ARTIST PROFILE
MOMCILO BJEKOVIĆ Serbian artist – available through Go Global Art
Playing, 2013, Oil on Canvas, 90x70x10cm, £700
Momcilo Bjeković was born in 1977 in Sarajevo, where at just six years old he made his first success in painting with an artwork representing the children of Bosnia and Herzegovina was used during the Winter Olympics in 1984. He graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Banja Luka (Bosnia and Herzegovina) in 2005 and now lives and works in Belgrade. He has been a member of The Serbian Association of Fine Arts since 2011, and has already been widely exhibited through several solo and group shows. Working largely in oil on canvas, with some exceptions of collage artworks, Bjeković’s paintings reveal an interpretation of what he calls a ‘depressing optimism’ – with the artist’s goal being to overcome the depression in full upon the canvas. This symbolism is presented by a juxtaposition of black tones with saturated bright colour. Every painting has its starting point in jet black, which in turn symbolically ‘eats away at the joy of the bright colours that will come as the painting progresses’. “As the process goes further the pitch black is slowly blended away in the bright colours, which serve as a metaphor for spectacle, happiness, love and feel-good emotions. At the very end, the black is there as a reminder, but not as an open wound. The answer to my riddle is in answering the question of how to stay happy despite so many tragedies in the history of mankind and as they are followed the loves of individual humans.” Momcilo Bjeković The narrative here is not focused on one but on the many. It can be said that Bjeković’s paintings show ‘everything from birth to war’ – presenting animals, wizards, street musicians, men in make-up and seductive women. The paintings have a visual clarity, but in the search for their meaning the viewer may ask “What did the artist want to say?” The subject is presented to the viewer, but not the answer. The artist’s striving towards the figure is evident – the bodies showing in part or in full their potential to keep the peace. Even when some elements seem dynamically strong, there are others that keep the whole in peace, so that the movement can be only felt as exterior, rather than the inner composition of the painting. Go Global Art | tani@goglobalart.com | www.goglobalart.com
“These paintings are a good ally for me in my endeavours to be better, more grounded in the spiritual cognisance of self-improvement. These paintings, when we observe them for longer periods of time, become “soul food”. “Playful and with bright colours with bold painting techniques negating their traumatic attitude even though they hint at tragedy.” MB Momcilo Bjeković is one of several artists and galleries around the globe choosing to exhibit and sell works through Go Global Art, an art marketing organisation based in London but representing artists worldwide. www.goglobalart.com
Left: Untitled, 2015, oil on canvas, 100x120x4cm, £1,060; Right: Artist portrait
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EXHIBITIONS & SOLO SHOWS 2015 International Festival of Arts Dev9t, Belgrade, Serbia “Belgrade, the city where I create” – Gallery Singidunum, Belgrade Serbia Solo exhibition “The similarity of the existence” – The Cafe Gallery Friday, Belgrade Solo exhibition in boarding school “Petar Drapšin”, Belgrade, Serbia 2012 Solo exhibition “Experiment 6″ – Gallery of the Cultural Vranic, Serbia Independent of the exhibition “Experiment 4″ – Gallery of the Cultural Barajevo 2011 Solo exhibition “Experiment 2″ – Gallery of Cultural Centre of Lazarevac,Serbia Triennial of visual and experimental poetry “Reflection of the soul in time,” – Cultural Centre Valjevo, Serbia 2005 Collective exhibition “Names and Hope” – Youth House Gallery Belgrade, Serbia 2000 – 2005 Collective show exhibition of graphics and drawings in country and abroad 2001 Biennial of young artists from Europe and Mediterranean Sarajevo
MEDIA ENQUIRIES For further information, interviews or images please contact Tani Burns: T: 0207 377 5665 M: 07888 731 419 E: tani@goglobalart.com W: www.goglobalart.com
Go Global Art | tani@goglobalart.com | www.goglobalart.com