekcije, te otvaranju mogućnosti za afirmaciju mnogostrukih identiteta i pojava koje proširuju sliku stereotipnih revijalnih prezentacija lokalne umetničke scene. istomišljenike ili entuzijaste, kojima saradnja sa institucijama, udruženjima, umetnicima i umetnicama iz Srbije proširuje poznata saznanja, omogućava sustret sa drugačijim, socijalističko-demokratskim, kolektivnoindividualnim, istočnoevropskim ili srednjoevropskim, možda i balkanski egzotičnim. Na izložbi Prigušena egzistencija: savremena umetnička scena Srbije, pripremljenoj i koncipiranoj za prezentaciju u Nacionalnom muzeju likovnih umetnosti Tajvana u Tajčungu (National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts) učestvuju: Igor Antić, Breda Beban, Goran Despotovski, diStruktura, Dragan Ilić, Jelena Jureša, Stevan Kojić, MP_ art, Muzej detinjstva, Andrea Palašti, Vesna Perunović, Nataša Teofilović, Zoran Todorović, Miloš Tomić i Selman Trtovac, autori i autorke čija je aktivnost na domaćoj i međunarodnoj umetničkoj sceni poslednjih godina sve upečatljivija. Izabrani umetnici, umetnice i umetničke grupe savremenim medijskim jezikom istražuju različite kontekste svog društvenog okruženja, naročito teme u vezi sa ličnim odnosom ka društveno-političkoj tranziciji, migraciji, egzilu, globalizaciji, problemima identiteta, svakodnevice i odnosa ka savremenoj ekonomiji, kapitalu i tehnologiji. Izložbu čine oni autori i autorke koji svojim aktivnostima nastoje da prevaziđu teret konzervativizma zatvorene zajednice, koji se internacionalno kreću, sarađuju, razmenjuju znanja i iskustva kroz mnoge multimedijske projekte, festivale, radionice, seminare i rezidencije. Neki su usmereni ka socijalno angažovanoj umetnosti koja je prožeta kritičkom praksom radova koji ukazuju na zatvorenost i ksenofobiju društva, na problem migracije, ekologije i identiteta, kao i na postojanje socijalnih stereotipa. Ispituju odnos pojedinca prema ličnoj i opštoj istoriji ukazujući na probleme suočavanja sa težinom prošlosti, uvodeći originalne zapise i artefakte. Mnogi kritikuju društvo, ekonomske zakonitosti, politiku rata, nacionalizma i diskriminacije, kao i aktuelnu konzumersku potrošnju, često kroz jednostavne niskobudžetne radove. Koriste predmete, materijale i sprave iz svoje svakodnevice kroz mnogostruke principe, među kojima je i uradi to sam (do it yourself – DIY), prožete direktnim podrivanjem autonomnih društvenih sistema. Iako nenametljivo, sve više učestvuju u različitim društvenim pokretima koji se bore za prava pojedinaca, marginalnih i ugroženih grupa – svojim stavovima, radovima, predavanjima i komunikacijom na društvenim mrežama. Takođe, analiziraju povezanost čoveka sa prirodom, odnos prirode i tehnologije, istražuju drugačije stilove života i lične navike. Koriste se humorom, ironijom i apsurdom, kao bitnim elementima u prevazilaženju nagomilanih društvenih problema. Razmatranja odnosa lokalnog i globalnog, regionalnog i univerzalnog, intimnog i javnog, ličnog i političkog prisutna su unutar savremene umetničke scene Srbije od početka procesa tranzicije. Koncept Prigušene egzistencije nastavlja tu praksu i uključuje različite umetničke pristupe koji istražuju relacije savremene umetničke prakse sa naučnim, tehnološkim, prirodnim, društvenim i ličnim okruženjem. Izabrani radovi su realizovani u različitim medijima, među kojima su: crtež, digitalna grafika, instalacija, video-instalacija, performans, akcija, kratki film, video, fotografija, animacija i digitalni mediji. Okupljeni na ovoj izložbi radovi teže proširivanju sopstvenih medijskih ograničenja kroz istraživanje međuodnosa umetnosti i drugih oblasti naučne i društvene delatnosti. Karakteriše ih iskorenjivanje granica i težnja ka uključivanju i asimilaciji pojava drugih, tradicionalnih i neumetničkih diciplina, među kojima su: sociologija, filozofija, psihologija, prirodne nauke, tehnologija ili druge umetnosti: muzika, film i igra. Disciplinarne, političke ili socijalne granice, kao i prostor „između granica“ (limitativna zona) tradicionalno su služile da bi konstruisale ono što je zajedničko kao blisko i prihvatljivo, nasuprot onog što se osporava i ne prihvata. Mnogi autori uključeni u taj koncept tematski razmatraju probleme granica, migracija i egzila. Neki su se svojim školovanjem i/ili životom opredelili za odlazak iz Srbije, za život emigranata u zemljama Zapadne 9 Oslobađanje postojeće prigušenosti Čen Jan-Huei aktuelni trenutak. Na osnovu posmatranja, teme radova na ovoj izložbi mogu grubo opisati na sledeći način: n Zašto je egizstencija prigušena? Zbog tuge i ratova u istoriji? Društvenih potresa? Političkih i ekonomskih tranzicija? Uticaja globalnog okruženja? Ili sumnji o ličnom subjektivnom identitetu? Prvo, kroz rekonstrukciju tekstova i sećanja, i promenu diskursa istorije i kulture. Mnoge političke promene u Istočnoj Evropi su se desile oko 1990. godine, uključujući i pad Berlinskog zida, kao i kraj komunističke vladavine u mnogim zemljama. U međuvremenu, Srbija je takođe doživela drastične političke, ekonomske i društvene promene, koje su posledica raspada bivše Jugoslavije i pada komunističkog režima. Umetnici rekonstruišu narativ prošlosti kroz njihove radove, i time formiraju vertikalnu nit na vremenskoj osi; rekonstrukcija materijalne kulture, objekata i dokumenata, kao i simulacije koje predstavljaju slične scene u drugačijem vremenu i prostoru, generišu različite interpretacije i implikacije, stvarajući mnoštvo opcija u istorijskom čitanju. Na primer, kao što se vidi u delima Muzeja detinjstva, Brede Beban, Andree Palašti, i Selmana Trtovca, umetnici se usmeravaju na regionalnu istoriju i kulturu, kroz sprovođenje kreativnih procesa metodama rekonstrukciie ili simulacije da bi obezbedili publici otvoren prostor za razmišljanje. Umetnička praksa istražuje i razmišlja o neopipljivoj prigušenosti, koja se, pošto je umetnici konkretizuju, istovremeno oslobađa u tom procesu... Prigušena egzistencija: savremena umetnost Srbije fokusira se na najnovije umetničke pojave u Srbiji, predstavljajući različite aspekte savremene umetnosti od 1990. godine do danas. Istovremeno, ona takođe prikazuje kako, u savremenom svetu, sa čestim međunarodnim razmenema i većim slobodama, umetnici Srbije kombinuju lokalnu kulturu i međunarodne trendove u rešavanju lokalnih problema, razmišljajući o sebi, svojoj okolini, i vode diskusije o svom okruženju, društvu, i istoriji na delikatan i detaljan način. Prigušena egzistencija zapravo opisuje stanje opstanka; ono potiče od različitih faktora, uključujući istoriju, politiku, kulturu i društveno okruženje, i utiče na savremenu umetnost. Za razliku od Tajvana, koji je ostrvo okruženo morima, teritorija Srbije se pretežno nalazi na Balkanskom poluostrvu. Kao kontinentalna zemlja, okružena mnogim susedima, Srbija se često nalazi u interakciji sa susednim zemljama i različitim etničkim grupama; etnička raznolikost je jedinstvena osobina srpske kulture, ali i uzrok mnogih previranja. Od Prvog svetskog rata do kraja 20. veka, brojni građanski ratovi i sukobi sa drugim zemljama, kao i društvene i političke tranzicije, doprineli su kompleksnosti srpskog kulturnog okruženja; faktori kao što su autoritarni režim i vihor rata tokom devedesetih godina 20. veka ponovo su uticali na opstanak Srbije i njenu kreativnu sredinu. U to vreme, sa ograničenom međunarodnom razmenom i umetničkom praksom, stanje prigušenosti se nastavilo; razvoj savremene srpske umetnosti zavisio je od toga kako se prema njoj odnosila domaća politika i lokalna kultura, kao i od priznanja međunarodnih umetničkih krugova. Kroz pomenutu prošlost i u sadašnjim uslovima, sadržaji i status kvo savremene srpske umetnosti su se akumulirali. Drugo, ispitivanje društvenih odnosa i pojava. Društvo, okruženje formirano radi opstanka, od strane čoveka, jedna je od glavnih tema istraživanja i diskusije u oblasti savremene umetnosti. Na ovoj izložbi svedoci smo široke diskusije o ovoj vrsti tema, koje uključuju međusobne odnose koje ljudi formiraju među grupama - u zemlji, društvu, religiji, u porodici; umetnici izražavaju svoju zabrinutost zbog različitih dešavanja i ideologija među zemaljama, kritikuju socijalna pitanja i fenomene, posmatraju društvenu zastupljenost i otuđenje među grupama, i ispituju lične subjektivne identitete. U radovima Igora Antića, Gorana Despotovskog, MP_arta, Zoran Todorovića, Jelene Jureše, i Vesne Perunović, umetnici i umetničke grupe ispituju i istražuju različite društvene dimenzije i prigušene odnose među njima kroz sopstvene perspektive, pružajući publici mogućnost da spozna gde leže pravi problemi. Treće, razmišljanje o međusobnom uticaju ljudskog opstanka i prirodnog okruženja. Sa razvojem moderne tehnologije, postalo je sve teže održavati ravnotežu između prirodnog i ljudskog okruženja. U poslednje vreme, uz rastuću ekološku svest, ljudi su počeli da razmišljaju o šteti koju civilizacija i razvoj nanose prirodi. Na primer, Njihova sopstvena okolina i iskustvo su postali kreativni okvir i podsticaj za srpske savremene umetnike; njihovi radovi u potpunosti odražavaju njihove reakcije na 10 Stevan Kojić usmerava svoju pažnju na suživot tehnologije, prirode, pojedinca i životne sredine; umetnička grupa diStruktura poredi i suprotstavlja urbani pejzaž i prirodno okruženje u svom pokušaju da ponovo uspostavi veze između čoveka i prirode. “povratku potisnutog” Herberta Markuzea, on smatra da je “umetnost opozicija,” i da ljudska “umetnička mašta” može biti izraz prevazilaženja stvarnosti i eliminacije represje.1 Ova ideja se ogleda u različitim kreativnim radovima o “granicama” na ovoj izložbi, koji ispituju prevazilaženje ograničenja i slobode, realnog i virtuelnog, umetničkog dela i stvarnog života, veštačkog i prirodnog, muzike i zvuka. Ideja prelaska granice nastaje zato što se mi nalazimo sa jedne strane granice, i nesigurni smo, nezadovoljni, ili čežnemo za begom iz trenutnog stanja; nadamo se da ćemo preći preko postojeće granice radi ostvarenja našeg traganja za nečim drugačijim nego što smo već, promenâ koje želimo, i mnogih očekivanja i maštanja u vezi sa stvarima izvan te granice. Ovo takođe podseća na društvene uslove koje je navela Sanja Kojić Mladenov, jedan od kustosa, u svojoj kustoskoj izjavi; zbog tog osećaja svođenja na preživljavanje kao posledice ratova i politike, mnogi Srbi i umetnici Srbije su devedesetih godina dvadesetog veka i emigrirali. Nacionalna granica, ta linija u stvarnosti, predstavljala je barijeru za mnoge ljude u to vreme: ostati? Ili poći i “preći” u druge zemlje? Ovde, kroz kreativni proces, granica je eliminisana. ili je pređena, kao projekcija sopstvenih želja, što istovremeno oslobađa od osećaja represije. Konačno, razgovore o svakodnevnom životu i sopstvu, i istraživanje mogućnosti prevazilaženja postojećih koncepata. Društvo u kome živimo sadrži mnoge utvrđene koncepte, navike i pravila koja koegzistiraju sa nama, iz dana u dan. Umetnici, kroz blisku posmatranje svakodnevnog života, preispituju detalje koje mi uzimamo zdravo za gotovo ili ih često zanemarujemo, i predlažu različite stavove u vezi sa ovim utvrđenim shvatanjima. Na primer, Nataša Teofilović se bavi konverzijom i transcendencijom između virtuelnog i realnog, tako što omogućava virtuelnom svetu i publici da se vide i razgovaraju jedni sa drugima; Dragan Ilić se fokusira na sondiranje odnosa manipulacije i izmanipulisanosti između čoveka i njegovih alata i mašina; Miloš Tomić uveličava trivijalne događaje i objekte u životu i uključuje muziku u svojim delima, koristeći zvukove i objekte za stvaranje melodije koji se lako pronalaze, ne ograničavajući se postojećim načinima reprodukcije muzike, da bi istražio nove mogućnosti u muzici. Kroz ove teme, možemo grubo oceniti aspekte na koje se srpska savremena umetnost fokusira. Umetnici žustro diskutuju o područjima u kojima žive, uključujući njihovu istoriju, kulturu, društvo, prirodno okruženje, i svakodnevni život. Oni posmatraju, vide, i razmatraju različite društvene predstave, institucije, i identitete, i postavljaju pitanja i predlažu ideje kroz svoje umetničke kreacije. Možda je to zato što je njihova okolina u periodu tranzicije, što podiže svest o sopstvenoj društvenoj odgovornosti, tako da oni podržavaju njen opstanak kroz aktivno angažovanje u umetničkoj praksi. Kroz radove na ovoj izložbi, možemo videti kako umetnici svojim delima prikazuju promene u društvu u kome žive. Sa racionalnim, ali i osetljivim stavom (neki uključuju i tugu i kritike), oni pripovedaju o sećanju, istorijskom okviru, političkim previranjima, međunarodnim odnosima i represiji vrednosti iz prošlosti, kao i o teretima i pritiscima koji su rezultat napretka ljudske civilizacije. Na ovoj izložbi, umetnici ili otkrivaju nelagodu sputanosti i ograničenja kroz forme njihovih dela, ili razmišljaju o prošlim tugama kroz svoje teme, kao odgovor na uticaje okoline na sebe i druge. Ova izložba sakuplja kreativna gledišta srpskih umetnika različitih generacija da bi predstavila trenutni odraz društva u Srbiji kroz raznovrsne kreativne forme. Lokalna istorija i kulturni kontekst se pripoveda, rekonstruiše, ili prolazi dalja tumačenja u ovim radovima, predstavljajući situacije i spoznaje sa kojima se suočavaju oni koji žive u okruženju “prigušene egzistencije” i savremene umetnosti. Iako su u stanju prigušenosti, stvari koje umetnici pokušavaju da izraze se u potpunosti ispoljavaju u njihovim radovima; represija je transformisana u radove koji mogu jasnije iskazati sve tenzije i implikacije, predstavljajući i deleći ideje sa publikom različitog porekla. Možda se “prigušena egzistencija” prikazana na ovoj izložbi može definisati i kao: postojeća “prigušenost,” i u procesu kreiranja u okvirima umetničkih dela, i u trenutku izlaganja, može biti postepeno oslobođena. U svojim delima, umetnici pripovedaju o toj prigušenosti kroz forme, koncepte, ili teme; i transformišu osećaj represije kroz kreativni proces. U sličnim diskusijama o 1 Herbert Marcuse, Eros and Civilization: A Philosophical Inquiry into Freud, Boston: Beacon Press, 1966. 