ARTIST AS AUDIENCE Fo ru m :: t h e audience a b o ut t h e v isua l art w o r k s

Concept and realization, moderator:: M.F.A. Boba Mirjana Stojadinović Artists:: Saša Rakezić alias Aleksandar Zograf, Nikoleta Marković, Zoran Todorović, Igor Milovanović, Boris Šribar, Miloš Tomić, Lana Vasiljević, Dragana Žarevac, Zoran Pantelić, Bik Van der Pol, Milorad Mladenović, Marko Crnobrnja Project production:: Artist Association DEZ ORG and organization “Anonymous said:” Project partner:: Cultural Centre REX Project was generously supported by the Fund for an Open Society, The presence of the artists Bik Van der Pol was made possible with the help of the Embassy of Kingdom of the Netherlands in Belgrade. Finances and administration:: Jelena Radić Technical realization in REX:: Miroslav Stevanović, Jovan Pešić Visual identity of the first six discussions:: Verica Sokanović Visual identity of the second six discussions:: Boba Mirjana Stojadinović dez Photographs by:: org Boba Mirjana Stojadinović, Ivan Petrović Simultaneous translator for Bik Van der Pol:: Marija Asanović Audio editing:: Vladimir Janković - Slonče

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Thank you:: Gordana Belić, Dušica Parezanović, Fund *font može biti bilo koji standardni serifni font for an Open Society, Ivana Smiljanić, Svetlana Strunić, Miroslava Rajković, Nikoleta Marković, all the artists, Miroslav Karić, Milena Dragićević-Šešić, Snežana Stamenković, Ljubica Ćetković, Ivan Bon This project has been deposited in the Serbian Authors Agency, www.autorskaagencija.com [email protected] BELGRADE, SERBIA, 2010. http://razgovori.wordpress.com The production of contemporary visual art in discourse, possible readings of the cultural and political Belgrade is rich and diverse. Who is its audience: heritage in the perspective of anticipated events, all who sees it and how do they perceive it? Do these within the framework of the works of visual art. artistic works provide “food for thought” and for Some of the general issues touched upon in the whom? Which subjects do they deal with and in framework of the forum included the following: on the prject what ways? Can a work of art change something in :: the lack of critical awareness in terms of contempo- everyday life? rary visual art – the timidity of the audience in ap- As a response to these questions twelve proaching and making contact with art (the inability to discussions have been realized throughout 2010 find an access point); within the framework of the project-forum ARTIST :: the expression of an unbalanced and uncritical rela- AS AUDIENCE. This forum put into the focus of tion towards the notion of other and foreign in general public attention a selection of individual works of terms; art and art strategies produced in the preceding ten years by highly profiled Serbian and interna- :: the problem with articulating one’s own attitudes and tional artists. envisioning the lack of strong personal and social role- models and exemplars, both in art and in general; The discussions have directed the audience to actively participate in the exchange of opinions :: the lack of interest shown by media outlet to deal about the artistic works, on the inter-relation with contemporary non-populist art and their unwilling- of society and the individual here and now, and ness to mediate contemporary visual art events to the numerous other cultural and political complexities general audience; one effective consequence of this of everyday life in Serbia and Belgrade, relevant lack of action is censorship of art in public and lowering for the interpretation and understanding of these of the aesthetic and ethic criteria among the general EXCHANGE DYNIMICS works, but also the contemporary visual art in audience. general. Apart from the artists who live and work in The intention of these discussions was not for the Serbia, there is a special focus within the forum on the artists to explain their work which is being discussed, artists who produced works on the relation between but to create active communication among the work of Serbia and the European context, thereby fostering art and the audience: from first impressions and pos- self-awareness and what difference an experience of art sible implications of the work, to gaining an insight and and life in Serbia make outside its borders. The forum an overview of everyday context of artistic practices on is working towards detecting the differences, making Belgrade art scene in particular. them seen clearly, spoken about and appreciated, and not abolishing the differences in the name of mutual The discussions themselves passed in an ex- respect and thus neutralizing them. change of opinions and thoughts among the attending audience with the help of a moderator. The status of The forum ARTIST AS AUDIENCE represents a case “audience” was understood as equally belonging to study of the fragile state of art and its reception, and everyone, except for the author of the work. The ap- is a part of a more general artist-art-institution-public proach to the topics in the discussions was such that domain research in the 2000-2010 time-frame in Serbia the advantage was not given to