My artistic research is related to the structure, ideology and modalities of the image as a product of the need for communication.
Aleksandar Radicevic born 1992. in Leskovac, Serbia. He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich during 2018 and 2019, while in 2015 he completed a master's degree in academic studies at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Belgrade. He has exhibited in numerous group exhibitions and has so far realized two solo exhibitions.
Rezervat - An inner monologue in self-isolation
Rezervat (nature reserve, bioreserve) is a term we usually use today to talk about the area of protection. Protecting nature from human destructive action, sometimes protecting people from other people. Enclosed spaces for the sake of well-being.
The painting Rezervat is an attempt to show the inner state of an isolated human being. The transformation that happens when we voluntarily or against our will find ourselves isolated from society, and all the places that make up our everyday life. The atmosphere of reconsideration. The place where our real aspirations might be shown, desires that we may have neglected in the pursuit of the often imposed desires and patterns of behaviour. Is there a “Rezervat” in all of us where we keep our own selves while we put on masks and play roles? Is what we keep in ourselves and what we encounter in the hours of isolation an idealistic image of ourselves while in reality, we play a role. Where is the boundary between role and idealization?
Interview
What is the language in common for the young people today?
The common language of young people is the howl, or the scream of some imaginary Tower of Babel built on the present time, the principles and ideas that prevail in the age we are attending.
What does the process of making one of your pieces look like?
The work usually starts with an idea that is a sufficient mover. After this original trigger, the image takes precedence and it dictates the tempo. I do not blindly stick to the initial idea, but I try to listen to the rhythm, the dictates of the image and follow it, that is, I find a compromise between my premeditation and what the practice and work process bring with them.
Which challenges have you faced while making art as you know it?
The challenges are numerous, and include everything that painting as such brings with it. From dealing with figural painting and the challenge of the subject and what it can represent today, to the technical challenges and materiality of painting and all the possibilities that open from the first contact of paint with the canvas.
Do you consider yourself an artist, and what does that word mean to you?
I am not completely sure what that word represents as such, it has a vague meaning for me. I couldn't draw a definition, but certainly what people call art has a response in me, and I think it's a landscape where I get along and feel best.
What is your escape from reality? Do you even have a need to escape from something?
Certainly, reality is a broad concept, because we could talk about reality as the inner world of man.. But if we talk dryly about reality, as what most of us form a consensus on, then I certainly need to escape from that.
What does the word innovative mean to you?
Innovative means using ideas and knowledge acquired and new combining, ie obtaining some more fresh, different forms. It means looking more carefully, listening more carefully and the ability to bring out some micro details like what has always stood before us and we were not aware of it.
Do you have a plan for the future? Where can your artistic practice take you?
I think that each of us has a general plan, that is, a wish, a hope. Other plans have proven to be a luxury lately, so I'm planning little by little. As for artistic practice, I don't know where it could take me and I enjoy the uncertainty, that is, every novelty I surprise myself with.
What made the biggest influence on you to become what you are today and do what you do now?
I think that the most influential was the confrontation with the world and the desire to express and express my opinion about the world around me.
How would you describe Serbian (Balkan or European-depends on where you live and work) contemporary cultural scene?
Maybe just like the imaginary Tower of Babel. Lots of different languages, ideas. A cacophony in which it is worth making enough effort and listening to everyone's voice.
In which way does your creative process shape you or changes you as a person, if it does at all?
Of course, we change together, I change the process as much as I can consciously, sometimes I find the process itself changing my habits and views on things, so it’s an intertwining, and I don’t think there’s any big boundary in between.