11 12 13 In the State of Subdued Existence Svetlana Mladenov environment, family, friends and like-minded individuals. n The achieved results in the release of Serbian art from the influence of a communist party-directed and controlled realism and later a party-tolerated socialist modernism of a post-war (World War II) bureaucratized and technocratic society of socialist self-management, through new artistic practice and waves of conceptual research in the late 1960s, throughout the 1970s and the pluralistic, dynamic, subversive, eclectic, citationist postmodernist atmosphere of the 1980s, imbued with deconstructionist tactics, all faded before the chaos of war and destruction in the 1990s on the territory of exYugoslavia and the terror of Milošević’s regime in Serbia. Artistic freedoms, at the end of the 20th century, had to be conquered again. Dialogues and relationships within the art scene of Serbia in the 1990s were established in a thus complicated and inconvenient context. The feature of the scene was vastness, a multitude of individual, personal poetics, among which it was hard to determine the mainstream, but it was possible to determine the existence of multiple parallel trends which were not contradictory. Quite the opposite, they complemented each other. The beginning of the 1990s was marked by the emergence of “new sculpture,” which brought a new spirit to the then current scene in Serbia and pushed the limits of the medium, itself. Using a more rational procedure, it turned to reduced forms, geometrism, minimalism, neoconstructivism.... More appropriate terms for the artistic practice of the 1990s were ones previously adopted for contemporary sculpture: art object, object, installation, fragment, and environment, and the way of work would more appropriately be labeled as construction, fabrication, assembling... The attitude towards the material has also changed. In addition to the classic ones, plenty of non-sculptural materials (felt, leather, nylon, mesh, glass, polyester, vinyl, rubber..) were introduced. Everything could be used and the options of various combinations of completely different materials were quite a challenge for young artists who experimented freely and very authoritatively. An impression of temporality and incompleteness of their sculptures speaks of the importance artists attribute to the process of work, itself, which was very often more important to them than the final art form. For many artists, covert activities, a subdued existence, was the only possible solution, as well as for the 1990s art scene in Serbia, itself. A surprisingly rich artistic potential was hiding in the discouraging atmosphere of the 1990s, inclined neither towards new artistic research and experiments nor to individual, personal poetics which tended towards the adoption of a universal language of art. The ontological need of an artist to design, create, build, establish relationships and search for his own identity within the global art scene had been more powerful than the hostile environment. It was particularly expressed during the second half of the 1990s. This period was marked by the individual efforts of professionals and artists to integrate their own narrow cultural space within the international art scene and to begin an ongoing dialogue with it. In a society of a disturbed system of values, numerous questions have been raised about art, its role, social status, its impact on the environment, the value of its ideas and messages, its power to channel changes and affect the consciousness and conscience of its contemporaries. At the very end of the 20th century, emerging from the period of isolation, pervaded by the chaos of war, bans, terror, ghettoization, divisions, Serbia entered a period of a still ongoing transition. The process of breakthrough of image into space, initiated in the 1980s, and the creation of the painting-object and installations with specific effects continued in the 1990s, especially in the second half of the decade, through research in the field of entirely different installations and work in situ, albeit now in a different atmosphere of relations, based on theory of art inspired by relational aesthetics whose founder was Nicolas Bourriaud. The authors of these works were not only sculptors, but more often - painters. The social engagement of artistic practice and individual artistic efforts in opposition to tragic events in this region was neither dramatic nor violent. On the contrary, it was quiet, subdued, and discreet. It was reflected in nonaction, ignoring, exclusivity, elitism and commitment to autonomous artistic values, and a universal artistic discourse, often seeking refuge in the narrowest The work in situ caused a shift of the artists’ focus of interest, regarding the implementing of their concepts of plasticity, from the gallery space to alternative and available urban spaces, which, with their architecture, historical memory, patina and urban features provide rich material 14 for research on a socio-historical and aesthetic level. The second half of the 1990s, and the years that followed, were marked by the emergence of a more intensive artistic conquest of forgotten and abandoned urban spaces. By moving in, with its interventions, actions, performances, installations and facilities, and by attracting the public, art was enabling an entirely direct communication between context, work of art and the audience. the field of new technologies and electronic disciplines. An artist was free to move through a variety of media spaces, overcoming their limits and classical divisions. The possibilities for combining were numerous: image, light, sound, movement, smell... Any provocation to the observer’s senses was allowed. Finished or discarded objects were often combined with light, sound, screen image. Also, photos, posters, and anything else that could be reproduced (multiplied infinitely many times) could be in relation to video-art or the computer image. The result was installations, video installations, environments, performances, happenings, spectacles... Art has increasingly less been trying to create a concrete and lasting product. Its actions are often directed towards providing answers to challenges of a certain space or an architectural unit; these interventions have been carried out on-site or interactively, via the computer image. They can display the artist’s intention to provoke or shock the audience... Sometimes photographs, videos and printed material remain as the only documents of an art action, a happening or an exhibition. In the pluralistic atmosphere of the 1990s, one could observe trends of renewal of modernism, already indicated by “new sculpture,” which manifested in the mid-1990s as geometrism and the need to restore the autonomy of the artistic process through reduction, monochromy, minimalism… whether it was regarding a pure surface of a painting or an painting-object. Art critic Sava Stepanov called this phenomenon in Vojvodina’s art production “discrete modernism,” and art historian Ješa Denegri pointed out that in the mid-1990s, within art criticism, the use of terms such as reconstruction of the modern project, modernism after postmodernism, neomodernism, the second modernism, etc. was becoming more common. The end of the 20th century had been a very complex and complicated time for art. An overview of the artistic practice of that period gives a picture of a vast, eclectic situation, without a large, significant joint project, a defined style or direction, strict concept, leading figure... Art at the end of the millennium, exploring the past and its own being, brought into suspicion some established facts and accepted truths, critically referring to tradition and many seductive illusions. There are no more grand truths or ideals, the work of art, itself, the process, or the outcome, do not matter so much anymore. Relationships between artistic disciplines, the ability to set up new relations, as well as their existence in a particular place and time, are more important and more interesting. Free movement through the wide field of art, with constant experimenting, and a discourse of research, became very inspiring for artists. The conquest of new media and the implementation of new technologies expanded the expressive field of art in Serbia and enabled more space for experimenting, the limits of which are incalculable. Curiosity, an exploring spirit and courage of art itself to get involved in the new and unexplored, contributed to the emergence of numerous different discourses, which opened up vast possibilities for the new artistic practice in Serbia in the 1990s... Contrary to this preference for abstract form, in the beginning of the 1990s, another group of young artists emerged insisting on the return of figuration and figure in the center of events, which was accompanied by a more realistic, imitative approach to art, referencing traditions of pop art, new figurative art, hyperrealism, primitive and naive art. Unlike the figuration from the period of the early 1980s, which was all in an expressive spasm, deformities, ugliness, the one from the beginning of the 1990s was reserved, apathetic, depressed. Strong emotions were replaced with intellectual contemplation. Feelings of existential vulnerability rendered the connection between the artist and his work tighter, as the artist identified his personal destiny with his own work, searching within it and through it a confirmation of his own identity. Representatives of this trend in the art of Serbia were connected with similar feelings and the atmosphere which their works invoke- alienation, loneliness, isolation, melancholy, lack of communication, lack of interest, indifference, sometimes mild irony or hints of humor. The atmosphere of the art scene in Serbia during the 1990s (mid and second half of the decade) was marked by the emergence of neoconceptualist research, through the reactualization of the initiators of the “new artistic practice” of the late 1960s and the 1970s, by their revalorization and reaffirmation through numerous exhibitions and public performances. In the last decade of the 20th century, in which art was becoming more internationalized, and artists were freely moving through various cultural spaces, in which art has been taking on an increasingly nomadic character, Yugoslav artists and galleries made contacts only sporadically and with difficulty, and when they succeeded, The second half of the 1990s and the end of the century opened up limitless opportunities for artistic research in 15 it was only due to personal efforts of individuals and their earlier private contacts with artists and galleries in Europe and worldwide. make the situation on the art scene more complicated and complex. By adopting an international artistic discourse, enriching it with the specific spirit of the region they hail from, within which they operate, and through adopting new technologies, artists often submerge themselves in multimedia and intermedial research. By toppling Milošević’s ten-year regime, Serbia found itself, between the two millenniums, in a position of a country in transition, on its way towards democracy. The need of its art scene for opening up and closer contacts with the world was becoming more visible. There was a growing desire to connect with the world’s current trends and also become involved in them, the need to establish links with the international cultural space and its protagonists - artists, galleries, associations, major exhibitions, and art fairs, critics, and theorists… Today, more than ten years after a bleak period in national history, political isolation, and during the slow process of social recovery, artists and curators independently establish cooperation and communication with the art scenes of Europe and the world, while expanding their field of research, methods and language of their artwork through mutual relationships. Considering the local and the global, the regional and the universal, intimate and public, personal and political, remains a trend within the contemporary art scene of Serbia, albeit now with less insistence on the great, collective, macro-political issues, and a pronounced shift towards individual, micro-political concepts. Some of the questions proposed today are: how significant is the importance of the micro-community, family, the intimate and personal world of an individual, what is the quality of mutual communication, what are the dominant value systems today, which ethical and aesthetic criteria are present, and which ones should be valorized, how to oppose prevailing stereotypes? It had not been easy to navigate the dispersed and dynamic art scene of the first decade of the 21st century, amidst an illusionary “disorder” and the intersection of different subjective research, poetics, concepts of plasticity, artwork and non-artistic materials, and particularly difficult to spot and isolate significant events and personalities. “There is no more Great Art or great works of art, and we truly entered into a new economy, the economy of the total victory of aesthetics. This victory, which corresponds to the “vaporization of art,” receives its artistic meaning within the framework of encounters and the mix of cultures.”1 A process of balancing between classic fine art disciplines and the art of new technologies can be seen in the artistic concepts of the younger generation of artists. In the 1990s, painting, as one of the leading classical fine art disciplines, was suppressed by innovative, numerous options provided by new technologies and experiments with, and in, new media (video, digital photos, animation, web art..), and in the first decade of the new millennium it became yet again the subject of research and interest, especially for the younger generation of artists. Within this research, a turn towards figuration could be recognized, as well as the return of the figure at the center of events. Thus the portrait and self-portrait, genres which had almost disappeared, were again becoming interesting for artists. Today, artists are not connected by any common style, theme or iconography, they share something much more important: a common theoretical and practical worldview in which they act, and that is the sphere of human relations. Therefore, communication, dialogue and cooperation between the local fine art scene with the international one are key not only for the promotion of contemporary art practice, but also for the exhibiting of those elements of their art work which would otherwise remain invisible living in an isolated local environment. Serbia today is a society burdened, on the one hand, with the past and a negative legacy, and on the other, with a new transition process that is underway, creating conditions for the development of an atmosphere of uncertainty, insecurity, depression, disappointment, hopelessness, apathy, which further complicates the implementation of any creative idea, positive action, and therefore artistic practice, itself. Contemporary art, from the 1990s until today, had not been able to establish a visibly significant position in its own society, but still works from the state of a subdued existence. Support, understanding and recognition are coming from the international art scene, while in its own society, its research and results have been marginalized. The Serbian art scene today represents a complex system, which, at first glance, seems dispersed and vast, but it is actually a living, pulsating organism in which the effects of the transitional, the Balkan, as well the better organized, Central European art space intertwine. It is difficult to single out major artistic schools and trends and their most important protagonists, since the simultaneity of different artistic research, its intersection and mixing 1 Yves Michaud, Umjetnost u plinovitu stanju, esej o trijumfu estetike, Zagreb, 2004. 