Bojana Branković
Sometimes I feel and see the planet Earth as a male colony on the edge of existence.
Bojana Branković was born on January 1, 1988 in Belgrade. At the end of high school, she finished school as a yoga instructor, which opened new vistas for her, she sees meditation as a cure for almost everything. She graduated in journalism, where she was especially interested in documentary and experimental photography. Her performances are intimate and draw the viewer into her world full of symbols and rituals, which often point to current problems in the world. The last exhibition she participated in was VR, called Performance Art Camp, produced by the European Cultural Center. The next one will take place on April 26, 2021. at the MSUB as part of the Performance Arts Film Marathon, the program was curated by the International Venice Performance Week.
The performance is a kind of seesaw of total chaos and absolute peace.
33 (Thirty three); 12’33’’
With her performance, Bojana Branković connects with history, religion, tradition, and through discomfort in the physical body, she consumes the past, giving it a personal context and interpretation. Each element has its well-founded and defined reasons that came to it at the time of performance, all planned and unplanned moves are one personal confession. The artist invites us into her intimate space, allowing us to join that confession. Service or performance, dialogue or monologue, that choice of interpretation is what is an integral part of this work of art. The biblical context is also manifested through six performers, they are Vojislav Pavlović, David Soda, Dejan Bosković, Konstantin Ničovski, Nemanja Dabizljević, Yao Wang. God created man on the sixth day, and also the number six is a symbol of mystical destiny, the number of the beast, and the devil's symbol. The white, clean, sterile, and cool space visually corresponds to the very content of the performance. The whole mise-en-scène is conceived as the ultimate contrast, kneeling on marble, Bojana contrasts the space, creating a relationship: clean - dirty, white - red, quiet - expressive, white - black, man-woman, individual - group. The sensibility of this work of art is further emphasized by the artist's age - 33 where she tries to demystify her current level of maturity but also celebrates her life path where she finally contemplatively lets go of her past by accepting identity and celebrating what is created and revealed.
Interview
What is the language in common for the young people today?
Memes.
What does the process of making one of your pieces look like?
Conscious walking on unstable ground. A kind of seesaw of total chaos and absolute peace. For me, there are side effects of contemplation of an idea in the form of unique euphoria and chronic fatigue caused by insomnia. I let that changed state of consciousness permeate me, I completely surrender to the very process of creating work. It is not a calm state of being, but it is cathartic.
Which challenges have you faced while making art as you know it?
When the creative part condenses and shapes, the project materializes. It is a challenge for me, a realization. Not at all the romantic part, a production job that is as hard as the Ironman race. It includes budget, location, people (the best in the world), feasibility check, camera, lighting, costume, props, fighting the thought that I will collapse from fatigue before, not after the performance. There are also fears, whether all the actors will appear, the audience, whether my work is necessary for anyone but me… That means 101 sparring me with myself. It's stressful or nice…
Do you consider yourself an artist, and what does that word mean to you?
was ist kunst?
What is your escape from reality? Do you even have a need to escape from something?
I have a huge need to escape from the matrix and immerse myself in the real reality. I sometimes achieve this by meditating and staying in the wild.
What does the word innovative mean to you?
Something that you change, but not in any way you change, but as something that lifts you up, takes you out of your favorite armchair, throws you out of your sneakers ...
Do you have a plan for the future? Where can your artistic practice take you?
I have plans in the form of clouds that change their shape and consistency as they pass over a clear light blue or restless gloomy sky, they are as volatile as my desires. These seconds, I think I would like the practice to teach me conciseness, to sharpen my focus, both in artistic expression and in life.
What made the biggest influence on you to become what you are today and do what you do now?
Nature and society.
How would you describe Serbian (Balkan or European-depends on where you live and work) contemporary cultural scene?
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In which way does your creative process shape you or changes you as a person, if it does at all?
Before the performance, I am one, during and after the work, I am the second, third person. It's simple, our body changes every day, it's the same with other layers of our being, while creation accelerates the metamorphosis of spirit and mind. The force of that transformation is terrifying but so appealing and necessary.
