Visit to Cetinje

Today I visited the Montenegrin Art Gallery in Cetinje with my colleague, a practicing artist, Mirjana Maresenic Vujovic (she was mentioned in a previous post). What was interesting to me was that although I could not recognize a single artist's name in the gallery, I could recognize the art movements that had influenced their work. As Montenegro has always been tiny - in fact it used to be a lot smaller than its current size - many aspiring artists would go to art institutes throughout Europe to get training. Artists were trained by well known European artists, such as Giacometti, Salvador Dali, and Cezanne.

Fig. 1. Miodrag Đurić. Untitled 1997.

Oil painting on linen.

One artist whose work consisted of drawing with paint, and whose work was particularly disturbing, was the work of Miodrag Đurić (1933–2010), also known as Dado. He was born in Cetinje, Montenegro (Yugoslavia) during a particularly troubled time in the history of this region. His mother died in 1944, where upon he went to live with his uncle, a painter, in "Ljubljana, Slovenia, a baroque city once in the Old Austro-Hungarian Empire." (Szidon, 2010) During his childhood he got to see the brutalities of war, observing bodies cut down in the streets of his home. He was also "deeply affected" by the suicide of his close friend, Bernard Requichot. (Szidon, 2010) These influences are evident in his works which glorify the grotesque, goulish and sinister subjects.

In many ways his work seems to show a similar repulsion to the confines of "beautiful" art, reflecting many of the sentiments of Surrealism and Dadaism. According to Montenegrin artist, Mirjana Maresenic Vujovic, he is considered as a Conceptual artist. His website indicates that he was anti establishment, helping to form an Anti Museum in Cetinje. Ironically, his enormous canvases inhabit a large portion of the Montenegrin Art Gallery, with a collection of some of the random objects he painted displayed on what was most likely a work surface of his. His images are brutalistic in their abstraction and distortion of the human figure. Grotesque monsters inhabit his enormous canvases, with gruesome guts and gore spilling from their innards. His work reminds me of the entrails and drippings we would see festooning Voudoun altars and religious sites in Benin. His images leave me wanting to know more about his psyche and the influences that impacted his use of imagery.

As Mirjana Maresenic Vujovic explained to my husband and I yesterday, true art is born out of a person's experiences and what truly moves them. It is disturbing to wonder at what horrors he saw in his lifetime that moved him to portray such violence and distortion in his artworks. What was interesting to me was how he could use a palette of predominantly pastel hues of baby blues and violets, and yet render them violent through his crowded, compositions and the gruesome depiction of disemboweled forms. In some ways I think this provided the shocking contradiction he was seeking.

What I do like about his artworks is the way he models forms and the draws on top of these molded forms to create dynamic movement.

Fig. 2. Miodrag Đurić. Guardians III, 2013. 

While researching about Miodrag Đurić I discovered the work of Croatian artist, Matko Vekic. As part of his exhibition Magnetic Burden of Time, 2011-2013 he created studies of dogs in oil and varnish on canvas at a large scale of  220 X 165 cm. (Vekic, 2014 - 2015) What I find appealing about these artworks is the way that he created so many layers of achromatic colors, with a contrast between the geometric designs in the background. These background shapes are a mimicry of shapes found within the dogs. For example, the dogs legs and paws when simplified form the shapes found on the tiles of the floor. Their ears are triangular in shape providing a visual link to the triangular shapes in the background. Like Miodrag Đurić he reworks linear detail on top of tonal regions. Once again, I wish I could see the real artworks, but what I can view online is quite inspirational. It gives me some ideas of how I can invigorate the surfaces of studies of bark.  

Fig. 3. Patrica Farrar

I stumbled across an artwork that I saved many years ago while teaching in Kazakhstan by Patrica Farrar. ( Fig. 3) This tree stump is well studied with many layers building up its surface. I particularly like the way in which she uses the dribbles of the ink to create organic lines of the branches. I also like the way she has combined shades of dark brown in the background with darker shades of brown and black forming the focus of the stumps root system. What is also effective is the contrast between thick and thin angular lines. The finer filigree of lines set off a contrast with the bolder paths of black ink which for the central areas of the root system. Unfortunately I cannot give this artist any further credit as I cannot find any further information about them on the internet.

I think what I appreciated the most about visiting the museum was how it served as a springboard for my exploration of related artists. It was also fascinating to see the artists who served to mold the foundations of Vujovic's artwork.

Illustrations

Figure 1. Đurić, M., 1997. Untitled 1997. [Art].

Figure 2. Vekic, M., 2011-2013. Guardians III. [Art].

Figure 3. Patrica Farrar. [Art].

Works Cited
Szidon, P., 2010. Dado - Biographical Time-line. [Online]
Available at: http://www.dado.virtual.museum
[Accessed 22 October 2016].