16 Cargo East – Subdued Existence Sanja Kojić Mladenov of the world and the prioritizing of the civilization and culture of the West? n Artists today are creative travelers crossing the boundaries of different disciplines, formats, and spaces, nomads in constant motion - either real, or virtual. They have become explorers of other cultures to which they venture, record and document the observed, and then process and reproduce the experienced. They bring new knowledge, thoughts and concepts, and then transfer them into different geopolitical environments. Travel today has become a necessity of social, economic and cultural development, and, in art, almost a separate medium with topics such as migration, displacement, communication and translation, diary notes, exoticization of events, mapping of the terrain, artistic activism in countries in need, etc. Artists increasingly travel to the other end of the world to find material for their art practice (video recordings, photographs, commercial products, documentation, personal stories of local people, way of life, etc) emphasizing the subjective experience of the observed. Socio-geographical archeology, anthropology and a close encounter with the other can become the primary impetus for the genesis of a work, whether in terms of individual artwork or a complex collective project, while personal acquaintances and direct communication open the field for closer cooperation among the protagonists of the global art scene. In addition to the geographical distance from political centers, both Taiwan - Republic of China and the Republic of Serbia have a close and shared experience of a socialist past (although with different models of communism) and the break up with its ideals and values, a striving for an accelerated democratization of society and an opening up towards the post-liberal market. Industrial, technical-technological and economic development present in Taiwan, followed by the rapid development of contemporary art and media practice, has been absent in Serbia. The construction and development of existent cultural institutions dedicated to the research, presentation and preservation of contemporary art, as well as stimulating the emergence of art in public places (stations, streets, squares, public buildings, etc), have still not received adequate financial support in our country or have not been considered to be priority orientations of state policy. Culture has been more or less sidelined under the pretext of “elitism” and replaced with more profitable entertainment, appropriate for the tastes of the masses. The process of transition, which began during the 1990s, has not yet been completed, and the direction of development or the economic-political system still depends on political turmoil and changes within parties. There is corruption of state institutions, political and economic instability, low standard of living for the citizens, a cultural discontinuity, a deep moral crisis, accompanied by a feeling of futility, which all undermine the art scene of Serbia. The creative work of artists and activists, imbued with the contextualization of social reality, becomes illusory, their critical approach is generally not taken seriously, it does not receive the necessary institutional and economic support or visibility in the mass media, remains confined within the framework of the art scene and is mostly recognized only by experts. The state of the contemporary art scene in Serbia is permeated by a deep crisis of all segments, from the institutional, political, economic, to the social, cultural, ethical and value-based. In this state of an almost constantly present invisibility and marginalization, the art scene of Serbia lives a subdued existence, developing models of critique, survival, alternative self-sustainment and resilience. Its subdued state is therefore twofold, dependent on the relationship to the dominant cultural model of the local environment and dependent on the support of The establishing of relations between the artistic practice of Taiwan – Republic of China and Serbia facilitated by the Cargo East project, other than being a rarity, almost a curiosity, also raises a number of questions on the possible similarities and differences between these geographically distant territories. The dialogue between the two artistic practices both located on the eastern side of their continents, Europe and Asia, has served as the basis for a common concept and as an incentive for the analysis of the importance of geographic location and its specificity for the development of contemporary artistic practice. Questions raised for both protagonists are: has there been a certain isolation of these territories in relation to the leading cultural policy of Europe or Asia, is the marginalization of their artists present, and do the art scenes of Taiwan and Serbia have specific development in relation to the major tendencies of the continent on which they are located, due to being geographically sidelined? What are the advantages and disadvantages of such an (eastern) geographical location and are they associated with a stereotyped observation by the dominant parts 17 the international art scene (although geographically and naturally it belongs to Europe). The crossing of borders represents a challenge to many artists and curators, who, on their own, establish cooperation and communication with the art scenes of Europe and the world, while expanding their field of research, methods and language of artwork through mutual relations. Seeking collaborators abroad, like-minded individuals or enthusiasts, for whom the cooperation with institutions, associations, and artists from Serbia facilitates extended knowledge, and enables meeting the different, socialist-democratic, collective-individual, East or Central European, Balkan, or perhaps exotic. The participants of the exhibition Subdued Existence: Serbian Contemporary Art Scene, prepared and conceived for presentation in the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts in Taichung, are: Igor Antić, Breda Beban, Goran Despotovski, diStruktura, Dragan Ilić, Jelena Jureša, Stevan Kojić, MP_art, Muzej detinjstva, Andrea Palašti, Vesna Perunović, Nataša Teofilović, Zoran Todorović, Miloš Tomić and Selman Trtovac, authors whose activities at the national and international art scene in recent years have become increasingly distinct. Selected artists and artistic groups, through contemporary media language, explore different contexts of their social environment, especially topics related to the personal attitude towards socio-political transition, migration, exile, globalization, identity issues, daily life and the relationship towards the modern economy, capital and technology. Considerations of the relationships between local and global, regional and universal, intimate and public, personal and political are present within the contemporary art scene of Serbia since the beginning of the transition process. The concept of Subdued Existence continues this practice and includes a variety of artistic approaches that explore the relationships of contemporary artistic practice with the scientific, technological, natural, social and personal environment. The selected works were carried out in a variety of media, including: drawing, digital graphics, installations, video installations, performance, actions, short film, video, photography, animation and digital media. Gathered at this exhibition, the works tend towards the expansion of their own media limitations, through the study of the interrelationships of art and other fields of scientific and social activities. They are characterized by the elimination of boundaries and the pursuit of integration and assimilation of phenomena from other, traditional and non-artistic disciplines including: sociology, philosophy, psychology, science, technology, or other arts: music, film and dance. Disciplinary, political or social borders, as well as the space “between borders” (the liminal zone) were used traditionally to construct what is common as familiar and 18 acceptable, as opposed to what is disputed and rejected. Many of the authors included in this concept thematically consider the problem of borders, migration and exile. Some, through their education and/or life, decided to leave Serbia, and live an immigrant life in Western European countries, North and South America, driven by the sociopolitical and cultural crisis (especially prevalent in the 1990s). Being beyond borders or not accepting them, despite all the benefits of multiple hybridizations of the socalled nomadic subject, is a very tough, entirely unromantic position faced today by a large number of contemporary artists from Serbia. They exist on international art scenes, defining themselves through different social contexts, geographical settings and identities, thus breaking the traditional form of exemplars of national art. The concept of Subdued Existence has been formulated in a way that it tends towards the breaking of the traditional model of a national exhibition selection, thus creating an opportunity for the recognition of multiple identities and phenomena that extend the notion of stereotypical revue presentations of the local art scene. The exhibition consists of those authors who through their activities strive to overcome the burden of conservatism of a closed community, who are mobile internationally, collaborate, share knowledge and experiences through many multimedia projects, festivals, workshops, seminars and residencies. Some are focused towards socially engaged art that is imbued with the critical practice of works which indicate the isolation and xenophobia of a society, the problem of migration, environment and identity, as well as the existence of social stereotypes. They examine the relationship of the individual with the personal and common history, pointing towards the problems of dealing with the weight of the past, introducing original records and artifacts. Many criticize society, economic laws, policies of war, nationalism and discrimination, as well as the current consumerist consumption, often through simple lowbudget works. They use objects, materials and equipment from their everyday life through multiple principles, including DIY (do it yourself ), infused with a direct undermining of autonomous social systems. Although discretely, they are becoming increasingly involved in various social movements that fight for the rights of individuals, marginalized and vulnerable groups, through their attitudes, work, teaching and communications on social networks. They also analyze the connection between man and nature, the relationship between nature and technology, explore different lifestyles and personal habits. They use humor, irony and absurdity, as essential elements in overcoming accumulated social problems. Releasing the Existing Subduedness CHEN Yan-Huei observation, the themes of the works in this exhibition can be roughly described below: n Existence, why is it subdued? For sorrows of wars in its history? Social upheavals? Political and economic transitions? Impact of global environment? Or doubts about personal subjective identity? First, reenacting texts and memories, and re-discoursing history and culture. In Eastern Europe many political changes happened around 1990, including the fall of the Berlin Wall, as well as the end of communist rule in many countries. In the meantime, Serbia also experienced drastic political, economic, and social changes, which were results of the breakup of ex-Yugoslavia and the fall of communist regime. Past history was re-narrated by artists through their works, forming a vertical connection on the timeline; the reenactment of material culture, objects, and documents, as well as simulations that present similar scenes in a different time and space, generated different interpretations and implications, creating multiplicity in historical reading. For example, as seen in works by Museum of Childhood, Breda Beban, Andrea Palašti, and Selman Trtovac, the artists focus on regional history and culture, conducting creative process through methods of reenactment or simulation to provide viewers with an open thinking space. Artistic practice, contemplates on, and explores intangible subduedness, which, as artists concretize it, is simultaneously released in the process…. “Subdued Existence: Serbian Contemporary Art Scene” focuses on Serbian art phenomena at the moment, presenting the different facets of contemporary art from the 1990s to modern day. At the same time, it also reflects how, in today’s world that enjoys frequent international exchanges and more freedom, Serbian artists combine local culture and international trends to address local issues and reflect on self and surrounding environment, conducting discussions on their environment, society, and history in a delicate and microscopic fashion. “Subdued existence” is actually describing a state of survival; it originates from different factors including history, politics, culture, and social environment, and influences contemporary art. Unlike Taiwan, which is an island surrounded by seas, Serbia’s territory is predominantly located on the Balkan Peninsula. As a landlocked country surrounded by many neighboring countries, Serbia frequently interacts with its neighboring countries and different ethnical groups; ethnical diversity is a unique trait of Serbian culture, but it is also the cause of much turmoil. From WWI to the end of the 20th century, numerous civil wars and conflicts with other countries, as well as social and political transitions, contributed the complexity of Serbian cultural environment; factors such as the authoritarian regime and chaos of war during the 1990s once again changed Serbia’s survival and creative environment. At the time, with limited international exchange and artistic practice, the subdued state continued to exist; the development of Serbian contemporary art depended on how it was regarded by domestic policies and the local culture, as well as recognitions earned from the international art circles. Through the aforementioned past and current conditions, the contents and status quo of Serbian contemporary art are accumulated. Their very own surroundings and experience have become the creative backdrop and aspiration for Serbian contemporary artists; their works fully reflect how they respond to the current moment. Based on my own Second, examining social relations and phenomena. Society, the environment of survival formed by human being, is one of the main topics explored and discussed in the realm of contemporary art. In this exhibition, we can see the wide discussion on this kind of themes, which include the inter-relationships among groups—country, society, religion, and family—formed by people; the artists express their concerns for the different situations and ideologies between countries, criticize social issues and phenomena, observe social representation and the alienation among groups, and question personal subjective identities. In the works of Igor Antić, Goran Despotovski, MP_art, Zoran Todorović, Jelena Jureša, and Vessna Perunovich, the artists and artistic group examine and probe different social dimensions and the subdued relationship among them via respective perspectives, allowing viewers to find out where the real problems lie. Third, reflecting on the mutual influence between human survival and natural environment. With the development of modern technology, it has become increasingly difficult to maintain the balance between natural and human environment. In recent years, with growing environmental awareness, people have started to reflect on the harms civilization and development have 19 related discussions on “return of the repressed” proposed by Herbert Marcuse, he believes that “art was opposition”, and human “artistic imagination” can express the surpassing of reality and the elimination of repression.1 This idea is reflected by the different creative works on “boundaries” in this exhibition that examine the crossover of restrictions and freedom, reality and virtuality, artwork and real life, artificial and natural, and music and sound. The idea of crossing over boundary emerges because we are on one side of the boundary, and are uncertain of, unsatisfied with, or longing for an escape from the current status; we hope to cross over the existing boundary in order to realize our pursuit for something different than what we already are, changes that we desire, and the many expectations and imaginations regarding the things beyond the boundary. This also echoes the social conditions mentioned by Sanja-Kojić Mladenov, one of the curators, in the curatorial statement; because of that