Q — MICE (KUMICE — PILJARICE)
Meštrovićev paviljon u gostovanju
Galerija VN, 28. 1. — 15. 2. 2025.
Izložba ‘’Piljarice’’, Milana Božića, koja se održava u Galeriji VN kao dio programa Meštrovićev paviljon u gostovanju, donosi duboko osobnu priču o obnovi života nakon ratnih trauma. Projekt uključuje seriju portreta piljarica s tržnice Utrina u Novom Zagrebu, fotografiranih u njihovom svakodnevnom okruženju, a autor time slavi snagu običnih, ali ključnih trenutaka koji čine osnovu ljudske povezanosti. Kroz kolor fotografije dimenzija 33 x 48 cm, tiskane na Munken papiru, Božić bilježi ne samo fizionomije tih žena već i atmosferu koja je ključna te, mogli bismo reći, ljekovita u Božićevu oporavku.
Nakon više od pet godina provedenih u ratu, Božić se suočio s posljedicama koje su obilježile njegovo tijelo i duh. S dijagnozom PTSP-a, proživljavao je intenzivan strah, nesigurnost i potrebu za izolacijom. Kako sam autor svjedoči, zatvorio se u „mračnu sobu“, udaljen od svijeta i ljudi, preplavljen tjeskobom i nepovjerenjem. No, upravo je tržnica postala mjesto na kojem je započeo proces njegova ponovnog povezivanja sa životom.
Ovaj projekt duboko je ukorijenjen u ideji svakodnevice, na način kako je Michel de Certeau opisuje – kao suptilnu, ali neophodnu osnovu našeg postojanja. Tržnica, sa svojim živopisnim prizorima, mirisima i zvucima, postaje pozornica na kojoj se odigravaju mali i jednostavni, ali značajni i ljekoviti aspekti ljudskih susreta. U ovom prostoru, gestama koje su često neprimjetne, ali intenzivno ljudske, stvaraju se mreže podrške i pripadanja. Upravo te „nevidljive“ niti Božić uzdiže u središte svojeg umjetničkog istraživanja. Povijesno gledano, tržnice su stoljećima bile simboli društvenog života – mjesta na kojima se razmjenjuju, ne samo dobra, nego i priče, pogledi, geste i emocije. Kao što je Walter Benjamin u svojim radovima o gradovima primijetio, javni pro-
stori poput tržnica otkrivaju dinamičan suživot različitih identiteta i iskustava. U tom kontekstu, Božić stvara vizualni dijalog koji ne dokumentira samo prizore jedne tržnice, već istražuje kako obična mjesta mogu postati mjesta iscjeljenja. Fotografije piljarica odišu neposrednošću i autentičnošću. Autor ne romantizira svoje subjekte, već ih prikazuje u njihovoj svakodnevnoj stvarnosti, gdje svakodnevno postaje univerzalno i svevremeno. U tom pristupu odražava se i utjecaj humanističke tradicije u umjetničkoj fotografiji, te ga stavlja uz bok brojnih renomiranih suvremenih socijalno angažiranih autora. Njegova pažnja prema detalju, toplina pogleda i poštovanje prema portretiranima stvaraju djelo koje nadilazi puki prikaz, ulazeći u područje simboličkog.
Filozof Martin Heidegger u svojem djelu „Bitak i vrijeme“ ističe kako su upravo svakodnevni, naizgled nevažni trenuci ključni za naše iskustvo autentičnog bivanja. Božićevi portreti piljarica i prizori tržnice tako se mogu tumačiti kao meditacija o važnosti svakodnevnog – onog „običnog“ što izmiče pažnji, ali iz čega crpimo snagu, sigurnost i smisao.
Izložba „Piljarice“ nadilazi granice dokumentarističke fotografije. Ona postaje hvalospjev ljudskoj prisnosti i otpornosti, ali i umjetnički čin koji nas podsjeća na važnost prostora zajedništva i solidarnosti. Ove fotografije nisu samo dokumenti jedne tržnice i ljudi koji je svakodnevno čine živom. One su svjedočanstvo o ljudskoj snazi, o povezanosti koja iscjeljuje i o zahvalnosti koja transcendira riječi.
Piljarice, sa svojom toplinom, srdačnošću i autentičnošću, postale su važan dio autorova oporavka i povratka u stvarni svijet. Njihova prisutnost, imena i male usluge činile su krug ljudske podrške u kojem je Božić pronašao smirenje i snagu. Kroz ovaj rad, autor ne samo da izražava vlastitu zahvalnost već i poziva promatrača da se osvrne na vitalnost tih „nevidljivih trenutaka“ – gdje čovjek pronalazi drugog čovjeka, a s njim i djelić vlastitog mira.