Vekic, M., 2014 - 2015. Matko Vekic - Jihad. [Online]
Available at: http://www.matko-vekic.com/cycle/2014-2015/
[Accessed 22 October 2016].

Wikipedia, 2016. Dado (painter). [Online]
Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dado_(painter)
[Accessed 21 October 2016].

Assignment 5

Intentions:

My tutor, Clare Wilson, encouraged me to go ahead with my proposal to do close-up studies of the colors and textures found in the vegetation that I encounter in Montenegro. I intend to complete studies in my sketchbook of the varying textures, colors, and linear qualities which delight me. Daily I am stunned by the rich hues of this diverse landscape. After living three years in sun-scorched western Africa, it is a delight to see such rich, diverse greenery, contrasting tree bark, and wild flowers. From these initial studies I will then decide which direction to take for the larger studies. At this stage I am working with two A4-sized sketchbooks. 

Studies of Thistles:

Fig.1. Thistle Study 1 in watercolor sketchbook.

Study 1: I started with a study of some thistles perched high in the north-eastern mountains. I was particularly attracted to the contrast between the soft fluffy nature of the white seeds and the sharp spikey greys of the thistle head and the sweeping thorns of the leaves and the stems. These were vicious in their rugged barbs. I had created a wash of watercolors of the surface of my sketchbook the night before using turquoise, yellow, and green washes. To create the white fluffy area, I used paste on white-out as it was hard to create a white area where the washes were smeared. I then worked 8B pencil and strokes of black, yellow and brown ink over the sketches. On the side panel, I rubbed some white crayon as a crayon resist. I then applied varying shades of grey and black ink to create a study of the stems with their tapering spikes.

I don't like the cheery blues of the background as I feel it detracts from the textures of the thistles, flattening the image. If I were to do this again, I would try for more muted colors. I do, however, like the effect of the crayon resist in the stem study. It gives this section an almost Japanese appeal to it.

Fig. 2. Thistle Study 2 in regular sketchbook.

Study 2: I smeared pomegranate juice all over the page for this drawing, using the cut open half of the pomegranate. The fascinating thing is that this was done in a regular sketchbook, and the dye from the pomegranate went beige and slight lavender, whereas when I tried the same effect on the watercolor sketchbook, the color remained a fuchsia shade.

I then used drawing pencils and metallic colored pencils to complete this study. I like the effect of the paper in the background. I think the sketch does describe the scruffiness of the thistle and does describe the importance of negative space in defining the form of a thistle.

Fig. 3. Thistle Study 3 in watercolor sketchbook with pomegranate juice background.

Study 3: To create the white of the fluffy seed coats of this sketch, I tried to scratch away the acrylic paint I had used to try to bring out the white. It does the trick, but was hard to define the shape properly. I think my use of inks and pencils to describe the tactile qualities of the textures is slowly improving with each sketch. This sketch seems more focused on getting the wispy, spikes recorded. On the side panel I tried to brainstorm my connections to thistles and what they stand for. I like the scratchy nature of the background, but I don't think the color works for the subject matter.

Fig, 4, Study 4 - two approaches.

Study 4: For this study I used beetroot juice in the background. It really maintained its beetroot color, so I then added red and orange washes to the color. I started on the right-hand side using inks, collage white paper for the fluffy seed coats, and graphic pencils. Using inks I found it hard to define the negative spaces. I then switched on the left-hand side to using chalk pastels, inks and pencils. I find this interpretation of the thistles less controlled and more energetic. I think it describes the energy and movement of the thistle better. I really don't like the background colors. I am not used to working with prepared backgrounds, so find them hard to work into my drawings. 

Bark Studies

I have always been fascinated with the textures and patterns found in tree bark. On our trip into the Montenegrin mountains we found an old decaying tree. I took some specimens to study and my husband photographed sections of the tree for me. I started out my studies by trying to simulate bark with rubbings. On one of our walks I had picked up some squashed tin cans. Using wax crayons, inks, and pencils I tried to simulate bark rubbings. The actual bark is too soft to create rubbings.

Fig. 5. Simulate bark rubbings.

I really like the way that the pencil rubbed on the circular tin. I also like the sheer contrast of the orange and black rubbing, and the white and black rubbing. I think that they have the potential of being used in sections of a study on bark.

Fig. 6. Bark Study1.

Bark Study 1: I started out using a found piece of calligraphy paper to complete some contour line drawings. I then started to work into the drawings using water color pencils and washes. Out of experimentation I applied a piece of tracing paper to the top of the wet drawing. I like the smear that it created.