sense of repression on survival resulted from wars and politics, many Serbians and Serbian artists emigrated in the 1990s. National boundary, this line in reality, posed as a barrier for many people at the time: stay? Or move and “cross over” to other countries? Here, through creative process, the boundary is eliminated or crossed, like a projection of own desires, which simultaneously releases this sense of repression. brought upon nature. For example, Stevan Kojić focuses on the coexistence of technology, nature, individual, and environment; artistic group diStruktura compares and contrasts urban landscape and natural environment in its attempt to reestablish ties between human being and nature. Lastly, conversing on daily life and self, and testing the possibility to go beyond existing conceptions. The society we live in contains many established concepts, habits, and rules that coexist with us day after day. Artists, through close observation on daily life, reexamine the details we take for granted or often neglect, and propose different views regarding these established conceptions. For example, Natasa Teofilović addresses the conversion and transcendence between virtuality and reality, allowing the virtual world and viewers to see and converse with one another; Dragan Ilić focuses on probing the relationship of the manipulating and the manipulated between men and the tools and machines used by them; Miloš Tomić magnifies the trivial events and objects in life and incorporates music in his works, using easily found sounds and objects to create melody rather than limiting himself to existing ways of playing music, to explore new possibilities for music. Through these themes, we can roughly see the aspects that Serbian contemporary art focuses on. The artists are passionate in discussing the regions in which they live, including the history, culture, society, natural environment, and daily life. They observe, perceive, and reconsider different social representations, institutions, and identities, and propose their questions and ideas through artistic creations. Maybe it is because their surroundings are in a transitional period, which elevates their awareness of social responsibility, so that they speak up for survival through actively engaging in artistic practice. From the works in this exhibition, we can observe how artists present the changes in the society they live in through their works; with a rational yet sensitive attitude (some include sorrows and criticism), they narrate the memory, historic backdrop, political turmoil, international relations, and repression of values from the past, as well as the burdens and suppressions resulted from the progress of human civilization along the way. In this exhibition, the artists either reveal the uneasiness of being limited and restricted through the forms of their works, or reflect on past sorrows through the themes in response to the influences of the surroundings on themselves and others. This exhibition collects creative viewpoints of Serbian artists of different generations to reflect Serbia’s society at the moment via diverse creative forms. Local history and cultural context are narrated, reenacted, or further interpreted in the works, presenting the situations and breakthroughs faced by those living in an environment of “subdued existence” and contemporary art. Even though they are in a subdued state, yet the things the artists are trying to express are fully manifested in the works; repression is transformed into works that can better showcase the tensions and implications, conveying and sharing the ideas to viewers of different regional backgrounds. Maybe, the “subdued existence” featured in this exhibition can be otherwise defined as: existing “subduedness”, in the process of being created into artworks and at the moment of being exhibited, has been gradually released. In their works, the artists narrate this subduedness through forms, concepts, or topics; and transform this sense of repression through creative process. Based on 1 Herbert Marcuse, Eros and Civilization: A Philosophical Inquiry into Freud, Boston: Beacon Press, 1966. 20 Umetnici | Artists 21 Pravljeno po meri (2013) Instalacija – 206 kutija od šibica i šibice Dimenzije promenljive Made to measure (2013) Instalation – 206 matchboxes and maches variable Sami naspram stihije (2005-2010) Instalacija – 100 crno-belih fotografija Dimenzije promenljive Igor Antić Alone against the Elements (2005-2010) Installation - set of 100 black & white photographs Variable Igor Antić je francusko-srpski vizuelni umetnik, rođen 1962. u Novom Sadu. Izlagao je svoje radove u Remsu, Stokholmu, Moskvi, Parizu, Milanu, Berlinu, Kvebeku, Osaki itd. Dobitnik je nekoliko nagrada, među kojima je i The Pollock-Krasner Foundation’s Grant u Njujorku (1999). n Dela Igora Antića istražuju ekonomske i političke sile koje dejstvuju na određenom mestu. On stvara slike, predmete i situacije kao vrstu „rešetke“ kroz koju se tumače društveni i kulturni kontekst izabrane lokacije i ujedno postavljaju pitanja o uslovima produkcije umetničkog dela i o njegovoj upotrebi. Igor Antić, born in 1962, in Novi Sad, is a French-Serbian visual artist. He has exhibited his work across Europe – in Reims, Stockholm, Moscow, Paris, Milano, Québec, Berlin, Osaka, etc. He has received several awards such as: The Pollock-Krasner Foundation’s Grant, New York (1999). n The artworks of Igor Antić aim to explore and highlight economic and political forces operating within a given place. He creates images, objects and situations as physical “grids” beyond which emerges the social and cultural context of the chosen site. Through them, different questions linked to the conditions of the art production and its use in general, are raised. 22 23 Umetanja #3 (2013) Instalacija – fotografija 60x90cm i 1 zastava Dimenzije promenljive Insertions #3 (2013) installation - photography 60 x 90 cm and 1 flag variable n Serija fotografija Sami naspram stihije inspirisana je sinergologijom – metodom koja pokušava da dešifruje kodove govora ljudskog tela. Ove fotografije istražuju misteriozne relacije između političara i umetničkih dela. Motivi fotografija su preuzeti iz medija i prikazuju svetske lidere, njihovu gestikulaciju i poze u prisustvu umetničkih dela. Fotografije su razvrstane u serije, po žanrovskoj srodnosti. Tako razvrstane, one nude ključ za razumevanje vlastite ideološke pozadine. The series of photographs Sami naspram stihije (Alone Against the Elements) was inspired by synergology - a method that attempts to decipher the codes of speech of the human body. These photographs explore the mysterious relationships between politicians and artworks. Motifs of the photographs are taken from the media and present world leaders, their gestures and postures in the presence of works of art. The photographs are arranged in series, by genre kinship. Thus arranged, they offer the key to understanding our own ideological background. n Instalacija Umetanja #3 sadrži novčanicu od 500 evra uvećanu i reprodukovanu na platnu kao zastava. Ta zastava je sredinom 2013. pobodena na najviši planinski vrh Evrope – Monblan i fotografisana. Fotografija i zastava su artefakti, dokazi o izvedenoj akciji. The installation Umetanja #3 (Insertions #3) contains a 500 euro bill, enlarged and reproduced on canvas as a flag. In mid-2013, this flag was placed on top of the highest peak of Europe - Mont Blanc and photographed. The photograph, as well as the flag, is an artefact, evidence of the performed action. Napravljeno po meri je instalacija napravljena po statističkom principu. Svaka šibica predstavlja milion stanovnika jedne zemlje. U jednoj kutiji ima onoliko šibica koliko i miliona stanovnika. Na kutijama se nalaze zastave svih zemalja sveta, pa je celina reprezentacija sveta u minijaturi. Moglo bi se čak govoriti o maketi monumentalnih razmera. Pojedine kutije su prepune, do granice njihovih fizičkih mogućnosti… i do rizika zapaljivosti. Napravljeno po meri (Made To Measure) is an installation created by statistical principle. Each matchstick represents a million inhabitants of a country. There are as many matches in a box as there are millions of inhabitants. The flags of all the countries in the world are on the boxes, so the totality represents the world in miniature. One could even talk about a mock-up of monumental proportions. Some of the boxes are packed, up to the limits of endurance... and come close to the risk of flammability. 24 25 Breda Beban Arte Vivo, 2008-2011. n Breda Beban je bila umetnica, rediteljka i kustoskinja / kreativni producent, čiji se rad bavio savremenim pojmovima subjektivnosti i emocija koje se javljaju na marginama velikih priča o geografiji, politici i ljubavi. Filmovi i fotografije Brede Beban priznati su kao jedinstveni izrazi intimnosti, ranjivosti i autentičnosti. n Breda Beban was an artist, filmmaker and curator/ creative producer whose work deals with contemporary notions of subjectivity and emotion that occur on the margins of big stories about geography, politics and love. Breda Beban’s films and photographs are recognized as unique expressions of intimacy, vulnerability and authenticity. Rođena u Novom Sadu, u bivšoj Jugoslaviji, 1952. godine, Breda Beban je odrastala u Makedoniji i Hrvatskoj. Studirala je slikarstvo na Akademiji likovnih umetnosti u Zagrebu. Počela je svoju karijeru kao slikar i performans umetnik, a zatim je nastavila da radi na filmu, videu i fotografiji nakon što je upoznala svog budućeg partnera i saradnika Hrvoja Horvatića sredinom osamdesetih. Zajedno su emigrirali 1991. godine nakon izbijanja rata u bivšoj Jugoslaviji, putovali su od mesta do mesta pre no što su se konačno nastanili u Londonu, gde su nastavili saradnju sve do Horvatićeve prerane smrti 1997. godine. Radeći nezavisno i/ili u saradnji sa drugim umetnicima ili rediteljima, izvela je niz produkcija koje su izložene u velikim muzejima savremene umetnosti u Evropi i SAD. Born in Novi Sad, ex-Yugoslavia in 1952, Breda Beban was raised in Macedonia and Croatia. She studied painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb. Starting her career as a painter and performance artist, she began to work with film, video, and photography after meeting her partner and collaborator Hrvoje Horvatid in the mid-eighties. Exiled together in 1991 after outbreak of the war in former Yugoslavia, they travelled from place to place before eventually settling in London, where they continued their collaboration until Horvatid’s untimely death in 1997. Working independently and/or in collaboration with other artists or filmmaker, she has fashioned a range of productions that have been exhibited at major museums of contemporary art in Europe and the U.S. Breda Beban je živela u Londonu i Šefildu, gde je bila profesor Umetnosti medija na Šefild Halam Univerzitetu. Preminula je 2012. godine, ostavljajući za sobom razne nedovršene projekte. Breda Beban lived in London and Sheffield, where she was Professor of Media Arts at Sheffield Hallam University. She passed away in 2012, leaving various projects uncompleted. 26 27 Čudo smrti (2000) Miracle of Death (2000) Najlepša žena u Guči (2006) The most beautiful Woman in Gucha (2006) Walk of Three Chairs (Šetnja od tri stolice) prikazuje Bredu Beban kako pluta na splavu između dve obale Dunava u Beogradu, za koje se veruje da su tačka na kojoj Balkan završava a Evropa počinje. Jedna obala otkriva industrijski pejzaž, dok stabla i vikendice od drveta prekrivaju drugu obalu. Film je dobio naziv po tradicionalnom balkanskom paganskom običaju koga se umetnica seća kako ga je njen deda izveo posle pobede na kocki. Neizvestan, ali slavljenički čin koji Breda Beban izvodi naspram promenljivog pejzaža za nju predstavlja izraz „složene vrste radosti, radosti koja se meša sa tugom“. Ta ideja o slatko-gorkom sažeta je u ljubavnoj pesmi koju Breda Beban pokušava da peva dok putuje: Ko ne zna da pati, on ne zna da voli. Walk of Three Chairs shows Breda Beban floating on a raft between two banks of the Danube in Belgrade, believed by some to be the point at which the Balkans end and Europe begins. One bank reveals an industrial landscape whilst trees and wooden dachas populate the other. The movie takes its title from a traditional Balkan pagan ritual, one that the artist recalls her grandfather performing after winning at gambling. The precarious yet celebratory act performed by Beban against the shifting backdrop, is for her an expression of ‘a complex kind of joy, joy informed by sadness’. This idea of bitter sweet is encapsulated in the love song Beban attempts to sing as she travels: Who Doesn’t Know How to Suffer Doesn’t Know How to Love. n n 28 Šetnja od tri stolice (2003) film za galerijsko izlaganje, 10’ Proizvodnja i režija: Breda Beban Fotografija: Robi Miler Montaža: Stiv Sprang Zvuk: Dejan Pejović Muzika: tradicionalna balkanska pesma „Ko ne zna da pati, on ne zna da voli” Uloge: „Jova“ bend, Beba Bredan Snimano na lokaciji u Beogradu, Srbiji U boji Preporučena veličina projekcije: 400 x 225cm, minimum Ponavljanje 10-minutnog segmenta Naručilac: Film & Video Umbrella Finansiranje: Umetnički savet Engleske Edicije: 3 + 2 a.p. *Ustupljeno ljubaznošću zaostavštine umetnika i Kalfajan Galerija (Atina-Solun) 29 Walk of Three Chairs (2003) movie for gallery staging , 10-minute segment looped Production & Direction: Breda Beban Photography: Robby Muller Editing: Steve Sprung Sound: Dejan Pejovic Music: traditional Balkan song ‘Who Doesn’t Know How To Suffer Doesn’t Know How to Love’ Cast: ‘Jova’ band, Breda Beban Filmed on location in Belgrade, Serbia Colour Commissioned by: Film & Video Umbrella Funding: The Arts Council of England Editions: 3 + 2 a.p. *Courtesy of the artist's estate and Kalfayan Galleries (Athens-Thessaloniki) Goran Despotovski Sako (2013) Foto instalacija Dimenzije promenljive Coat (2013) Foto installation variable Rad Coat (Sako) predstavlja sekvence snimaka sakoa u raznim položajima. Sakoi, prikazani u celini, oblikuju dramatičnu vantelesnu formu koja sugeriše na prisutnost ili odsutnost ljudskog tela. Te sekvence sakoa, zaustavljene u pokretu, prikazuju različite oblike napetosti izazvane odnosom društva prema pojedincu. Krpаrа sаkо prikаzаnа je u stаnju prostornog plutаnjа sugerišući na potrošene izbledele predstave. Te forme prikazuju ogoljenog čoveka, odnosno aspekte života individue, usled društvenih uticaja. Stoga zatečeno stanje ostavljenog govori o elementarnoj napuštenosti i gubitku individualnosti. Unesene forme sakoa u različitim amorfnim scenama iskazuju metafizičko kretanje unutar samog prostora. Odеvni prеdmеt simbolizuje stаnjе izmеđu živоtа i smrti u prоstоru koji lеvitirа izmеđu оdbаčеnоg i izgublјеnоg. n Rođen je 1972. Diplomirao je slikarstvo 1999. godine n na Akademiji umetnosti u Novom Sadu. Postdiplomske studije je završio 2003. godine na istoj akademiji. Izlagao je na trideset osam samostalnih i više kolektivnih izložbi u zemlji i inostranstvu. Više puta je nagrađivan. Autor je projekata Razlike, Slika i Knjiga Akademije umetnosti u Novom Sadu. Od 2004. godine zaposlen je na Akademiji umetnosti u Novom Sadu, a od 2009. godine radi kao docent na Katedri za slikarstvo. Born in 1972. He graduated in painting in 1999, and completed his Master’s degree in 2003 at the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad. He had more than thirty solo exhibitions, as well as group exhibitions and projects, both in Serbia and abroad. He received several awards. Since 2004 he has been employed at the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad, Department of Painting, in the capacity of Assistant Professor (2009). He is the author of the projects Differences and Painting at the Academy of Arts, Novi Sad. n Rad Selection (Selekcija), predstavlja grupu ljudi u masi. Lutke bez lica, obučene u svakodnevnu mušku odeću, zaustavljene u konfuznom i dementnom stanju 30 u prekinutoj radnji i činu. To su figure ljudi koji više nemaju identitet, specifičan lik i singularni karakter. Rad Selekcija izražava vizuelnu i prostornu dramaturgiju „tragične otuđenosti“ koja se pojačava neprisutnošću života u polju vidljivog, telesnog i ljudskog. U radu su ukorenjeni kriterijumi koegzistencije, pri čemu pоstојi potreba za podsticanjem dijaloga i stvaranjem mogućnosti da ih posmatrač upotpuni. Ljudi-figurelutke trеbа dа alegorijski i simbolički nagone gledaoca da se s njima identifikuje i preispita sopstveno mesto u društvu, koje je u permanentnoj krizi na globalnom planu i čije vrednosti su često izopačene. Zvuk čine sekvence svakodnevnih misli i u njemu se konstantno iskazuje momenat dominantnog nesporazuma i lutanja. Te oživlјene bestelesne forme, proizašle iz vremena u kom smo živeli, predstavlјaju utvare generacijskih i sudbinskih tokova života, prikazujući ogolјenog čoveka, odnosno aspekte života individue usled društvenih uticaja. 