Martina Miholić
Kao profesionalni vojnik, specijalac, ratnik, časnik, zapovjednik, ratni vojni invalid, nakon više od pet godina aktivno provedenih u ratu vratio sam se kući u „mir“. Godine ratnih psihičkih i tjelesnih ugroza, napora i stradavanja ostavili su trag na tijelu i psihi, što je dovelo do zamora mojeg psihičkog bića. Podlegao sam dugotrajnom psihičkom naprezanju, postao bolesnik s dijagnozom PTSP-a. Imao sam strah od ljudi, strah da me netko gleda, da će mi se nešto desiti među ljudima, nesigurnost kako
ću hodati, kretati se, govoriti, hoće li me netko napasti, nožem priklati s leđa, pucati u mene. Zatvorio sam se u mračnu sobu, izoliran od svih, gutajući velike količine tableta. Moj ponovni odlazak među ljude bio je odlazak na tržnicu, gdje je nabava postala simbol nove egzistencije. Tržnica je imala ljekovit učinak za moju socijalizaciju.
Komunikacija s piljaricama je vesela, srdačna i bliska. Znamo se međusobno po imenima, znamo puno jedni o drugima i uvijek prilikom kupovine malo popričamo, a ako je potrebno, jedni drugima učinimo neku uslugu. Osim mlijeka, vrhnja, sira, mesa, putra, jaja i krumpira, tu vlada topla i ljudska atmosfera. Pozitivna energija tržnice i piljarica i danas mi pruža neizmjeran duševni mir i zadovoljstvo. Nekoliko puta dnevno odlazim na tržnicu, ne zato što sam nešto zaboravio, već zato što se tamo dobro osjećam.
Ovim radom želim zahvaliti svim dragim piljaricama koje su mi također pomogle da se iz mračne i smrdljive „bolesničke“ sobe vratim u stvarni svijet, u stvarni život, od kojeg sam u svojoj bolesti bježao.
Milan Božić
Q — MICE (KUMICE — MARKET VENDORS)
Meštrović Pavilion Visiting Program
VN Gallery, 28 January — 15 February 2025
The exhibition “Market Vendors” by Milan Božić, which will be held at the VN Gallery as part of the program Meštrović Pavilion Visiting Program, unfolds a deeply personal narrative about regaining one’s life after the traumas of war. The project features a series of portraits depicting market vendors from the Utrina Market in Novi Zagreb, photographed in their everyday surroundings. Through these images, the artist celebrates the power of ordinary yet crucial moments that form the essence of human connection. Using colour photographs measuring 33 x 48 cm, printed on Munken paper, Božić captures not only the physical appearance of these women but also the atmosphere – an element both crucial and, we could say, therapeutic in Božić’s journey toward recovery.
After more than five years spent in the war, Božić was left with profound physical and emotional scars. Diagnosed with PTSD, he experienced intense fear, uncertainty, and the need for isolation. As the artist recounts, he withdrew into a “dark room”, shutting himself away from the world and people, overwhelmed by anxiety and mistrust. However, it was the market that became the place where the process of his reconnection with life began.
This project is deeply rooted in the concept of the everyday, as described by Michel de Certeau – as a subtle yet indispensable foundation of our existence. The market, with its vibrant sights, smells, and sounds, becomes a stage where small and simple, but significant and healing aspects of human interactions take place. In this space, gestures that are often imperceptible, yet intensely human, weave networks of support and belonging. Božić elevates these “invisible” threads, placing them at the heart of his artistic exploration. Historically, markets have been symbols of social life for centuries – places where not only goods but also stories,
glances, gestures and emotions are exchanged. As Walter Benjamin observed in his writings on urban spaces, public spaces such as markets reveal the dynamic coexistence of different identities and experiences. Within this context, Božić creates a visual dialogue that not only documents the scenes of a market but explores how ordinary places can become places of healing.
The photographs of the market vendors exude immediacy and authenticity. The artist does not romanticise his subjects but portrays them in their everyday reality, where the everyday becomes both universal and timeless. This approach also reflects the influence of the humanistic tradition in art photography, placing him alongside numerous renowned contemporary socially engaged artists. His attention to detail, warmth of gaze and respect for his subjects result in works that go beyond mere representation, entering the realm of the symbolic.
In his work “Being and Time“, philosopher Martin Heidegger emphasises the importance of the everyday, seemingly insignificant moments in shaping our experience of authentic existence. Božić’s portraits of market vendors and scenes of the market can thus be interpreted as a meditation on the importance of the everyday – the “ordinary” that escapes attention but from which we draw strength, security and meaning.
The “Market Vendors” exhibition transcends the boundaries of documentary photography. It becomes an ode to human intimacy and resilience, as well as an artistic act that reminds us of the importance of the space of togetherness and solidarity. These photographs are not merely records of a market and the people who bring it to life each day. They stand as testimonies to human strength, healing connections, and gratitude that transcends words.