a professional way of (more specifically, in Belgrade) and its consequences. It expressing opinions and attitudes, although that was strives for an exchange through culture, which implies also welcome. an exchange of knowledge, experience and practices that will mutually enrich the interlocutors, stimulating People coming to the discussions were very dif- one another into a further critical and creative rela- ferent – from those who pursued an interest in art in tionship in contemplating reality. Here, this exchange their free time, along with the students of art, architec- through culture is burdened with many factors: from ture, management, sociology, art history, etc. to young the artists’ vanity and apathy of the workers in the experts in those fields, professional artists, theoreti- domain of culture, via the limits set by the sources of cians, critics, art historians, designers and others. financing (be they foreign foundations or state institu- ARTIST AS AUDIENCE, as the title says, puts the tions, often functioning according to their own politi- artist in a position of the one receiving possible read- cal agendas), all the way to the lack of art critique and ings of his/her work, that is, the kind of impressions professional literature and press. The forum raises ques- the work itself makes. The polyphony of these readings tions on how to deal with these problems. does not state a definite judgment on the piece, but ARTIST AS AUDIENCE is a unique project which, considers it from different perspectives. The forum gives as a series of public discussions, represents means of a possibility to think out loud, to share these thoughts working with the audience in a focused way, nurturing and confront them without the pretentions that there thoughts and critical relation towards the contemporary can be only one true answer and a uniform vision of art. visual art with a focus on Serbia as a geographical and Some of the topics presented were: thinking cultural destination, while investing in the reception about the relation of society and activism, thinking and dissemination of contemporary visual art among about the language of design in visual poetics, thinking the general audience. about the engagement and inter-relation of architec- M.F.A. Boba Mirjana Stojadinović ture and visual art, thinking about private life in public 2 1

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6 SAŠA RAKEZIĆ alias ALEKSANDAR ZOGRAF In 2009 he represented Serbia at the 53rd Venice Biennale. Among other exhibitions in the same year, he Cartoonist artists realized an extensive mid-career retrospective in the Photographs No. 1 and 2, 21.04.2010. Museum of Contemporary Art in Novi Sad. Aleksandar Zograf (pseudonym for Saša Rakezić) is Since 1998 he has been teaching at the Faculty of Fine a Serbian cartoonist. Zograf has been active on the Arts in Belgrade. international scene since the early 1990s when his work started appearing in comics anthologies in U.S.A. The www.zorantodorovic.com works by Zograf have been translated and published in numerous European magazines, and his individual comic books have been commissioned and published by igor milovanović publishers in , , , , etc. Designer Saša Rakezić is also a journalist. He started writing for the Photograph No. 6, 08.06.2010. national magazines in in 1981. In the following decade his journalistic works were published abroad as Born in 1978 in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. well. He was educated in the School for Design and Faculty of www.aleksandarzograf.com Applied Arts in Belgrade and he participated in numerous international workshops. At the age of 17 he creates his first commissioned visual nikoleta marković identity at the Trans:East Design studio where he starts his professional career, and at the age of 21 he leads the Visual artist creative team working on projects for the Balkan region Photographs No. 3 and 4, 07.05.2010. as an art director of McCann Erickson Belgrade. Nikoleta Marković completed post-graduate studies Later on he goes on to exhibit his own art projects in at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Belgrade, in 2004. Since Paris, Maribor, Chaumont and Belgrade. His works have 1999 she has participated in numerous exhibitions, been awarded worldwide and they have been published conferences and workshops in the country and abroad. in eminent design books and magazines. Her works investigate the position of the artist in the www.coroflot.com/IgorM contemporary society, reflecting all the political drama between the individual and the society. Her interests are placed in the liminal space between the contemporary boris šribar art, the potential new audience and the authors, thus testing all the complex inter-relations underlying this Sculptor/ visual artist exchange. Recent activities revolve around experimenting Photographs No. 7, 8, and 9, 22.06.2010. and developing a workshop as a model of participative, non-hierarchical art education and realization of Boris Šribar was born in 1979 in Šabac, Serbia. He workshop praxis as an art and activist performance. graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts in Belgrade, where