31 Stalno gledamo jedni druge Umorni smo, stojimo i čekamo Gledali smo jedni druge Polako počinjemo da govorimo Ako govorimo, ne slušaju Ako slušaju, ne razumeju Ne usuđujemo se da podignemo pogled Tražimo prijateljsko lice Lutamo među ljudima Stotine jadnih lutaka We constantly watch each other We are tired, we stand and wait We’ve been watching each other We are slowly starting to speak If we speak, they don’t listen If they listen, they don’t understand We do not dare to look up We search for a friendly face We wander among people Hundreds of miserable dolls state of a disrupted action and act. These are figures of people who no longer have an identity, a specific persona and a singular character. Selection expresses the visual and spatial dramaturgy of “tragic alienation” which is reinforced by the non-presence of life in the field of the visible, physical and human. The criteria of coexistence are deeply rooted in this work, as there is a need to incite dialogue and create opportunities for the observer to complete them. People-figures-dolls should allegorically and symbolically urge the viewer to identify with them and examine one’s own place in society that is in permanent crisis on a global scale, and whose values are often distorted. The sound consists of the sequences of daily thoughts which constantly exhibit the moment of dominant misunderstanding and wandering. These revived bodiless forms, derived from the times in which we lived in, present the ghosts of generational trends and destinies, showing the naked man or aspects of an individual’s life in the midst of social influences. n The work Coat presents a sequence of photographs of coats in various positions. Coats, shown in their entirety, form dramatic bodiless shapes which suggest the presence or absence of a human body. These sequences of coats, frozen in motion, depict various forms of tension caused by the attitude of society towards the individual. The patchwork coat is shown in a state of physical floating, suggesting spent faded images. These forms depict the naked man i.e. aspects the individual’s life, due to social influences, therefore the existing state of the discarded speaks of an elementary abandonment and the loss of individuality. The displayed shapes of coats in different amorphous scenes, express metaphysical movement within space itself. A piece of clothing symbolizes a state between life and death in a space that levitates between the abandoned and the lost. The work Selection presents the depicted group of people in a crowd. Dolls without faces, dressed in everyday men’s clothing, halted in a confused and demented 32 Selekcija (2013) Instalacija (šivene lutke, odela, tkanina) Dimenzije promenljive Selection (2013) Installation (sewn dolls, clothing, fabric) Variable 33 diStruktura n Milica Milićević i Milan Bosnić su diplomirali i magistrirali na Fakultetu likovnih umetnosti u Beogradu, na Odseku za slikarstvo. Od 2005. rade na zajedničkim projektima kao umetnički par pod nazivom diSTRUKTURA. Mediji u kojima rade su uglavnom fotografija, slika, crtež i video. Žive i rade u Beogradu. Razmatrajući proširene pojmove prirode danas, bilo da se radi o prirodi, pseudoprirodi ili sintetički stvorenoj prirodi, odnosno urbanim konstelacijama, diSTRUKTURA u svojim radovima pokušava da definiše odnose u novoformiranim strukturama koje tvore realnost savremenog života u kojem umetnost ima značajnu ulogu u ukazivanju i definisanju narastajuće drame oko nas. n diSTRUKTURA je uzela učešća na preko 15 individualnih i više od 30 grupnih izložbi širom Evrope - u Luxemburgu (2013), u Beču i Bratislavi (2012), TINA B festival u Pragu (2012), u Bukureštu (2010), Beogradu (2009), u Hoornu (Holandija) (2008), Sent Etjenu (Saint Etienne) (2008), Gracu (2007), itd. Ciklus fotografija Face to Face doslovno replicira romantičarsku topografiju posmatrača neposredno konfrontiranog sa uzvišenim i zadivljujućim prizorima jednog postindustrijskog predela i primer je jedne nove socijalne i mentalne ekologije. To je rad u nastajanju (work in progress project) koji se izvodi na svakom mestu koje posete i sastoji se od radova u različitim medijima, mada je najzastupljeniji medij fotografije. Tako su motivi pejsaža i gradova širom sveta postali objekt njihove izolovane kontemplacije pozivajući i posmatrača da se toj kontemplaciji pridruži. Milica Milićević and Milan Bosnić - both graduated and completed an MA at the Department of Painting, Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Arts in Belgrade, Serbia. Although in diverse individual artistic ventures in group and solo exhibitions, they have been working on joint projects for the past eight years, under name diSTRUKTURA. Their ideas are expressed in different media, mostly photography, painting, drawing and video. They live and work in Belgrade. n Umetnici predlažu nove metafore koje uzimaju u obzir kompleksne aspekte prirodnog, biološkog, tehnološkog i socijalnog bića i grade novu, modernu i širu ideju Prirode koja odgovara trenutnom, savremenom životu. diSTRUKTURA took part in over 15 individual and more that 30 group exhibitions across Europe - in Luxembourg (2013), in Vienna and Bratislava (2012), Prague (2012), Bucharest (2010), Belgrade (2009), in Hoorn (Netherlands) (2008), Saint Etienne (2008), Graz (2007), etc. 34 Face to Face Print montiran na alubond (80x120cm) x12 komada Face to Face (in progress) Print installed on dibond (80x120cm) x12 pieces 35 In their efforts they are trying to build on an extended view of Nature - as sublime, pseudo, or synthetic nature in urban constellations - aiming to define the various relationships, both real and virtual, that create the realities of modern-day life in which art has a significant function of pointing towards and defining, without any utilitarian means, the evolving drama around us. n world became the object of their isolated contemplation, inviting the observer to join that contemplation. Artists are proposing new metaphors that would reflect the complexities of biological, technical and social being and form a new, modern and wider idea of Nature which reflects on the actual moment and modern day life. The series of photographs Face to Face literally replicates the romanticized topography of the spectator who is directly confronted with the sublime and amazing scenes of a post-industrial landscape and is, in fact, an example of a new Social and Mental Ecology. It is a work in progress project that they intend to carry out in every place they visit, and it is comprised of works in different media, but mostly photographic works. This is how the motifs of landscapes and cities all over the 36 37 Robo Akcija #10 (2013) video instalacija 2’ printovi (100x70cm) x 4 komada Robo Action #10 (2013) video installation 2’ prints 100x70cm x 4 pieces Dragan Ilić Rođen u Beogradu, 1948. godine. Srpskoaustralijsko-američki umetnik, živi i radi u Njujorku i Beogradu. Obrazovanje: ANU (Australijski nacionalni univerzitet), Škola umetnosti u Kanberi, BFA, 1974-75., Filmski program Dov S-S Simensa, Milenijum filmska laboratorija, Njujork, 1986. n Održao je veliki broj samostalnih izložbi, kao što su izložbe u Beogradu (Srbija), Njujorku (SAD), Tokiju (Japan), Kelnu (Nemačka), Amsterdamu (Holandija), Briselu (Belgija), Parizu (Francuska), Melburnu (Australija ), Sidneju (Australija), Kanberi (Australija), itd. Born in Belgrade, 1948. Serbian-AustralianAmerican artist, living and working in New York and Belgrade. n Education: ANU (Australian National University) School of Art Canberra, BFA, 1974-75. Dov S-S Simens’ Film Program, Millenium Film Lab, New York, 1986. He had many solo exibitions, such as exhibitions in Belgrade (Serbia), New York (NY), Tokyo (Japan), Koln (Germany), Amsterdam (Netherland), Brussels (Belgium), Paris (France), Melbourne (Australia), Sydney (Australia), Canberra (Australia), etc. 38 39 Fizika i matematika informišu moj rad. Istražujem u vizuelnom i auralnom smislu moć tehnologije – i ručne i robotike - u saradnji sa ljudskom voljom i intuicijom. Moj rad proučava prelaz između našeg kvazi-androidnog odnosa sa alatima danas i robotike sutrašnjice. The process of creation that comes from human interaction with machines fascinates me. It is the primary theme in my work. Much of my practice focuses around the tools of artistic production. I have created numerous installations and performances wherein, with my entire body, I set in motion individually-fabricated drawing devices that I have produced. My devices are comprised of sets of graphite or colored pencils, pastels, or brushes that are clamped together in a straight, parallel line of two to five hundred pieces. The works created through the convergence of the artist’s body, tools, and participating audiences, produces an event, an experience of energy, sound, and imagery.” The key or the starting point in my work is conceptual analysis and de/reconstruction of the process of drawing as inscription of bodily and machine-based activities on paper and other drawing materials and opening the space for communication of ideas or realization of specific artistic intentions. n Proces stvaranja koji proizilazi iz ljudske interakcije sa mašinama me fascinira. To je vodeća tema mog rada. Veći deo moje prakse fokusiran je na alate umetničke produkcije. Autor sam brojnih instalacija i performansa u kojima sam, sa svojim celim telom, pokretao pojedinačno izrađene uređaje za crtanje koje sam sâm proizveo. Moji uređaji se sastoje od kompleta grafitnih ili olovaka u boji, pastela, ili četki stegnutih u gomilu, u pravoj paralelnoj liniji, od dve do pet stotina komada. Radovi nastali usled spajanja tela umetnika, alata i publike koja učestvuje, proizvodi događaj, doživljaj energije, zvuka i slike. Ključ ili polazna tačka u mom radu je konceptualna analiza i de/rekonstrukcija procesa crtanja kao traga telesnih i mašinskih aktivnosti na papiru i drugim materijalima za crtanje, i otvaranje prostora za komunikaciju ideja ili realizaciju konkretnih umetničkih namera. n Physics and mathematics inform my work. I explore in visual and aural terms the power of technology - manual and robotic – in collaboration with human volition and intuition. My work considers the threshold between our quasi-android relationship with tools today and the robotics of tomorrow. 40 41 Jelena Jureša n Jelena Jureša (1974, Novi Sad, Serbia) is a visual artist Mira, skica za portret (2010-2013) Video instalacija, obuhvata 2 video zapisa: HD Video, u boji, zvuk, 42’ (svaki) working primarily with photography and video. Her visual research is based on testing the representational limits of the “image”: the focus of her work is the portrait through which she explores the relationship between the observer and the observed via the given possibility of understanding the portrayed subject and the problematized issue of what the “image” does or does not convey. The photographic image is the starting point of her creative consideration of the portrait, irrespective of the medium – photography, video or an audio-visual installation. Her artistic sensitivity directs the focus of her artistic concept towards the issues of gender and/or cultural identity, memory and history. Mira, Study for a Portrait (2010-2013) Video installation, consists of two videos: HD Video, colour, sound, 42 min (each) Jelena Jureša (1974, Novi Sad, Srbija) je vizuelna umetnica koja se izražava u mediju fotografije i videa. Njeno vizuelno istraživanje oslonjeno je na propitivanje reprezentacijskih granica „slike“: njen fokus je portret kroz koji istražuje odnos između posmatrača i posmatranog kroz ponuđenu mogućnost razumevanja portretisanog subjekta i problematizovanja pitanja šta „slika“ predstavlja, a šta ne. Fotografska slika je polazište njenog kreativnog promišljanja portreta, bilo da je reč o medijumu fotografije, videa ili audio-video instalacije. Njen umetnički senzibilitet određuje fokus njenog umetničkog koncepta prema pitanjima rodnog, odnosno kulturnog identiteta, sećanja i istorije. n 42 43 Mira, skica za portret je rad o nedostajanju koji kroz formu portreta istražuje krhkost sećanja, kao i odnos fotografskog medijuma i percepcije. To je višegodišnji projekat, u kom se kroz nekoliko medija umetnica bavila istorijom jedne zemlje, jedne porodice i jedne žene. Sastoji se od video instalacije, fotografija, 12 litografija i knjige. n Mira, Study for a Portrait is a work on absence which uses the form of the portrait to explore the fragility of memory as well as the relationship between the photographic medium and perception. It is a long-term and multi-layered project in which the artist dealt with the history of one country, one family and one woman. It comprises of a video installation, set of photographs, 12 lithographs and the book. n Kroz dva četrdesetominutna videa, posmatrač ima priliku za novim čitanjem fotografske i pokretne slike, šifrirajući mesto kao medijsku odrednicu u koju se upisuju i brišu različita značenja. Iako prvi deo rada čini istorijsko vreme sa svojim objektivnim delovanjem, baziranim na poznatim događajima, oni se lome kroz lične istorije koje umetnica stavlja u prvi plan. U isto vreme, indirektno, kroz intiman monolog naratora, rad propituje različite ženske uloge: majke, supruge, deteta. Through a more than an hour long video, the viewer is given a new way to read the photographic and moving image, encrypting the place as a medium for recording and erasing new meanings. Although the first part of the work is historical time with its objective duration, based on well known historical events, these are refracted through a personal history which Jureša puts in the foreground. At the same time, indirectly, in the form of the narrator’s intimate monologue, the work questions the theme of various female roles: mother, wife, child. 