Fig. 7. Bark Study 2

Bark Study 2:


I prepared the paper with a mixture of coffee and paprika powder to give it a slightly varied off-white appearance. The first sketch I did was the top left-hand sketch of a circular knot whole in a section of bark. I used mixed media for this study: various grades of pencil, water color black, water colors, and chalk pastels. I added a bit of detail using fine water color markers.

For the top right-hand side drawing I tried a slightly loser approach. I laid down base areas of water color which I then overworked using mixed media. This is a less particular and perhaps more expressive approach.

The final sketch is a longitudinal section of the bark. In this section I strove to use more calligraphic ink lines created using a thin brush. I did find that working this way, although appearing to be loser actually required me to observe more carefully before committing to executing a stroke. Sometimes I did not prepare myself sufficiently and the strokes ended up in interfering with the flow of the surrounding lines, creating a clumsy effect.

Fig. 8. Bark Study 3.

Bark Study 3:

For this study I prepared a page with a textured background I created by painting watercolor paints into an overlaying woven, widely spaced, mesh mat. I thought that this effect would work well for the variegated textures found in the section of branch I chose to draw. The section I drew had a contrast between a flat section which had patches of varying hues on it, with many fissures, and then a dark, richly hued inner section. For this study I experimented with my use of a black water color pencil as opposed to watercolor paints. At times I drew into wet washes so that the black pencil line became diffused in areas, and in other areas I tried to keep the water color pencil lines more delineated.

At this stage I am considering either going in a totally different direction: doing studies of the mini succulent gardens we found on the sides of a mossy cliff, or doing a combination of a study of tree bark being juxtaposed with the stalks of the thistle. I will first complete some studies of the succulents.

Part five Personal project and written element: Self- assessment of previous assignments

Assignment 1

In retrospect, I feel that I still need to work on incorporating more of the expressive energy conveyed in one of my first exercises on mark making. My work is still tight and tends towards being illustrative, rather than expressive. In investigating different ways of working I checked into the work of David Hockney.

Fig. 1. David Hockney. Celia 1973.

David Hockney’s lithograph with washes of grey of Celia 1973 (Hockney, 1973) is a sensitive drawing with an enigmatic tension about it, despite the casual clothing and captured moment feeling of the drawing (fig. 1). He has shown Celia sitting in a simple wooden chair with her arms resting on the armrests. Hockney indicates the chair and interior with just a few simple sketchy lines. Celia sits with her face turned 45 ° to the artist with her gaze looking downward towards the lower left of the picture plane. Her facial expression shows a slightly concentrated frown, making the viewer wonder about what she seems to be pondering.

I think that the tension in the pose is created mainly through subtlety dynamic seating position of Celia. Her legs point towards the right of the canvas, whereas her neck and head turn towards the left. Her neck is also not centrally placed on her shoulders, but rather closer to the sitter’s right shoulder showing a slightly awkward twist in weight balance and making the pose seem slightly uncomfortable. 

What appeals to me about this drawing is the fact that he has minimized his use of lines to just a few flowing lines which calligraphically suggest the contours of the form and shadows. The edges of the grey washes often form the contour of the forms, being slightly darker due to the way in which watercolors dry. The darkest region of the drawing is the upper body and face, where he has used darker washes and more concentrated descriptive contour lines. This area is balanced by the fact that the ends of the chair’s armrests and Celia’s shoes are in darker tones. The darkest regions form the points of an off balanced diamond. This adds movement to the pose, drawing your attention to the top of the diamond, Celia’s tousled tied-up curly hair. Her hands are elegantly suggested through simple contour lines and well observed washes of tone in the tones.

An area which my tutor pointed out was to be more observant of comparative sizes and scales of objects as they relate to one another. This is an area in which I think I have been able to improve over the course of the Drawing 1 course.

Fig. 2 Louise-Jeanne-Aimée Hervieu.

Still Life With Apples,s.d.

In response to reviewing my research for Assignment 1, I viewed some more charcoal and chalk drawings of Louise-Jeanne-Aimée Hervieu (fig.2.). What is particularly noticeable about the drawing Still Life With Apples, s.d. created with “charcoal and stumped black chalk, the paper slightly abraded and scored by the artist to create highlights” is that she worked expressive lines which emphasize the shadows and details of the cut and whole apples. (Hervieu, 1878 - 1954) These lines are energetic, taking delight in implying the movement of light and shadows over the surface of the forms. If I compare her way of working to the way in which I worked the graphic media in my Final Assignment for Assignment 1, her drawing has a greater dynamism and sense of depth than my tentative rendering of the forms in my drawing. I feel that I have slowly improved in being able to work charcoals and chalks, as evident by the way in which I worked Reclining Figure for Assignment 4. However, as I really enjoy this media, I would like to see continued improvement in my being able to add contours and details gesturally to the contrasting tones of my work.