he currently lives and works. She is the author of several art works in public space. He runs the Museum, an independent art space in www.elevatorart.info Belgrade, promoting the visibility of young artists. He is one of the founders of the Artist Association DEZ ORG in Belgrade. zoran todorović In his works Boris Šribar is dealing with the notion Visual artist of the other which can have an excess or a deficit of Photograph No. 5, 28.05.2010. characteristics in relation with the community it belongs to, or the community it cannot belong to due to this Zoran Todorović was born in Belgrade in 1965, where excess or deficit. His series of sculptures, drawings and he continues to live and work. He is recognizable by his collages that take as a starting point the image of the new media and video works. Since 1992 Todorović has artist himself can be perceived as self-irony, as much as exhibited on numerous solo exhibitions and since 2000 in self-adoration. They can also be perceived as a rehearsal leading institutions of media art and events throughout field of social norms on one’s own body and mind, Europe, Australia and the U.S.A. and thematize a position of the artist as someone who The field of his art research is supervision and control, was allowed to be different. The new series of works the confrontation of the viewer with the unpleasant problematize the ego of a man who, by abandoning truths and hidden motivations. His work often shocks and himself in family obligations and love, reflects that confronts the viewer with its transgressive themes and intimate and social state by questioning his masculinity. uncompromising gaze. www.borissribar.webs.com 8 7

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12 13 artists from thepostmodernstrategy ofworkingwithquotes– advertising andmassculture ingeneral.Herworkstems the (in)visibleideologiesfundamental forthecultureof meanings, aswellthemechanisms offunctioning considering theprocessesof forming anddeducingthe commercial advertisingLana posesthequestions «By usingthetechniques,formsandmediumsof Communications Group-Belgrade,2007/2008. She wasacreativedirectorfortheDDBWorldwide in 1997,bothBelgrade. identity, andasculptureawardinthe38thOctoberSalon In 2006and2010receivedGRIFONrecognitionforvisual 2000. ArtsLinkartistresidency/NewYork 2002. KulturKontaktartistresidency/Vienna Diversion 2 1998. SoloexhibitioninParis,ArnaudLefebvreGallery, Paris, ViennaandTheHague. solo andingroupexhibitionsBelgrade,NewYork, as afreelancegraphicdesignersince2002.Sheexhibited sculptures andobjectssince1997hasbeenworking Fine ArtsinBelgrade1998.Shehasbeenexhibiting She graduatedandreceivedanM.F.A.attheFacultyof Lana Vasiljevićwasbornin1973Belgrade. Visual artist anddesigner www.milostomic.com material forfilm,photography...” “Preciousness ofdiscardedobjects,i.e.trashasthe He iscurrentlyathisdoctoralstudies,thesisbeing: Was agueststudentinMadridandBerlin. Famu, intheclassofPetarSkala. He finishedgraduatestudiesofanimationinPrague,at major) intheclassofMišaRadivojević. In 2001hegraduatedattheAcademyofArt(Directing Belgrade. course attheRussianCenterofScienceandCulturein In 2001hesuccessfullycompletedapartnerdance the “BeautifulRhythmofHeart”radioshow. Between 1993and2002heworkedasacontributorfor by ZoranandSvetlanaPopović. During highschoolhewentto“Kvadrat”filmrun photographing, playingsomemusic... doodling, colouring,collectingobjectsfromthestreet, At theendofelementaryschoolhestarted Born on05.02.1976inBelgrade. Filmmaker miloš LAN V tomić ASIL Photographs No. JEVIĆ Photographs No. 12, 13и14, 10 and11, 30.09.2010. 05.07.2010. Artist, producer, mediaactivist on therelationbetweenartandsociety. video festivalsandastheauthorofworkshopsfocused She writesreviewsoffineart,worksasaselectoron organizations. recognitions fromgovernmentandnon-government “Nadežda Petrović”,Čačak(2005)aswellmanyother Festival inNoviSad(1999)andtheGalleryAward Karlsruhe (1998),theGoldenSphinxatVideoMedeya The AwardoftheCentreforArtandMedia(ZKM)in Žarevac isarecipientofinternationalvideoawards– France andGermany. the U.S.A.andAfrica,theyarepartofcollectionsin Pompidou -Paris,MuseoGuggenheim–Bilbao...),in Europe (TATEModern–London,CentreGeorges TV stations,exhibitionsandmanifestationsthroughout Her videoworkswereshowninnumerousfestivals, Canal. realized threevideopiecesattheParisstudioGrand of severalscholarshipsthegovernmentFranceshe solo orincooperationwithotherartists.Asareceiver prominent ex-Yugoslaviangalleriesandabroad,whether during the1980s,shedidperformancesinmost Bombay, SanDiegoandParis.Inthelate1970s She gainededucationinmusicandvideoartBelgrade, interested intherelationbetweenrealityandtruth. Dragana Žarevac(Belgrade,1959)isafineartartist Video artist www.creativeshop.co.rs www.lanavasiljevic.com „imprints oflanguage“...» consequently, herworkfunctionsasamapofsuch which isunderstoodasan„imprintoflanguage“and, and transferringofthe„material“(image,text,discourse) her workiscreatedbyliteralandnon-literalnegotiating Vienna, Frankfurt, Wroclaw, Hiroshima, SanFrancisco, and galleries inplacessuchasBerlin,Paris, Budapest, whose work hasbeenshown internationally in festivals of interdisciplinary artprojects andmediapluralism, 1993, acollective that acted duringthe1990sinfield He was afounder oftheart association Apsolutno in 2001, Faculty ofSocialSciences,Ljubljana,Slovenia. well asacertificate from theSchool ofMedia Education Arts Novi SadandanM.F.A. from thesameinstitution, as frommedia activist. HeholdsaB.A. theAcademy ofFine Zoran Pantelić (Novi Sad,1966)isanartist, educator and Z dra ORAN gan (Jasmina Čubrilo, anexcerpt from acatalogue text) PANTELIĆ ž arev Photographs No. a c Photograph No. 16 and17, 15, 14.10.2010. 27.10.2010. etc. 14