44 45 Stevan Kojić Stevan Kojić (1973, Kikinda) je diplomirao i magistrirao na vajarskom odseku Fakulteta likovnih umetnosti u Beogradu. Vanredni je profesor na katedri za Nove likovne medije Akademije umetnosti u Novom Sadu i na Akademiji likovnih umjetnosti u Trebinju. Izlagao je u: Japanu, Južnoj Koreji, Kanadi, Nemačkoj, Austriji, Francuskoj, Švajcarskoj, Rumuniji, Sloveniji, Hrvatskoj i Srbiji. n Poslednjih godina istražujem odnose pojedinacdruštvo-tehnologija-priroda u okviru laboratorije Samoodrživi sistemi apsurda (Self-Sustaining Systems of Absurdity) koja je bila sastavljena od nekoliko međusobno povezanih i uzajamno zavisnih „biotehnoloških” segmenata. To su u početku bile jednostavne strukture (povezane na neuobicajen nacin) u kojima su biljke uticale na elektroniku i obrnuto bez bilo kakvog određenog, utilitarnog cilja. Vremenom su se te strukture umnožavale i njihovi odnosi su se komplikovali, ali je rezultat uvek bio krajnje beskoristan. Kao neki živi organizam čija je jedina svrha njegovo samo postojanje i održavanje u životu (kao virus koji se širi kroz prostor). Možda je interesantno da napomenem da sam sve ove strukture testirao i povezivao u kućnim uslovima često koristeci delove (tehniku i biljke) kojima sam inače okruzen. Tako objekti iz privatnog okruženja prvo postaju deo ovih apsurdnih instalacija a kasnije se vraćaju u privatni prostor menjajući ga u neku vrstu alternativnog staništa. Naziv „Samoodrživi sistemi apsurda” sam posle menjao u zavisnosti od elemenata instalacije i teme izložbe iako je suštinski koncept ostao blizak prvobitnom. n Njegova osnovna interesovanja se kreću u polju istraživanja relacija između umetnosti, društva, nauke i tehnologije kroz odnose: analogno/digitalno, biologija/ tehnologija, ekologija/ekonomija, low-tech/hi-tech, otvoreni/zatvoreni sistemi, vreme/prostor, virtualno/ realno i dr. Stevan Kojić (1973, Kikinda) completed his BA and MA at the Department of Sculpture, Faculty of Fine Arts in Belgrade. He is an Associate Professor at the Department of New Art Media at the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad and the Academy of Fine Arts in Trebinje. He exhibited in Japan, South Korea, Canada, Germany, Austria, France, Switzerland, Romania, Slovenia, Croatia and Serbia. n U parazitskoj simbiozi predmeta iz mog svakodnevnog okruženja, elektronskog otpada i živih organizama nastaje svojevrsno alternativno bio-socijalno stanište sa potencijalom daljeg širenja i transformacije. His main interest is research of the relationship between art, society, science and technology through the analog/ digital, biology/technology, ecology/economy, lowtech/hi-tech, open/closed systems, time/space, virtual/ realistic, etc. 46 Samoodrživi sistemi apsurda (2014) Multimedijalna instalacija Dimenzije promenljive Self-sustaining Systems of the Absurdity (2014) Multimedium Installation variable n In recent years, I have explored the relationships interesting to note that I have tested and connected all of these structures at home, often using parts (technology and plants) that I am otherwise surrounded by. Thus objects from the private environment first become a part of these absurd installations, and later return to the private space by changing it into a kind of an alternative habitat. I later changed the title Self-Sustaining Systems of Absurdity depending on the installed elements and the theme of the exhibition, although the core concept had remained close to the original one. between individuals-society-technology-nature within the laboratory Samoodrživi sistemi apsurda (SelfSustaining Systems of Absurdity), which has been composed of several interconnected and interdependent “bio-technology” segments. These were initially simple structures (linked in unusual ways) in which plants influenced the electronics and vice versa, without any particular, utilitarian purpose. Over time, these structures have multiplied and their relationships became more complicated, but the result was always utterly useless. Like a living organism whose sole purpose is its very existence and maintenance of life (like a virus spreading through space). It is perhaps In the parasitic symbiosis of objects from my everyday environment, electronic waste and living organisms, a kind of alternative bio-social habitat is created, with the potential of further expansion and transformation. 47 48 49 MP_art n MP_art je akronim umetničkog para [Maja Budžarov MP_art is an acronym of the artistic couple [Maja Budžarov and Predrag Šiđanin] who regard their joint work as more important than collecting artistic biographies – “art consists of art alone, not artists.” Starting to live and work together in January 2003, they decided to reject their previously earned personal histories, the work under their own personal names, as well as also reducing the mediums of their previous research. They focus on exploring mutual emotions and intimacy through a primarily physical (performance art) and meditative (painting/text/color) expression. In their work they equally use their bodies, photography, text, video, the Internet, and occasionally combinations of new media with different classical materials (paintings, ceramics and glass). Their works usually have a strong reference to the place, time and physical/meditative context in which a personal experience of intimacy and privacy reflects upon the universally recognized and accepted phenomena. Their artistic practice/strategy is based on closeness and directness, on interaction and liberation from ideological restraints imposed by mass communication, on the aesthetics of a personal attitude towards the world, post avant-garde and conceptual art experiences in the social context of the current moment, which they are openly critical of. n i Predrag Šiđanin] koji smatraju njihov zajednički rad važnijim od prikupljanja sopstvenih umetničkih biografija - „umetnost se sastoji od same umetnosti, a ne od umetnika.” Počevši da žive i rade zajedno u januaru 2003., oni su odlučili da odbace svoje ranije zarađene lične istorije, rad pod svojim ličnim imenima, kao što su smanjili medijume njihovog prethodnog istraživanja. Oni se fokusiraju na istraživanje međusobnih emocija i bliskost kroz prvenstveno fizičko (performans) i meditativno (slika/tekst/kolor) izražavanje . U svom radu podjednako koriste svoja tela, fotografiju, tekst, video, internet i povremeno kombinacije novih medija sa različitim klasičnim materijalima (slika, keramika i staklo). Njihovi radovi obično imaju jaku referencu na mesto, vreme i fizičko/meditativni kontekst u kome se lično iskustvo intimnosti i privatnosti odražava na univerzalno priznate i prihvaćene pojave. Njihova umetnička praksa/strategija se zasniva na bliskosti i neposrednosti, na interakciji i oslobađanju od ideoloških stega koje nameću masovne komunikacije, na estetici ličnog odnosa prema svetu, post-avangardnog i konceptualno-umetnickog iskustva u društvenom kontekstu datog momenta, koji otvoreno kritikuju. 50 Serbian Contemporary (2014) Interaktivni performans Serbian Contemporary (2014) Interaction performance ratovima, zloupotrebama moći. U veku transparentnosti komunikacija i globalnog umrežavanja, negativne posledice verovanja su svakodnevno vidljive i meta su medijskih informacija, ali često i manipulacija. Dostupnost informacijama je takva da nas bombardovanje negativnim aspektima vere dovode u poziciju kritičnosti, osvešćavanja, ličnih ne slaganja, protesta, izlazaka na ulice, sukoba sa vlastima i ustaljenim dogmama. Živimo u svetu, s jedne strane fanatično radikalizovanih religijskih ubeđenje, a s druge strane u svetu otpora svakolikom nasilju, netoleranciji, nepojmljivom bogaćenju malog broja korporacijskih kapitalista… Živimo u trenutku „pred eksploziju” sve svesnijih i ugnjetenih pojedinaca i grupa. Ovaj video rad ukazuje samo na neke od segmenata ovakve situacije: eksploataciju dece, kako fizičkim radom tako i seksualnu, religijski fundamentalizam, siromaštvo, decu ratnike, sveštenike pedofile i homoseksualce, fanatizam i terorizam ma koje boje bio, masovna religijska i genocidna žrtvovanja, mirne proteste i proteste sa sukobljavanjima, dakle svet koji nas okružuje i kome, na žalost ne možemo uvek pomoći, a nespremni u njega možemo biti uvučeni, najčešće kao žrtve. Ovaj rad je ujedno i „savest” autora i njihova potreba za sopstveno „iskupljenje” zbog nemoći da nešto drugo, osim umetnosti, preduzmu. Serbian Contemporary je interaktivni performans u kome je učešće publike neminovno i bez čije pomoći se on ne može realizovati. Autori iniciraju akciju publike, za to pripremljenim razglednicama sa kratkim instrukcionim tekstom. Uključivanje publike je dobrovoljno a rezultat performansa je kolektivni rad, akt. Performans ukazuje na nastojanje autora da ukažu na neminosvnost akcije svakog pojedinca u kreiranju savremenog, kako, u ovom slučaju umetničkog dela, tako i kolektivne svesti vezane za politiku, kulturu, ekonomiju. Akcija svakog pojedinca je doprinos celokupnom društvu, što ne znači da autori zastupaju tezu „kolektivne krivice” kroz koju je srpski narod neosnovano u svojoj najskorijoj istoriji prolazio… Serbian Contemporary takođe otvara široko polje kritičnosti spram svakodnevice u kojoj autori žive, od krize morala, pada svakolikih vrednosti, do siromaštva, od materijalnog do duhovnog. Ovo je prvi performans iz serije koju će autori realizovati u različitim sredinama i na različitim jezicima. n Faith je jednokanalna video projekcija čiji je osnovni moto višemilenijumsko ljudsko verovanje u različita božanstva, versku različitost koja često dovodi do netolerancije i agresije, jednoumlja koja su rezultitrala milionskim žrtavama, samokažnjavanjem, verskim 51 Serbian Contemporary is an interactive performance in which audience participation is inevitable and without whose help it cannot be implemented. The authors initiate action from the audience with postcards, prepared for this occasion, with a brief instructional text. Audience involvement is voluntary and the result of the performance is a collective work, act. The performance expresses the intention of the authors to indicate the inevitability of action of every individual in the creation of the contemporary, in this case, the artwork, as well as collective consciousness related to politics, culture and the economy. The action of each individual is a contribution to the entire society, which does not mean that the authors represent the argument of “collective guilt,” which the Serbian people wrongfully went through in their recent history... Serbian Contemporary also opens up a wide field of critical thought towards everyday life in which the authors live in, from the crisis of morality, the decay of all values, to poverty, from the material to the spiritual. This is the first performance of the series which the authors will implement in different environments and in different languages. n Faith is a single-channel video projection with the main motto being the millennial human belief in different deities, religious diversity, which often leads to a lack of tolerance and aggression, a single-mindedness that results in millions of victims, selfflagellation, religious wars, the abuse of power. In the age of transparency of communications and global networks, the negative consequences of faith are visible every day and are the target of media information, and often, manipulation. Access to information is such that this carpet-bombing with the negative aspects of faith puts us in the position of critical thought, awareness, personal disagreement, protest, gatherings on the streets, conflicts with authority and established dogmas. We live in a world of fanatically radicalized religious belief, on one side, and on the other, in a world of resistance to any violence, non-tolerance, the inconceivable enrichment of a small number of corporate capitalists… We live in a time “just before the explosion” of increasingly aware and oppressed individuals and groups. This video work points towards just some of the segments of this situation: the exploitation of children, by both physical labour and sexual abuse, religious fundamentalism, poverty, children warriors, paedophile priests, priests that are homosexual, fanaticism and terrorism, no matter of what brand, mass religious and genocidal sacrifices, peaceful protests and protests with clashes, hence, the world that surrounds us, and which, unfortunately, we cannot always help out, rather can be sucked into it unprepared, usually as victims. This work is at the same time “the conscience” of the authors and their need for their own “redemption” because of their powerlessness to do anything, other than make art. 52 Faith (2014) Video Faith (2014) video 53 Museum of Childhood Muzej detinjstva čine Vladimir Perić i Milica Stojanov. Muzej detinjstva započet je 2006. godine, najpre kao samostalni projekat multumedijalnog umetnika i kolekcionara Vladimira Perića, kome se potom pridružila istoričarka umetnosti Milica Stojanov. Osnovnu komponentu projekta u početku zamišljenog kao desetogodišnjeg angažmana (2006-2016), čini kolekcija svedočanstava različitih aspekata detinjstva. Ovaj projekat/muzej predstavio se publici kroz niz grupnih, ali i samostalnih izlozbi, od kojih je najznačajnije predstavljanje Srbije na 55. Venecijanskom bijenalu. Prvobitno su predmeti Muzeja detinjstva, prepoznati kao materijal za umetnički proces, a potom je otkriven njihov svedočanstveni potencijal, vrednost dokumenta koji ilustruje detinjstvo i niz ličnih, intimnih narativa vezanih za privatni život, najvećim delom sociokulturnog prostora nekadašnje države Jugoslavije. Većina predmeta pronađena je na zemunskoj i novobeogradskoj „buvljoj pijaci“, a pronalazak ovih predmeta a često i priča koje idu uz njih, za autore predstavlja ujedno i proces meditatacije, promišljanja, samospoznaje u relaciji sa prošlošću, istorijom, identitetom. Ideja je potom nastavila da se razvija u smeru objedinjavanja svedočanstava kategorije detinjstva, složenog fenomena sa stalno pomerajućim granicama tumačenja, a predmeti i priče počeli su da grade uvek otvorenu i rastuću celinu nasleđa, identiteta, memorija, kako individualnih tako i kolektivnih okvira. n n Vladimir Perić and Milica Stojanov constitute Muzej detinjstva (Museum of Childhood). Museum of Childhood started in 2006, first as a solo project of the multimedia artist and collector Vladimir Perić, who was then joined by art historian Milica Stojanov. The basic component of the project, initially conceived as a ten-year commitment (2006-2016), has been a collection of testimonies regarding different aspects of childhood. This project/museum presented itself to the audience through a series of group, as well as solo exhibitions, most notably the one representing Serbia at the 55th Venice Biennale. n Od predmeta koji su oblikovali naše detinjstvo, iskustvo, sećanje, predmeta koji materijalizuju niz akumuliranih narativa, ideja, znanja, emocija na individualnom i kolektivnom nivou, Muzej detinjstva stvara kolekciju ali i umetničku fikciju, konstrukt zasnovan na predmetima pozajmljenim iz istorijske realnosti, koji transponovani u umetnički kontekst dobijaju posve nove uloge i značenja. 54 Oštećena lica (2013) Foto-reprodukcije na plastici (20x30cm) x 21 komad Damaged faces (2013) Photo-reproduction on plastic 20x30cm x 21 pieces Initially, the objects of the Museum of Childhood were identified as material for an artistic process, and then their testimonial potential had been discovered, the value of the document which illustrates childhood and a range of personal, intimate narratives related to private life, mainly the socio-cultural space of the former Yugoslavia. Most of the objects were found at the Zemun and New Belgrade “flea markets,” and finding these items, and often the stories that go with them, also became a process of meditation for the authors, of reflection, self-knowledge in relation to past, history and identity. The idea then continued to evolve in the direction of unifying the testimonies of the category of childhood, a complex phenomenon with constantly shifting limits of interpretation, and the objects and stories began to build a perpetually open and growing totality of heritage, identity, memory, both in an individual and collective framework. n The Museum of Childhood creates a collection from objects that have shaped our childhood, experiences, memories, items that materialize a range of accumulated narratives, ideas, knowledge, emotions, at an individual and collective level, as well as creating an artistic fiction, a construct based on objects borrowed from historical reality, which, transposed into an artistic context acquire entirely new roles and meanings. 