Market vendors, with their warmth, cordiality, and authenticity, have become an important part of artist’s recovery and return to the real world. Their presence, names and small gestures created a circle of human support in which Božić found
calm and strength. Through this work, the artist expresses not only his gratitude but also invites viewers to reflect on the vitality of these “invisible moments” – where one person finds another, and, in doing so, a piece of their own peace.
Martina Miholić
“As a professional soldier, a special forces soldier, a warrior, an officer, a commander, and a war veteran with a disability, I returned home to ‘peace’ after more than five years actively spent at war. The years of mental and physical strain, danger, and suffering left their mark on both my body and psyche, leading to a breakdown of my mental health. Succumbing to prolonged psychological tension, I became a patient diagnosed with PTSD. I lived in fear – fear of people, fear of being watched, fear that something might happen to me in public. I feared how I would walk, move, speak, or that someone might attack me, stab me in the back, or shoot me.
I locked myself in a dark room, isolated from everyone, swallowing large amounts of pills. My first step back into society was a visit to the market, where shopping came to symbolise a new existence. The market had a healing effect on my socialisation.
My interactions with the market vendors are cheerful, warm, and familiar. We know each other by name, know much about one another, and always exchange a few words while shopping. If needed, we help each other out. Beyond milk, cream, cheese, meat, butter, eggs, and potatoes, there is a warm, human atmosphere.
The positive energy of the market and its vendors continues to bring me immense peace and satisfaction. I go to the market several times a day, not because I forget something, but because I feel good there.
With this work, I want to thank all the dear market vendors who helped me return from the dark and smelly “patient’s” room to the real world, to real life, from which I was running away in my illness.”
Milan Božić
MILAN BOŽIĆ, rođen 1958. godine u Zagrebu. Od 1973. do 1978. godine bio je član Folklornog društva – KUD Adria. Završio je Školu za strojarstvo i elektrotehniku 1978. godine te započeo studij elektrotehnike i strojarstva. Godine 1982. zaposlio se u tvornici Sintal (sinter metali – tvrdi metali). Od 1986. do 1991. bio je član Aero kluba Zagreb, gdje je djelovao kao sportski pilot i zrakoplovni jedriličar. U razdoblju od 1991. do 1995. sudjelovao je u Domovinskom ratu kao dragovoljac i časnik. Godine 1993. završio je prvi časnički tečaj, a 1994. drugi časnički tečaj te Časničku školu HVU Petar Zrinski. Tijekom 1994., 1995. i 1996. bio je nastavnik i zapovjednik nastavnih skupina (satnija – bojna) na Hrvatskom vojnom učilištu. Godine 1995. upisao je studij na Fakultetu prometnih znanosti (FPZ). Od 1999. godine bio je djelatni časnik Hrvatske vojske u Ministarstvu obrane RH. Ratni je vojni invalid (prvo ranjavanje dogodilo se na Karlovačkom ratištu 21. studenoga 1991. godine). Od 1999. godine bavi se performansima, kako zajedno s Vlastom Delimar, tako i samostalno. Njihov prvi zajednički performans pod nazivom „Razgovor s ratnikom ili žena je nestala“ izveden je 1999. godine u Tvornici u Zagrebu. Jedan je od osnivača stranke Nova ljevica, osnovane 18. prosinca 2016. godine. Bavi se izložbama, performansima i video radovima.
MILAN BOŽIĆ was born in 1958 in Zagreb. From 1973 to 1978, he was a member of the Folklore Society – KUD Adria. In 1978, he graduated from the School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering and began studying electrical and mechanical engineering. In 1982, he started working at the Sintal factory (sintered metals – hard metals). From 1986 to 1991, he was a member of the Zagreb Aero Club, where he worked as a sports pilot and glider pilot. Between 1991 and 1995, he participated in the Homeland War as a volunteer and officer. In 1993, he completed his first officer training course, followed by a second officer course and graduation from the Petar Zrinski Croatian Defence Academy’s Officer School in 1994. During 1994, 1995, and 1996, he served as an instructor and commander of training units (company – battalion) at the Croatian Defence Academy. In 1995, he enrolled in the Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences. Starting in 1999, Božić served as a professional officer in the Croatian Army at the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Croatia. He is a war veteran with a disability, having been wounded for the first time on 21 November 1991 in the Karlovac combat zone. Since 1999, he has been involved in performance art, both independently and in collaboration with Vlasta Delimar. Their first joint performance, “Conversation with a Warrior, or the Woman Has Disappeared,” was performed in 1999 at Tvornica in Zagreb. He is one of the founding members of the Nova Ljevica (New Left) political party, established on 18 December 2016. His creative pursuits include exhibitions, performances, and video works.
bozicmilan22@gmail.com