Assignment 2

Looking through my preparatory exercises for Assignment 2, I think that the projects that worked the best for me were the ones where I use inks incorporated with other media. I think my drawings of the bird-of-paradise flower is successful and the chili on bark because I was able to incorporate intricate details in fine markers on top of washes of ink. I particularly like the way that the inks of the chili drawing although all black washes have varying tones due to the varying makes of ink. In my coming assignment I would like to explore the use of inks more. As they were packed away during our two months of moving from house to house before settling in Montenegro, I did not use inks in my figural studies, and I think that I could have done more expressive artworks had I worked with this media in conglomeration to the other media. I need to continue to explore the use of "soft, fluid edges with more decisive mark making." -Clare Wilson.

Reviewing Clare Wilson's report in conjunction to my artworks, I see how important it is to ensure that when using color in an artwork, you don't use too much of the same hues and tones on varying objects, as it leads to a busy, unfocussed composition. I also need to continue to work on being able to only hint at the background with suggestive lines and not to become too concerned about illustratively including all details available.

Assignment 3

I think that the artworks that were the most successful in this section were the ones that used fluid media such as inks. I seem to have a greater ability to move beyond the illustrative when working with media that is less controllable. The project I enjoyed the most was the landscape study of the stilted village at Ganvie. My use of an achromatic palette really helps to draw one in to the subtlety of lines and reflections. I also felt that my ability to draw the reflections of the ladies in the dugout canoe to be less literal than previous studies of mine. My final study for this assignment section of the dilapidated porch is not as expressive of the layers of dirt and grime as I had initially desired to portray.

Assignment 4

During the course of this section I did not have access to my inks as they were already packed for my move to Montenegro. This forced me to experiment more with water color paints and pencils, as well as charcoals, contés, and acrylic paints. I particularly enjoyed working on my final self-portrait with the rainbow reflections playing across my face. I know that the whole time I was working on this final drawing I had a sense that this drawing could be a total mess and a waste of my precious final hours in South Africa before my move. But, I also had a sense that if I could pull it off, it would have stretched my ability to work on my self-portrait in a novel manner. I was pleased with the final result, although I don't think the final piece expresses how tenuous and innovative this approach was to me.

Aspirations for Assignment 5

I have struggled for the past month to come up with an approach to this assignment. Part of the struggle has been trying to adapt to my new country and heavy teaching load, but part of it has been my own fear of pushing beyond my previous achievement level. I was greatly comforted today when reading and watching video interviews of varying artists. They all express this idea of the fragile nature of artistic expression and the ability to release creativity in such a way that your artwork has the ability to stand on two legs.

I am challenged by Bryan Eccleshaw’s commitment to doing a drawing a day for 365 days as described in his video featured in Drawing Every Day – Bryan Eccleshall. (Jane - WeAreOCA, 2013) In many ways I feel like my art needs a shot in the arm, and maybe this is an approach which will get me back into the mind of an artist again. I agree with his comment, “…there’s something really powerful about a wall full of similar images. I once saw an exhibition of Joseph Beuys drawings. Each was inscrutable and fragile, but together they started talking to each other (as it were), which leant the whole something that each component couldn’t hope to have.” (Jane - WeAreOCA, 2013) After seeing how powerful the 57 small drawings of Vessna Perunovich were, I can fully relate to the idea that numerous drawings on a small scale place alongside one another would be impactful.

I think what I am challenged the most by Vessna Perunovich's work is in finding a way to manipulate line, texture and color to evoke an expression which the viewer has to interact with. My work tends to be illustrative, not allowing too much participation on the part of the viewer. I want to somehow start working towards a greater sense of involvement on the part of the viewer. I think at this stage this might be best achieved through using a less illustrative approach to my subject and a great fluidity of line usage.

I have fallen in love with the amazing colors and textures of my new country, Montenegro. Our periodic explorations into the surrounding countryside, along with the daily views from our windows, fill me with a sense of wonder that I am able to live in such a quaint corner of creation. I think that I wish to use this sense of exploration and delight as my impetus for this final section of this course. I want to take what surrounds me and capture some of its enigmatic beauty, but somehow in a way that is inviting and non-illustrative. That will be a real challenge for me.

For this purpose I will start with a series of studies of simple textures found in the plants found in this region. I am particularly attracted to the stark contrasts found in the humble thistle found throughout this region. So will use this as a launching point and then see where this takes me. I also want to explore using differing backgrounds and supports for my drawings, to help invigorate my work with layers that add to the intrigue of the work.

Conversation with Contemporary artist Mirjana Marsenic Vujovic

M Marsenic, Venice 2, acrylic on panel, 40x40cm.

