Zulfikar Fiandra
Intimately it is radical. Film art is dead, long live film art.
„I have no other possessions of value but my soul.” – Allen Ginsberg
Zulfikar is a filmmaker based in Sarajevo whose practice is very intuitive, shaped by faith in instinct and coincidence. The psychoanalytic procedure is a great reference in Zulfikar's opus.
Several nights; 03:10 (Loop)
Harun is leaving the country and we spontaneously recreate a scene from Carax, a bit of Wong-Kar Wai is also happening. Sinead O'Connor singing in the background on a rainy Sarajevo night. It will be a long time until we meet again.
Interview
What is the language in common for the young people today?
The common language of young people is longing.
What does the process of making one of your pieces look like?
My practice is very intuitive, shaped by confidence in instinct and chance. Thus, the psychoanalytic procedure is a great reference. Also, there is always a desire to make something that is not trendy and something that is not boring, a lot of moving pictures and movies are very boring.
Which challenges have you faced while making art as you know it?
I am not sure how long my inspiration will last, my work is very non-commercial and financially ambitious. Most importantly, who is my audience and what other people get from my work.
Do you consider yourself an artist, and what does that word mean to you?
Art is a call to freedom, an advocacy of freedom, a road to freedom.
What is your escape from reality? Do you even have a need to escape from something?
The escape from reality is known: Virtual, meditation, my archive, old rituals.
What does the word innovative mean to you?
Innovative means not wanting to imitate and go into the unknown. I think innovation is very rare and important today. Although I also support and practice theft and reapropriation in art for me innovation lies in idea and intent. I don't believe in intellectual rights.
Do you have a plan for the future? Where can your artistic practice take you?
Deepen your practice and be somewhere better. Embrace the world with your art.
What made the biggest influence on you to become what you are today and do what you do now?
A series of experiences, growing up in war certainly one of them, empathy and interest in the beautiful as a reaction to the ugly and destructive, contemplation of the value of individual expression faced with suffering in my country.
How would you describe Serbian (Balkan or European-depends on where you live and work) contemporary cultural scene?
I have only been a peripheral participant for a couple of years, but the young Serbian cultural and artistic scene is very interesting and stimulating, a lot of things happen and the speed with which things happen is exciting.
In which way does your creative process shape you or changes you as a person, if it does at all?
Each new result gives more confidence for the next one, probably that. It forces me to do something for sure.