55 56 57 Andrea Palašti Balkan Disco predstavlja uvođenje ambijenta diskoteke u profesionalni umetnički prostor. Sam naziv rada preuzet je od diskoteka koje nose naziv sa prefiksom Balkan (Balkan Disco, Vićenza; Balkan Disco Express, Beč; Balkan Night, Hamburg), i kao takav, predstavlja igru značenja - parodično citiranje bihejvioralnih klišea koji pripadaju društvenom životu klubova po Zapadnoj Evropi sa autentičnim `turbo-folk provodom` sa Balkana. Devedesetih je turbo-folk muzika imala ključnu ulogu u definisanju srpskog socijalnog i nacionalnog identiteta, promovisala je ideologiju i način života kriminalne elite. Rekontekstualizacijom diskoteke unutar umetničkog prostora, rad postaje svojevrsni ready-made, preispitujući tako granice estetike i etike, geografije i geopolitike, kao i svakodnevice i artificijelnog umetničkog dela. U tom svetlu, Balkan prestaje biti geografska odrednica te postaje kulturološka: Balkan danas postaje stereotipni označitelj mesta dobrog provoda. Osnovne i master studije završila na Akademiji umetnosti u Novom Sadu na odseku Fotografija. Od 2006. godine izlaže i sarađuje sa umetnicima, umetničkim kolektivima/inicijativama. Do sada je svoje radove predstavila na više samostalnih i grupnih izložbi u zemlji i inostranstvu. Bavi se istraživanjima u oblasti (nove) kulturne geografije, kritičke topografije i istorije. Koristi simbolički jezik u okviru „dokumentarnih praksi,” te postavlja konceptualni okvir za ponovno razumevanje aspekata našeg savremenog života. Kao stipendista Ministarstva nauke za mlade doktorante, trenutno pohađa Interdisciplinarne doktorske studije Univerziteta umetnosti u Beogradu, na odseku za Teoriju umetnosti i medija. n n Graduated from the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad at the Department of Photography. Since 2006, exhibits and collaborates with artists, art collectives/initiatives. Works across artistic and curatorial boundaries, with attention to issues of cultural geography, critical topography and everyday life. In her work, she investigates the cultural, social and/or political circumstances in her country and the region, often with a playful, ironic and humorous attitude. She uses symbolic language, putting forward a conceptual framework for (re)understanding the aspects of our contemporary life. As a stipendist of the Ministry of Science, she is currently a PhD fellow at the University of Arts, at the department for Theory of Art and Media in Belgrade. n Fotografije su nastale u diskoteci Balkan u Vićenci (Italija) 2010. godine. 58 59 Balkan Disco, is a disco-like installation, conceived as a spectacular incorporation of a nightclub in the exhibition concept. Its title was borrowed from several nightclubs throughout Europe that bear the name Balkan (e.g. Balkan Disco, Vicenza; Balkan Disco Express, Vienna; Balkan Night, Hamburg) and as such, is a double entendre – a parodic citation of the behavioral clichés that belong to the social lives of these clubs in Western Europe which offer authentic `turbo-folk entertainment` from the Balkans. In the 1990s, turbo folk had a key role in defining Serbian social and national identity, it promoted the ideology and lifestyle of the new criminal elite. By recontextualising the space of a nightclub inside a gallery/museum, the work becomes a readymade, questioning the borders between aesthetics and ethics, geography and geopolitics, as well as the distinction between everyday life and artificial artwork. In this light, Balkan is no longer a geographical but a cultural determinant: today, Balkan became a stereotypical signifier of a place for having a good time. n The photos were made at the Balkan Disco in Vicenza (Italy) in 2010 60 Balkan Disco (2010-2012) Multimedijalna instalacija Dimenzije promenljive Balkan Disco (2010-2012) Multimedium installation Variable 61 Sve, kuća egzila (2002-2010) Video-skulpturalna instalacija edicija od pet video radova (W)hole, House of Exile (2002-2010) Video and Sculptural Installation edition of five Vessna Perunovich n Rođena u Srbiji, Vesna Perunović je kanadska umetnica koja živi i radi u Torontu, Kanadi. Iako je napustila svoj dom u Beogradu (bivšoj Jugoslaviji) pre više od 20 godina, teme egzila i čežnje i dalje odlikuju njene radove. Od trenutka kada je započela svoju karijeru u Torontu, Kanadi, 1988. godine, do danas, delovala je u širokom rasponu medija, uključujući slikarstvo, crtež, instalaciju, skulpturu, video i performans. Osobeni, a ipak međusobno povezani, ovi aspekti se kombinuju u praksu koja se stalno razvija i opire se jednostavnoj kategorizaciji. n Vessna Perunovich is Serbian born, Canadian artist who lives and works in Toronto Canada. Although she departed from her home in Belgrade (Former Yugoslavia) more than 20 years ago the themes of exile and longing still echo in her work. From the time she started her career in Toronto, Canada in 1988 until today, she has worked in a diverse range of media including painting, drawing, installation, sculpture, video and performance. Individual yet inter-related, these aspects combine into an ever-evolving practice that defines simple categorization. Izlagala je u mnogim galerijama i muzejima širom sveta i učestvovala u brojnim međunarodnim izložbama na Kubi, u Albaniji, Engleskoj, Portugaliji, Srbiji, Grčkoj, Kini, Kanadi, SAD, itd. Perunovich has exhibited in many galleries and museums around the world, and took part in a number of international exhibitions in Cuba, Albania, England, Portugal, Serbia, Greece, China, Canada, USA, etc. Vesna Perunović je dobitnik nekoliko nagrada, uključujući T.F.V.A (Toronto Friends of Visual Arts) nagrade u 2005. godini. Vessna Perunovich is the recipient of several awards, including T.F.V.A. (Toronto Friends of Visual Arts) award in 2005. 62 63 Pronalaženje ljubavi (2012) Video, edicija od deset video radova 3’ Finding Love (2012) Video, edition of ten 3’ i samostalnim izložbama i čini deo muzejskih zbirki Berardo muzeja moderne umetnosti u Portugalu i Nacionalne galerije umetnosti u Tirani, u Albaniji. (W)hole, House of Exile (2002-2010), Sve, Kuća egzila, istražuje ideju „doma” kao najvažnijeg i osnovnog koncepta urođenog ljudima - kuće kao skloništa. Podrazumevajući istovremeno i pojam zavičaja i pojam identiteta, jednostavna struktura nalik na kavez, sa bazičnim krovom i četiri zida koja se mogu videti na crtežima kuće iz najranijeg detinjstva, podsećaju posmatrača na primarni simbol kuće, ujedno otkrivajući urođenu krhkost takavog simbola. Iako namenjen otelotvorenju osećaja sigurnosti i pripadanja, posmatrač dela je suočen sa pojmom doma kao promenljivog, ranjivog konstrukta. Video prirode i uništenja, prikazanih kao beskrajan ciklus, projektovan je na strukturu kuće i inspiriše gledaoca na doživljaj bezbroj različitih emocija i reakcija, odražavajući na taj način emocionalni nemir koji mnogi od nas osećaju tokom prelaska granica i odbacivanja ograničenja – bila ona fizička, društvena ili fiziološka. (W)hole, House of Exile je izvedena za IV Cetinjsko bijenale u Crnoj Gori i od tada je prikazana na brojnim bijenalima, grupnim n Finding Love (2012), Pronalaženje ljubavi, proučava još jednu od najosnovnijih potreba čoveka: potrebu da voli i bude voljen. Ovaj video rad, sačinjen tokom studijskog boravka u ISCP u Bruklinu, Njujorku, prikazuje prozor umetničkog ateljea kao mesto sećanja: prigušenog tonaliteta koji vodi u prošlost, njegova obličja su i nejasna i poznata. Prikazom prozora sa zavesom u sred prelepog letnjeg dana, snimljenog u nostalgičnim crno-belim tonovima i obloženog izjavama ljubavi umetnika, Pronalaženje ljubavi istražuje pojam žudnje kao tačke mogućeg prevazilaženja ličnih granica i mesta pripadanja koje se otvara ka neograničenim mogućnostima. Pronalaženje ljubavi je deo stalne zbirke Mekdonald Stjuart centra za umetnost u Guelfu, Kanadi. 64 biennials, group and solo exhibitions and it is part of museum collections of the Berardo Museum of Modern Art in Portugal and of the National Gallery of Art in Tirana, Albania. (W)hole, House of Exile (2002-2010), explores the idea of ‘home’ as the most important and fundamental concept inherent in human condition – a house as a shelter. By implying simultaneously the notion of homeland and identity, the simple cage-like structure, with the basic roof and four walls seen in the earliest childhood drawings of a house, remind the viewer of the primary symbol of home, while revealing the inherent fragility of such a symbol. Meant to embody security and belonging, the viewer is faced with the notion of home as a shifting, vulnerable construct. The video of nature and destruction shown as an endless cycle projected onto the house structure takes the viewer into experiencing a myriad of different emotions and reactions, mirroring thus the emotional turmoil that many of us feel in crossing borders and breaking out limitations-weather they be physical, social or physiological. (W)hole, House of Exile has been created for the IV Cetinje Biennial in Montenegro and has since been shown at a number of n Finding Love (2012), looks at yet another of most fundamental needs in human condition: a need to love and be loved. A video work, created while attending the ISCP residency in Brooklyn, New York, portrays an artist studio window as a place of memory: muted tonality relegating to the past, its imagery both indistinct and familiar. Depicting a curtained window on a fine summer day, captured in nostalgic tones of black and white and overlaid with the artists professions of love, Finding Love explores the notion of longing as a place where personal boundaries can be broken and a place of belonging opens itself up for unlimited possibilities. Finding Love is part of the permanent collection of Macdonald Stewart Art Centre in Guelph, Canada. 65 Nataša Teofilović n Animacija a|symmetry je nastala iz jednog pokreta virtuelne ruke koja čulno i ispitijuće dodiruje prazninu (void) virtuelnog prostora. Ovaj izolovani pokret, nakon višestrukog umnožavanja se više ne prepoznaje kao pojedinačni element već formira jedinstvenu sliku. Rotacija, simetrija i sukcesivno kašnjenje pokreta generišu apstraktnu formu koja asocira na organsku strukturu i poprima kvalitete simbola poput mandale ili neke vrste oživljenog pulsirajućeg univerzuma. Multiplikacijom, svaki najmanji trzaj prsta u finalnoj kompozitnoj formi dobija dramatični impuls i ubrzanje. Pojedinačno jedno postaje Jedno. Metod ovakvog generisanja metaforički simulira ideju stvaranja sistema značenja. Svaka pojedinačna i izolovana pojava, nakon višestrukih opservacija, prelamanja, „ogledanja” kao u kaleidoskopu, formira centričnu i stabilnu sliku. Beznačajno pojedinačno dobija značenje. Rezultujuća „velika slika” nastala od pojedičnog nepretencioznog ljudskog pokreta upućuje na poruku o jedinstvu, nežnosti, ljubavi, ljudskoj senzualnosti i nesavršenosti (a-symmetry) koje nas čine jedinstvenim. Zvuk u radu su generičko čelo i moj glas. n Nataša Teofilović radi dela digitalne umetnosti koja spajaju umetnost, nauku i tehnologiju. Tehnički posmatrano, ona istražuje različite medije, od eksperimentalnog videa preko 3D karakter animacije i digitalnih ambijenata. Konceptualno, ovi radovi objedinjuju teme identiteta u praznom (void) virtuelnom prostoru, percepcije virtuelnih bića i ispitivanje granica između virtuelnog i stvarnog prostora. Od dobijenih priznanja izdvajaju se Honorary mention at the first Prix Ars Electronica Collide@CERN, i selekcija žirija na 15th Japan Media Arts Festival, Tokyo. Nataša Teofilović works in digital art, which merges art, science and technology. Technically speaking, she works in diverse media including experimental video, 3D animation performance and digital ambiances. Conceptually, these works are connected with topics of identity in the void of virtual space, the perception of virtual beings and the boundaries between virtual and real spaces. She won an honorary award at the first Prix Ars Electronica Collide@CERN competition for digital art and her work was in the Jury Selection Award at 15th Japan Media Arts Festival, Tokyo, Japan 2011. n Rad s.h.e. se poigrava sa pojmovima virtuenog i stvarnog. Ovu 3D karakter animaciju grade dva elementa virtuelni prostor i virtuelni akter. Virtuelni prostor je „ispražnjen,” ne sadži elemente scenografije, njegovu prostornost jedino definišu virtuelna bića kretanjem i gestom. Virtuelna priroda 3D glumica je prikazana kroz njihovu materijalzaciju i animaciju. Digitalni modeli su virtuelne membrane, telo bez organa koje mimikom, gestom i zvukom (kucanjem sa unutrašnje strane 66 a│symmetry (2013) 3d and 2d karakter animacija, 7:57’ a│symmetry (2013) 3d and 2d character animation, 7:57’ ekrana) komuniciraju uzajamno i/ili sa posmatračem. U praznini virtuelnog prostora, virtuelna bića su ostavljena da istražuju svoj virtuelni identitet. Iz tog razloga one dodiruju ivicu (granicu) virtuelne slike i ulaze u svoja vlastita virtuelna tela. Elementi ličnog, privatnog i autoportreta su prisutni u svakom segmentu ovog rada. Portreti virtuelnih glumica se u osnovi zasnivaju na mom licu. Digitalno osvetljenje modela je kepčerovano (HDR IBL) iz ambijenta u kome živim. Zvuk - ritam udara o ekran je kucanje po staklenoj površini monitora na kom je ovaj rad nastao. Mimika, pokret i gest su lično moji. The work s.h.e. plays with virtuality and reality. The 3D character animation has two basic elements: virtual space and the virtual actor. Virtual space is “emptied”, it has no elements of scenography, and its spatiality has been defined by 3D virtual creatures in virtual space by their movements and acting. The virtual nature of the actresses has been stressed by their animation and materialization. Digital models in fact present a virtual membrane, a body without organs, which by mimics, gestures and sound (knocking from the other side of the screen) communicate mutually and/or with an observer. In the void of virtual-space, the virtuals are left to explore their own virtual identities. That’s why they touch the boundary (the edge) of the picture and enter their own virtual bodies. The elements of the personal, the private and the self-portrait are present throughout all the segments of the piece. The virtual actresses’ portraits have been derived from my own. The digital lighting was captured (HDR IBL) from the ambient I live in. The sound - the rhythm of the beating on the screen, is the knocking on the glass surface of the screen on which the s.h.e.