My husband and I have recently moved to Podgorica, Montenegro. The country is stunning: its contrasting landscapes and the color rich vegetation that beckons me in.

I am currently working alongside a practicing fine artist, who also happens to work at my school in Podgorica, Montenegro. Mirjana Marsenic Vujovic graduated from the Faculty of Fine Art in Cetinje, Montenegro in 2013. (Wall Street International Art, 2016) She specializes in large abstract drawings, paintings and installations revolving around her reaction to nature. According to her portfolio, she creates abstract paintings “that act as reminders that the process of decay and growth simultaneously overlap. I focus on the textures present in our surroundings, such as overgrown bark on trees, moss on rocks or the weathered abstract textures found on man made walls and structures in the process of being reclaimed by nature.” (Vujovic, 2016)

Fig 2. M. Marsenic, Venice1,

Acrylic on panel, 40x40cm

The day after looking at her work, I took a long road trip with my husband and friends into the mountains in the northeastern area of Montenegro. It was fascinating to see the rich coloration of the fall colors in this region. The moss growing on the rocks, the perfect mini succulent gardens on the sides of cliff sides, the decomposition of trees, and the rich colors of the small lakes trapped in areas which have evidence of glacial action, made me sense her source of inspiration in this stunningly beautiful country. Her artwork echoes the coloration and textures of the scenes that energize me about this picturesque country. Her rich greens, burnt oranges and ambers can be seen in contrast to the rich dark tones of the decomposing tree bark.

It was interesting to hear from her that her media of choice are watercolor pencils, and acrylic paints. I was not expecting this, as the colors are so rich and the layers appear so intricate.

Mirjana has an exhibition which is currently going to open in Amsterdam. It was interesting to see some photographs of the works she has recently prepared for this exhibition. They are intricate in their drawn textural details. I find her work very inspirational as I am personally moved by nature, its rich colors, textures, and intricate co-dependencies. I am inclined to use her as my inspiration in exploring the wonderful textures and forms available to me in this new surrounding.

Illustrations

Figure 1. Vujovic, M. M., 2016. Venice2. [Art] (Gallery 106 in London, United Kingdom).

Figure 2. Vujovic, M. M., 2016. Venice1. [Art] (Gallery 106 in London, United Kingdom).

Works Cited

Vujovic, M. M., 2016. Mirjana Marsenic Vujovic. Podgrica: s.n.

Wall Street International Art, 2016. Clouded Identities: Nature Talks‼. [Online]
Available at: http://wsimag.com/art/19333-clouded-identities-nature-talks
[Accessed 16 October 2016].

Installation artist Vessna Perunovich

Fig. 1. Vessna Perunovich.

Installation piece from Politics of Movement.

The Contemporary Art Centre of Montenegro hosted an exhibition called Politics of Movement from September 15 to October 1, 2016. When I first arrived at the exhibition I must admit to feeling rather disappointed, as I had expected to be able to see the work of a Serbian figural painter. However, I heard later from the curator of the museum that they change the exhibition floor every two weeks. My feelings of disappointment did not last, however. As I lingered in each room on the ground floor of the converted palace, the power of her work grew on me. Her work seduces you to puzzle out the intent of her work, causing you to bring your own experiences into reflection as you seek to decipher her message. As an adult who has lived in disparate countries, on at least four continents, I found her work powerfully evocative of my own struggles with moving, displacement and a hankering for a sense of home.

The exhibition was multifaceted in its communication of the impact of forced migration on individuals, as well as whole cultures. She uses diverse mediums from ink drawings, paintings, installations of man-made objects, performance, videography, sound tracks, sculpture, and calligraphy. The first visual impact one has of all of her works was that they were linked by her limited palette predominantly achromatic colors and cream, punctuated with the contrast color of a shockingly vibrant scarlet.

Fig. 2. Sketchbook notes from exhibition.

As a person caught between the history of her home country, former socialist Yugoslavia, and the country of her art education, Canada, she expresses a heart felt reaction to the emotions of displacement and the longings for a sense of home, safety and security. "The artist's personal experience is only a starting point for reflection on the different aspects of immigration status, cross-cultural issues and benefits, cultural nomadism, dangers of possessing economic power and the power to decide over the fate of others, problems of identity, male and female phenomena and their facets in contemporary society." (Center of Contemporary Art of Montenegro, 2016)

The lobby of the exhibition hosted a large installation of what appeared to be massive drops of blood dripping down from the sterile white ceiling into a convexly curved mirror with an ornamental frame around it (Fig. 1). The bowl appeared to float above the floor. Each drop of blood was made out of scarlet stretchy synthetic hand-sewn fabric weighted with sand. They were suspended by means of nylon fishing line and large fishing hooks. The hooks themselves seemed to be inducing the blood through their merciless grip of the fabric. This image is taken from the brochure as I was unable to photograph the actual artwork. In this case, the mirror was slightly more elaborate in the actual installation.