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18 19 Since 1995 he has participated in numerous international in Belgrade in 1994/1996. Later on, he participated in symposiums and conferences dedicated to the culture numerous group and solo exhibitions and workshops of the new media and as a guest lecturer at universities in the field of visual art and architecture, for which he artists throughout Europe (Vienna, Maastricht, Berlin, received several awards. The key exhibitions were the Amsterdam, Dessau, Sarajevo, Helsinki, Moscow, etc.) ones in Bikini House in Berlin in 2003, Vienna Secession in 2004, Museum of Contemporary Art in Belgrade in 2005 In 2000 he founded and has since been running the New and the 10th Architecture Biennale in Venice in 2006. Media Center_kuda.org in Novi Sad which develops creative possibilities in the field of new communications During and after his architectural studies he cooperated technologies and art. in the development of several projects and competition elaborates in different architectural teams. He is the He is one of the founders and mentors in of the Youth author of a number of competition proposals, projects Culture Centre CK13 in Novi Sad since 2007 and realized architectural objects. (www.ck13.org). He is one of the propellants of the Initiative for Reconstruction of the Cultural and Social Life Since 2004 he has been working with the informal in the city “For Cultural Politics – the Politics of Culture” author team re//al from Belgrade. He is a member of the that started in 2009. Since 2010 he is a member of the advisory board of Serbian Association of Architects and European Cultural Parliament based in Brussels was the general editor of the magazine Forum of Serbian (ECP, www.kulturparlament.com). Association of Architects and the Association of Belgrade Architects in 2007 and 2008. He is one of the founders of http://apsolutno.net/ the Art Cooperative Third Belgrade and is a member of www.kuda.org the advisory board of the Cooperation. He has been working at the Faculty of Architecture, University of Belgrade since 1995. BIK VAN DER POL http://www.miloradmladenovic.com/ Visual artists (The Netherlands) Photographs from No. 18 to 24, 11.11.2010. Bik Van der Pol work collectively since 1995. They live MARKO CRNOBRNJA and work in Rotterdam and produce their projects Sculptor around the globe (Europe, Canada, New Zealand, North and South America...). Photographs No. 26 and 27, 14.12.2010. Bik van der Pol explore the potential of art to produce «Marko Crnobrnja (1978) is one of those artists who and transmit knowledge. Their work method is based on could righteously carry the title of “the favourite of co-operation and research methods of how to activate Belgrade art audience”. The important fact in his situations so as to create a platform for various kinds of professional career is his family, which, by a lucky set of communicative activities. circumstances, he founded at the very beginning of his studies. By the second year of his studies he became a Part of their practice includes publishing books. father, which will further on affect both his education Within the forum, Bik Van der Pol have offered for and his art. discussion their artistic work “Art is either plagiarism He graduated at the Department of sculpture at the or revolution, or: something is definitely going to Faculty of Fine Arts in the class of Prof. Mrđan Bajić; he happen here” dealing with the Museum of Revolution exhibited on numerous solo and group exhibitions, and is in Belgrade, a piece they have realized in cooperation the author of the permanent exhibit of the Pedagogical with Zoran Erić and the Centre for Visual Culture of Museum in Belgrade. In the effort to communicate the MoCA, Belgrade. the world of children and adults through a universal http://www.bikvanderpol.net/ language, the artist fruitfully realizes sculptures that catch attention with their lucidity and humour. Crnobrnja is one of the founders of the design studio MILORAD MLADENOVIĆ Štap&Kanap, the winner of the competition for the souvenir solution for the Serbian pavilion at the EXPO Visual artist and architect 2010 in Shanghai. Photograph No. 25, 24.11.2010. In the overall visual communication of extraordinary He graduated at the Faculty of Fine Arts (Painting poetics and narrative pureness Crnobrnja provides us department) in 1994 and the Faculty of Architecture in with the access to the world of child play, this unique 1996, both in Belgrade. He received an M.F.A. from the strategy of learning, vital for the survival of humankind.» Faculty of Fine Arts in Belgrade in 1999, where he started (Excerpt from a text by Miroslav Karić) his doctoral studies in 2009. http://www.flickr.com/photos/markocrnobrnja/page2/ His professional activity started with a series of fine art interventions in the Student Cultural Centre Gallery www.stapikanap.com 20