(s) were created. Mimics, movements and gestures are privately mine. The a|symmetry animation is composed out of the same singular arm movement. The virtual arm touches the void of virtual space. This is a wondering and sensual touch. The isolated movement, when it is multiplied, starts to lose particularity and forms one picture. Rotation, symmetry, mirroring and time delay produce abstract form. This form associates a living structure and begets qualities of symbols like the mandala or some kind of living pulsating universe. Every small and slow single finger movement in the final composition received dramatic impulse and velocity due to multiplication. A particular one becomes the One. The compositing method is chosen following the idea (metaphor) of creation of the systems of meaning. Each particular and isolated artifact, when passed through many observations, “mirroring,” forms a centric, stable, reliable picture. Like a kaleidoscope. The insignificant singular receives a meaning. The resulting “big picture,” produced with ordinary human-like elements, speaks of unity, gentleness, love, human sensuality and imperfection (a-symmetry) that make us unique. The sound is virtually generated cello and my voice. n 67 s.h.e. (2006) 3d karakter animacija, 6:52’ s.h.e. (2006) 3d character animation, 6:52’ 68 69 Zoran Todorović Umetnički video rad The Noise (Buka) snimljen je sa posebno dizajniranim uređajem za registrovanje video poruka, koji je poslužio kao neka vrsta otvorene kamere, automata, koji snima izjave, priče i predstave ljudi koji su spremni da ga koriste. Sam rad se sastoji od tri slike, koje su snimljene istim uređajem na tri različite lokacije: na ulici, u zatvoru, i u psihijatrijskoj klinici. Moglo bi se reći da je ovo delo stvorila mašina kojoj je „javnost” iznosila svoje izjave, sklonosti, ideje, predrasude, strahove, verovanja, itd. Ove tri pozicije su stoga uzete kao granične situacije ili tačke orijentacije kojima celo društveno polje može biti obuhvaćeno. Istovremeno, ovaj film ne pretenduje da predstavlja glas različitih društvenih grupa, izbegavajući da se nađe u samom položaju koji kritikuje. Ovu činjenicu je važno razumeti, jer predstavlja samu suštinu ovog rada, problem socijalne reprezentacije, ili, tačnije, sistem socijalne reprezentacije je spoljna motivacija, podsticaj i tema ovog rada. Zoran Todorović (rođen 1965. godine, živi u Beogradu, Srbiji) predstavnik je biopolitičkog performansa, radikalnog bodi arta, međuljudskog performansa i politizovane postmedijske umetnosti. Radi sa afektivnim individualnim i kolektivnim situacijama i predstavama granica „ljudskih stanja.” Bio je predstavnik Srbije na 53. Bijenalu u Veneciji (2009). Docent je na Fakultetu likovnih umetnosti u Beogradu, u Srbiji. n n n Zoran Todorović (born 1965, lives in Belgrade, Serbia) is a representative of biopolitical performance, radical body art, interhuman performance art and politicised postmedia art. He works with affective individual and collective situations and representations of the borders of “human conditions”. He was the representative of Serbia at the 53rd Biennale di Venezia (2009). He is Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Fine Arts, Belgrade, Serbia. 70 Šum (1999) Trokanalna video instalacija Noise (1999) 3 channel video installation taken as borderline situations or points of orientation in which the entire social field can be marked off. At the same time, this film does not pretend to represent the speech of different social groups, avoiding to find itself in the very position it is criticizing. This is an important point to understand, as it constitutes the very mobile of this work, which is the problem of social representation, or, more precisely, the system of social representation was the external motivation, incitement and theme of this work. n Video artwork The Noise was shot by an especially designed device for recording of video messages, that functioned as some kind of open camera, an automaton, which records statements, stories and representations of people that were willing to use it. The work itself consists of three images, taken with the same device on three different locations: in the street, in the prison, and in the psychiatric clinic. It might be said that this work was made by the machine to which “the public” announced its statements, inclinations, ideas, prejudices, anxieties, beliefs, etc. These three positions are therefore only 71 72 73 Miloš Tomić Rođen 05.02.1976. u Beogradu. Krajem osnovne škole počinje da crtka, boji, skuplja predmete sa ulice, fotografiše, malo svira... U srednjoj školi prolazi kroz kurseve filmske škole „Kvadrat” kod Zorana i Svetlane Popović. 1993 - 2002. saradnik u emisiji „Lepi ritam srca.“ Svršeni polaznik kursa okretnih igara u Domu ruske culture, 2000. n 2001. diplomira na filmskoj režiji na Akademiji umetnosti u klasi Miše Radivojevića. Magistarske studije na animaciji završava u Pragu, na Famu u klasi Petra Skale. Bio gost student u Madridu i Berlinu. Doktorirao u Pragu kao specijalista đubrolog na temu „Dragocenost odbačenih predmeta, tj. đubreta kao materijala za film, fotografiju...” Učestvovao na mnogo grupnih i desetak samostalnih izložbi, prikazivao svoje filmove sa nebrojenim filmskim festivalima sa promenjljivim uspehom. Ako se i to računa, 2014. zajedno sa Vladimirom Perićem, predstavljao Srbiju na Venecijanskom Bijenalu u Veneciji. Born 5 February 1976, in Belgrade. At the end of elementary school he started doodling, coloring, collecting objects from the street, photographing, playing a bit of music... During high school he went to “Kvadrat” film school run by Zoran and Svetlana Popović. 1993 - 2002. contributor of the “Beautiful Rhythm of the Heart” radio show. Successfully completed a partner dance course at the Russian Culture Home, 2000. n 2001. Graduated at the Academy of Arts (Directing) in the class of Miša Radivojević. Completed graduate studies in Animation at Famu, in Prague, in the class of Petar Skala. Was a guest student in Madrid and Berlin. Just finished his doctoral studies, thesis on “Preciousness of discarded objects, i.e. trash as the material for film, photography...” Lives in Belgrade, again, since 2009, as a family man, with not so frequent, planned travels. Teaches short video forms at Singidunum University. 74 Muzički dnevnici 1-3 (2012-2013) Video, 3’+5’+8’ Musical Diary 1-3 (2012-2013) Video, 3’+5’+8’ Kese (2007) video , 5’ Plastic Bags (2007) video , 5’ Kao lični psihijatar, prepisao sam sebi dnevnu lekovitu dozu muziciranja. Nikada nisam išao u muzičku školu, ne umem da čitam note ali često čujem melodiju u šumi zvukova oko sebe i od detinjstva sam bubnjao ritmove prstima po stolu, tokom porodičnih ručkova, uvek ućutkivan od roditelja. n As my own personal psychiatrist, I prescribed myself n a daily curative dose of musicianship. I never went to music school, I cannot read music, but I often hear a melody in the forest of sounds around me and since childhood I have drummed rhythms with my fingers on the table, during family dinners, always silenced by my parents. Dnevnik ovde znači da se svakog dana igram, improvizujem na nekom muzičkom instrument ili predmetu koji koristim ili nabasam na njega a odjednom mi „zazvuči.” Kao in a telu – svom ili onom koje se nađe pri ruci. Here, a diary means that I play around every day, improvise on a musical instrument or an object I use, or come across, and suddenly, it “reverberates” to me. As well as on a body - my own or one that is at hand. Improvisation here means to get into grips with the selected instrument or object and squeeze everything out of it - from noise to melody. All the while one is constantly listening to its every audio response and turning one’s every mistake into a possible motif. Although, I do not know if I am permitted to do this, the music teacher at my elementary school “Braća Baruh” would throw chalk at us, or a heavy key ring, whenever we would make any such “musical mistakes.” Improvizacija ovde znači, uhvatiti se u koštac sa izabranim instrumentom ili predmetom i iscediti iz njega sve – od buke do melodije. Pri tom stalno osluškujući svaku njegovu zvučnu reakciju i pretvarajući u mogući motiv svaku svoju grešku. Iako, ja ne znam da li smem to da radim, nastavnik muzičkog vaspitanja u mojoj osnovnoj školi „Braća Baruh,” gađao bi nas kredom ili teškom svežnjem ključeva kad god bi napravili neku takvu „muzičku grešku.” Maybe this is why I still play using keys, taps, trainers, broken glass from bottles... as well as out-of-tune guitars, saxophones, harmonicas, pianos, give me anything, I’ll play! Možda baš zato ja danas sviram na ključevima, česmama, čičkovima patika, razbijenim staklićima flaša… kao in a raštimovanoj gitari, saksofonu, usnoj harmonici, klaviru, dajte mi bilo šta, sviraću! Very quickly, my son, at three years of age, saw in these sessions a chance to destroy many house rules. To go wild, smash things, yell and jump around, and if it passes as music - it goes unpunished. So he immediately became part of the musical diaries that have thus become (perhaps a bit romanticized) chronicle of our relationship: of him growing-up and my childlike behaviour. Vrlo brzo, moj sin sa svoje 3 godine video je u ovim seansama šansu da poruši mnoga kućna pravila. Da luduje, razbija, dere se i skače pa, ako to prođe kao muzika – on prođe nekažnjen. Tako da je odmah uskočio u muzikalne dnevnike koji su tako postali (možda malo romantizovana) zabeleška našeg odnosa: njegovog odrastanja i mog podetinjavanja. 75 Dlake (2007) video 3’ Hair (2007) video 3’ 76 Glineni golub (2005) Video 7’ Clay pigeon (2005) Video 7’ 77 Selman Trtovac Rođen 1970. u Zadru, SFR Jugoslavija. Od 1990. do 1993. studirao je na Fakultetu likovnih umetnosti u Beogradu. 1993. prešao na Kunstakademie u Dizeldorfu, u klasu prof. Klausa Rinkea, gdje je 1997. godine proglašen za majstora umetnosti. Član IKG-a (Internacionalni umetnički gremijum) postao 2003. godine. Kreator, inicijator i suosnivač Nezavisne umetničke asocijacije Treći Beograd (www.trecibeograd.com). Doktorirao 2012. godine na odseku za skulpturu Fakulteta likovnih umetnosti u Beogradu. Živi i radi u Beogradu. n Umetnost crtanja se nalazi u osnovi svakog drugog vizuelnog mišljenja, u bilo kom drugom vizuelnom mediju i ne samo tu, umetnost crtanja se nalazi i u evoluciji ljudske vrste uopšte! Crtanje je, dakle, sredstvo primarnog mišljenja u kome se ogleda razvoj neke ideje. n Born 14 August 1970, in Zadar, Yugoslavia. From 1990 until 1993 he studied at the Faculty of Fine Arts, Belgrade. In 1993 he moved to Kunstakademie Düsseldorf, in the art class of Professor Klaus Rinke, where he was declared a Master of Art in 1997. In 2003 he became a member of IKG (International Arts Committee). He is the initiator and co-founder of Independent Artistic Association Third Belgrade (www. trecibeograd.com). In 1993 he was declared a Doctor of Fine Arts at the Academy of Arts in Belgrade. Lives and works in Belgrade. n Slobodna umetnička zadruga Treći Beograd je, povodom izložbe Josipa Vanište, putovala u Zagreb u maju mesecu 2013. godine. U prenesenom smislu to je predstavljalo povlačenje linije između Beograda i Zagreba, odnosno umetnički akt cele grupe. Motiv za to, naročito putovanje, jeste volja grupe umetnika 3BGD-a da „vide” Vaništininu liniju. Taj događaj je na sve umetnike koji su tada bili u Zagrebu ostavio moćan trag. Linija za Savamalu je naslov crteža umetnika Selmana Trtovca i umetnički dijalog dva umetnika - Veljka Pavlovića i Selmana Trtovca, koji se može razumeti i kao jedna od refleksija na susret sa Vaništinom linijom i prazninom koju on pominje u pismu Selmanu Trtovcu. 78 Linija za Savamalu (2013) crtež (grafit na papiru, 110x400cm video 3:12’ Line for Savamala (2013) Drawing (graphit on paper, 110x400cm video 3:12’ 79 The art of drawing is the basis of every other visual thinking, in any other visual medium and not only that, the art of drawing is part of the evolution of the human species in general! Drawing, then, represents the means of primary thinking that reflects the development of an idea. n Free art cooperative Treći Beograd (Third Belgrade) travelled to Zagreb in May 2013 for the exhibition of Josip Vaništa. In a metaphorical sense, this became the drawing of a line between Belgrade and Zagreb, an artistic act of the whole group. The motivation for this particular journey was the will of the 3BGD group of artists to “view” Vaništa’s line. This event left a powerful impression on all artists who were in Zagreb at the time. Linija za Savamalu (The Line for Savamala) is the title of the drawing of the artist Selman Trtovac and represents an artistic dialogue between two artists - Veljko Pavlović and Selman Trtovac, which can be understood as one of the reflections on the encounter with Vaništa’s line and the emptiness that he mentions in the letter to Selman Trtovac. 80 81 MUZEJ SAVREMENE UMETNOSTI VOJVODINE Naziv izložbe | Title of the Exhibition : Prigušena egzistencija- Savremena umetnička scena Srbije | Subdued Existence - Serbian Contemporary Art Scene 30.04.2015–30.05.2015. Muzej savremene umjetnosti Republike Srpske | Museum of Contemporary Art of Republika Sprska Banja Luka, Trg Srpskih junaka 2, Republika Srpska, Bosna i Hercegovina | Bosnia and Herzegovina Direktorka | Director: Sarita Vujković Kustoskinja | Curator: Žana Vukičević 26.11.2015–07.02.2016. Kunsthalle Košice Košice, Republika Slovačka | Republic of Slovakia Organizacija | Organization: Asocijacija Bela Noć, Republika Slovačka | White Night Association, Košice, Slovakia Umetnički direktor i kustos | Art Director and Curator: Zuzana Pacáková Partner: Kulturni centar Košice, Republika Slovačka | Košické kultúrne centrá, Republic of Slovakia Producent i izdavač | Producer and Publisher: Muzej savremene umetnosti Vojvodine | Museum of Contemporary Art Vojvodina Dunavska 37, Novi Sad www.msuv.org Direktorka | Director: Sanja Kojić Mladenov Za izdavača | Executive Publisher: Sanja Kojić Mladenov Kustoskinje | Curators: Sanja Kojić Mladenov, Svetlana Mladenov Glavna urednica | Editor-in-Chief: Sanja Kojić Mladenov Urednica | Editor: Svetlana Mladenov Autori tekstova | Writers: Svetlana Mladenov, Sanja Kojić Mladenov, Yan-Huei –Chen Dizajn | Design: Mirjana Dušić-Lazić Rad korišćen za dizajn korica | Artwork used for cover design: diSTRUKTURA, Not so far away 4. Prevod | Translator: Milana Vujkov Lektura | Proofreading: Katja Juršić-Huzjan, Predrag Rajić Koncept postavke | Exhibition Concept: Sanja Kojić Mladenov, Svetlana Mladenov Organizacija | Organization: Jovan Jakšić, Tijana Filipov Montaža | Video editing: io.MEDIA, agencija za audio vizuelnu produkciju-Aleksandar Ramadanović; Marko Ercegović Štampa | Printed by: Službeni glasnik, Beograd Projekat podržali | Supported by: Pokrajinski sekretarijat za kulturu i javno informisanje AP Vojvodine Provincial Secretariat for Culture and Public Information, AP Vojvodina Ministarstvo kulture i informisanja Republike Srbije Ministry of Culture and Information, Republic of Serbia Ministarstvo prosvjete i kulture Republike Srpske Ministry of Education and Culture of Republika Sprska Ministarstvo kulture Republike Slovačke Ministry of Culture, Republic of Slovakia Zahvaljujemo | Thanks: Zadužbini umetnice Brede Beban I “Kalfayan” galerije (Atina-Solun) Artist’s estate and Kalfayan Galleries (Athens – Thessaloniki) CIP - Каталогизација у публикацији Библиотека Матице српске, Нови Сад 73/76(497.1)"20"(083.824) PRIGUŠENA egzistencija : savremena umetnička scena Srbije = Subdued existence : Serbian contemporary art scene : Muzej savremene umetnosti Republike Srpske, Banjaluka, 30.04 - 30.05 2015. / [autori tekstova Svetlana Mladenov, Sanja Kojić Mladenov, Yan-Huel Chen ; prevod Milana Vujkov]. - Novi Sad : Muzej savremene umetnosti Vojvodine, 2015 (Beograd : Službeni glasnik). - [80] str. : ilustr. ; 21 x 26 cm Biografski podaci o umetnicima. - Tiraž 400. ISBN 978-86-6333-018-4 1. Уп. ств. насл. a) Ликовна уметност - Србија - 21. в. - Изложбени каталози COBISS.SR-ID 295724295 83 84