In the same lobby two different TV monitors could be seen each with a piece of performance art.

Fig. 3.Vessna Perunovich. Freeze frame from video footage.

Image from exhibition brochure

The one screen showed the artist in various scenic setting trying to pull away from large elastic tethers of the same scarlet fabric which appeared in the installation. The artist is straining with all of her might to pull in the opposite position to the horizontal stretch of fabric wrapped around her neat figure. In researching this footage I found that the artist has previous performed other pieces in a similar fashion, using 'three long, thick bands of elastic---blood-red against her black dress and white blouse" in her piece "I Hug the World and the World Hugs Me Back." (Dault, 2009)

The other monitor showed a person carrying a large white mattress through the streets of New York. This work is called "Uninhabitable New York", 2012 - 2013. It is a 16 minute long loop of footage showing the back of a person carrying a clean white mattress through varying busy city streets. The images give one a sense that this person is homeless, and has no place where they are allowed the freedom to lay down their mattress and rest.

From there I went into two interlinking rooms.

The first room contained a large section of chain link fence set at an angle to the largest white wall (Fig. 2). A projector shone footage onto the wall of a person in a dark coat walking in spiraling circles. They would spiral inwards and then back outwards. The shadows of the fence seemed to entrap the individual in an angular courtyard viewed from an oblique angle above the individual. In the background you could hear the sweet sounds of birds chirping freely in what you could imagine were surrounding trees. This sound was also interjected with the sharp punchy sound emanating from the flat screen TV monitor in the corner of the room. The footage on this screen showed a person monotonously punching holes into the blank pages of a large notebook with a sharp needle. The marks created appeared like Braille, although they were merely arranged in lines on the page. The speed of the punching started slowly and then became more and more frenetic.

The effect of the combination of installation and performance art footage was to make me feel trapped within a monotonous cycle of futile activity, while the beauty of the natural world, suggested by the sounds of the birds, was unattainable.

The inter leading room had a projector showing light playing off of a net curtain blowing against a barred window. The achromatic footage showed the left-hand side image to be longer and lower down the format than the right-hand side, suggesting a sense of power inequality. At times you could view a courtyard of an apartment black through the netting. Once again bird song filled the air and a female voice saying the words, "I love you" with varying intonations. The title of the piece was Finding Love. Sitting in front of this video and sound footage left you wondering who the woman was and who her lovers were. Was she a woman living a promiscuous life out of a deep longing for mutual attachment and love, or was it a person who was trapped in the life of a sex slave who would never actually find love? Although the scene is peaceful it leaves you feeling lonely and abandoned, despite the feeling that there was some one with the woman in the room.

Fig. 4. Vessna Perunovich. Image from exhibition brochure.

In the hallway, leading to the next set of rooms, there were a series of books displayed. I later discovered they were part of six different books that formed the work Series of Authored Books, 2015 - 2016. Their titles were Two Sides of the Story, Hotspots, Walls, Keep It Up, Bad News and Testaments. Each book was bound slightly differently in plain dark colored covers with cream blank pages in them. However, each book was treated slightly differently with scarlet red ink. The initial book I studied stood up with its pages all opened up so that it could be viewed from all sides. Each page was marked only my a smear of what appeared to be red blood (ink). Each smear was made at the same height on the page in a horizontal mark, but each mark appeared to be different in appearance. After studying this book, the next book grabbed my attention as each page was slashed through at the same height as the previous book (Fig.4.). Each slash was also trimmed in calligraphic smears of red ink. It gave one the idea that the author of the book had been slashed down in a blood carnage.

Fig. 5. Sketchbook notes.

In this same hallway, a sculpture called Continuity, 2000, was mounted against the wall. It consisted of children's books, the arms of a mannequin doll, a pair of old, soviet-looking, scuffed children's boots and a pair of adult boots. The feeling I was left with was that an adult and child were displaced and had trudged countless miles, scuffing up their shoes in the process, in a effort to find a place of refuge.

From this hallway, I went into the installation area of House of Exiles, 2004 - 2014. This multi-media installation contained a metal construction of a simple iron frame of a house (300 X 210 X 320 cm), the walls of which were defined with elastic bands, a 20-minute video loop and forest animal sounds. The video footage was of monochromatic scenes of varying ground cover: pebbles, clover, dandelions etc. With the shadows cast by the 'house', I was left with the feeling of entrapment. Despite the ability to escape the flexibility of the elastic walls, you are left with the sense that the individuals in the house have been forced to take political asylum in this isolated place of 'safety', yet the natural surroundings are suffocating them; and the way the video footage zooms in and out of focus, makes one think that they are losing their sanity and perspective on life. This room made me think of my own recovery from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. At times I was gifted with the opportunity of going to a vacation spot in a beautiful setting, but because of the anguish of my mental state at the time, I could not allow myself the luxury to enjoy the peacefulness of the setting.