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26 27 M.F.A. BOBA MIRJANA STOJADINOVIĆ Organization “Anonymous said:” Forum concept and realization, moderator of the discussions Producer of the first cycle of discussions ARTIST AS

organizers AUDIENCE in the period April-July 2010. Boba Mirjana Stojadinović (1977, Serbia/Bulgaria) is a visual artist whose work functions at a crossroad of mediums and is rooted in the experience of immediate CULTURAL CENTRE REX surroundings. She uses the space as a means of expression and intervention, often operating in non- Forum partner gallery environments. REX is a centre for contemporary art and engaged cultural She takes special interest in working with/for the limited practice. The common goal of REX’s projects is to foster number of audience, working with the ways an experience and encourage individuals, groups and initiatives to can be shared. Recent projects are participational and express and realize their ideas, and to use their knowledge deal with public and personal space, as well as the politics and skills in creative ways by expressing understanding of culture. for social relations. She did numerous solo exhibitions since 1998, and also REX supports and represents projects and programmes organized and participated in numerous group exhibitions of contemporary engaged art and culture some of which in Serbia and abroad. are self-produced, and some in cooperation with related initiatives, organizing and hosting debates, presentations, Stojadinović received an M.F.A. from the Faculty of exhibitions, concerts, theatre and dance plays. Besides Fine Arts in Belgrade, Institute Piet Zwart in Rotterdam, public programmes, REX is open during the day for related The Netherlands and the Faculty of Arts in Plymouth, initiatives, organizations and activists who use the space England. to prepare projects, meetings, rehearsals and workshops. She is one of the DEZ ORG Artist Association founders. Special attention is dedicated to the educational and youth programmes. http://bobaart.wordpress.com REX was founded in 1994 at the initiative of Radio B92 with the intention to become a place of presentation and ARTIST ASSOCIATION DEZ ORG production of contemporary local art scene, and also a place of exchange and learning process. Producer of the forum ARTIST AS AUDIENCE 2 in the period September-December 2010. The forum wishes to thank Dušica Parezanović and Ana Đokić, Miroslav Stevanović and Jovan Pešić for all the Artist Association DEZ ORG is a fluctuating group of visual support. artists based in Belgrade, initiated in 2005 by Gordana Belić, Dragan Đorđević, Tijana Knežević, Maja Radanović, Address - Jevrejska St. 16, Belgrade Jelena Radić, Dragan Rajšić, Maja Rakočević Cvijanov, www.rex.b92.net Milica Ružičić, Ivana Smiljanić, Boba Mirjana Stojadinović and Boris Šribar. Defining the group DEZ ORG means taking into focus the FUND FOR AN OPEN SOCIETY, SERBIA critical positioning of the point from which these artists Supported and made possible the project realization speak, think and work in contemporary art and society, often cooperating with numerous local and international Fund for an Open Society is a non-government, non- organizations and artists. political and non-profit organization that develops and supports systemic developmental policies, programs The general directions DEZ ORG is taking are: looking for and activities aimed at the advancement of democratic a way to relate its own artistic practice with the practice cultures and all they entail. This includes openness, of other artists; creativity in the local context, recognition affirmation of differences, and full respect of human of the “local” in the wider frame and letting go of that rights. It also promotes the principles of the rule of law, “local”; examining of the ways in which one can operate good governance, accountability and the participation in the sphere of enriching opinions and ways of thinking; of citizens in public affairs. Ultimately it works onthe examining the possibility of knowledge distribution; establishment of the self-sustainable democratic and communicating the public and private, and examining the pro-European development of society, fortifying stability borders between the one who “offers” and the one who and cooperation in the region of Southeast Europe, and “receives” art; taking interest in noting, collecting and the inclusion of Serbia in European integration. examining the contemporary environment in which one lives, as well as an echo of references coming from art, The Fund for an Open Society in Serbia is a part of an popular and unpopular culture. international network, the Open Society Institute, whose founder is George Soros. The main source of income http://dezorgbgd.wordpress.com/ for the Fund for an Open Society are donations from its founder, but also other donations, gifts, and bequests, and self-made income as well. www.fosserbia.org