Fig. 6. Sketchbook notes.

The installation that I found one of the most disturbing was Separated, 2010. This spatial installation consisted of a metal construction of the iron frame of a double-bed (200 X 90 X 110cm) . Red stretchy threads of thin fabric which had been sewn together to form calligraphic strands extended from the head to the foot of the iron frame, looping around it to form a continuous loop. These thread were, however, straining under the weight of a metal two-handed saw. The crudeness of the jagged teeth of the saw against the thin red cords, left the feeling of a gruesome event having taken place to defile this marriage bed. In the corner of the room a tiny picture framed in white showed a drawing of a figure hiding in a box with a red smear dominating the right-hand side. The idea communicated seemed to be that this innocent figure was observing this violent scene. This work brought to mind the many bedrooms that have been invaded by soldiers of opposing factions, where men and women are cut down, or raped as part of their violent subjugation ploys. It truly was disturbing as it brought to mind media footage that currently fills the news. I found a write up about a similar work, or it could be the same work under a different title in The Coast.

Perunovich says that the work was created as former-Yugoslavia was breaking apart. "Married couples from different ethnic origins were splitting up, neighbours were turning against each other," she says of the time. She figured the bed (the place where we are born, spend a third of our lives and often die) was an intimate setting in which to explore these ideas. It's no coincidence that the fabric bands look like blood. "Blood ties can't be severed so easily." -  (Dault, 2009)

Still Life, 2010 - 2013, the installation set up in the adjoining room consisted of different arrangements of metal goblets with scarlet, stretchy, sand-filled fabric forms seeming to ooze from one goblet into the next. These objects contrasted with the two ledges and the white table upon which they were strategically placed. It left you wondering why the contents of the goblets had been poured out and why the forms were so flaccid and yet not liquid as one would expect in a goblet.

It seemed that as I moved from one room to another, each room's experience added to the previous one leaving me increasingly impacted by my own connections and interaction with the pieces. The next room I saw contained the installation Bloodline. Two large d2 wooden spools were attached on either side of the larger wall, connected by a long looping length of tracing paper tape. Calligraphically written in a fashion of a line on an echogram, ran a red ink line. This long strip of "ticker-tape" looped down from the spools, circled a few times on the floor, draped over a stripped, cream painted, wooden chair, and then furled its way back up to the spool on the other side of the chair. The piece left me wondering if someone had been hospitalized, institutionalized, or was undergoing some for of brain washing.

The next room contained the work Moments of Exceptional Importance, 2016. If I had viewed this piece in isolation to the other works, I do not think it would have had much of an impact on me. This corporate work contained a wall of 57 identically framed, intimate red ink drawings each 16 X 13cm. Each drawing was beautifully drawn using well placed figures in varying poses each with scarlet ink highlighting the intent of the drawing in some manner. The pictures varied from innocuous looking poses, to scenes of cold-blooded murder, with pools of blood. The figures are of varying cultures and nationalities, helping to broaden the context of the exhibition to showing suffering, displacement and loss on a global scale.

In the corner of the rooms were proverbial sayings written on blackboards, hastily crossed out with more realistic slogans written under them.

The final room I went into had an old cream canvas and wood stretcher (cot) - a stretcher from a good 50 years ago - lying upside down on top of the sharp form of a elongated box. One is left wondering who slept on the stretcher and why it is now empty, tossed heartlessly on top of what could be an old trunk. This room also contained a disturbing large tray of dirt, with two little children's boots partially embedded in the sand. The tray looked similar to an unmarked grave site with a simple concrete edge. The shoes turned upside down in the dirt leaves one thinking that some violent event has snuffed out the life of this child.

The overall effect of the works of Vessna Perunovic was totally unexpected. I left the exhibition awed by the power of the artist to evoke in me memories of displacement, and heavy with the reminder that millions of people are displaced and have lived through experiences more horrific than I could ever even contemplate fully. What I found incredibly interesting was how my affinity with her works grew as I allowed myself to connect with the subject. It is true what was quoted in the accompanying brochure: "The final result of the artist's exploration cannot be entirely taken in without taking into account the complex relationship and interaction between the work and its audience." Her work was truly interactive and inspirational. What is amazing to me is that there is so little about her on the internet, and yet she is such a topical and talented artist.

Illustrations

Figures 1,3 & 4. Photographs taken from Center of Contemporary Art of Montenegro, 2016. Vessna Perunovich Politics of Movement. Podgorica: Digital Print Centar, Podgorica. Dault, M., 2009.

Works Cited

Center of Contemporary Art of Montenegro, 2016. Vessna Perunovich Politics of Movement. Podgorica: Digital Print Centar, Podgorica. Dault, M., 2009.

Vessna Perunovich’s tight squeeze . [Online]
Available at: http://www.thecoast.ca/halifax/vessna-perunovichs-tight-squeeze/Content?oid=1155628
[Accessed 16 October 201

Figural Artists of Note

Bethan Hamilton.

Image from WeAreOCA, October 2016.

Today I read the interview written up as In conversation with Bethan Hamilton by Joanne, 20 September WeAreOCA. As I contemplate the nature of this final section of Drawing 1, I am seeking inspiration and direction for my continued practice. One path I am considering is to continue to explore portraiture; maybe self-portraiture in particular. According to Bethan Hamilton, “self portraits grant you a lot more freedom than portraits do”
What inspired me about reading the interview with Bethan Hamilton is that she takes everyday occasions, like eating a bowl of spaghetti and turns it into a quirky and intriguing pencil sketch. She also harps on break the stereotypic feminine body image that is portrayed in the media, by deliberately sourcing images of people with obesity problems.

One portrait series that appeals to me is her Splosh Series in which she obstructs part of her face with flowing liquid. I really find it appealing when a contrast of this nature break up the regular appearance of the image, adding intrigue to the image.

Cyclists. Vasko Lipovac.

Another artist who focusses on rather obese figural forms, and who recently was on exhibition in Cetnje, Montenegro, is Vasko Lipovac. Lipovac's work might appear whimsical and humorous, but he desires to mirror the “numerous social changes he witnessed”, and provide ‘critique of the people and circumstances which made him feel indirectly responsible and prompted him to at least try to draw attention to certain injustices” that he is unable to change personally. (Montenegrin Art Gallery Miodrag Dado Duric, October 2016, p. 20) After a period of working with dark colours and abstraction he returned to figural works. He was fascinated with the role of “sculpture in public space through the introduction of new materials – plastic, concrete, stainless steel, aluminum, asbestos”, which allowed for “modular solutions in public spaces”. (Montenegrin Art Gallery Miodrag Dado Duric, October 2016, p. 23) His intent was to encourage people to commune with space as he felt that this would make them better people. He would often corroborate with architects in designing living spaces.

He became fascinated by the muscular form of athletes competing in varying physical activities from cycling, swimming, rowing, gymnastics etc. He depersonalized their forms to create harmonious balanced proportions which he executed in paintings, wooden sculptures and highly reflective polished brass sculptures in which the viewer can view their own mirrored image. His Cyclist series was featured as part of the exhibition celebrating the 100th anniversary of cycling in the world at the Split Waterfront in Lausanne, 2000, Olympic Museum, as well as part of exhibitions at the commencement of the Tour de France, 2014. (Montenegrin Art Gallery Miodrag Dado Duric, October 2016, p. 24) Like the figures in The Burghers of Calais, each figure in the sculpture seems intent on completing a race which they are not physically or emotionally prepared for. Their rotund physiques indicate that they are not the supremely refined forms of seriously committed cyclists. “Serious and reticent, they focused upon the track in front of them, as if saying: it won’t be easy to win the race, but let me be noticed at least.” (Montenegrin Art Gallery Miodrag Dado Duric, October 2016, p. 25)

His figures are a blend of the appearance of naïve folk art in their negation of academic bodily proportions. This leaves them more intriguing and mystifying at the same time. One wants to ask questions as to why he chose to portray figures in this manner. “My works are mild erotica. Erotica is something that attracts humans, if they are normal. Both when they are young, and when they are 75 or 85…” (quoted in Montenegrin Art Gallery Miodrag Dado Duric, October 2016, p.27)
He is known to have used color as an escapism from the bleakness of the Balkans during this period. He often used primary colors; with a blue reminiscent of Klein’s blue. This represented for him “truth, wisdom, peace, contemplation, the unity of the sky and the sea, the colour of infinite space, which is vast and can contain everything.” (quoted in Montenegrin Art Gallery Miodrag Dado Duric, October 2016, p.29)

His art is reminiscent of the ironical and intriguing simplicity of forms of works such as Alexander Calder and Joan Miró. However, he endeavors to imbue his work with the “vibrant urban fabric of a typical Mediterranean everyday life.” (Montenegrin Art Gallery Miodrag Dado Duric, October 2016, p. 64) 

Works Cited

Montenegrin Art Gallery Miodrag Dado Duric, October 2016. Lipovac. Cetnje: National Museum of Montenegro.

WeAreOCA, 20 September, 2016. In conversation with Bethan Hamilton by Joanne.