26 minute read
Umetnost
Intervju: Nikolina Gavrilov
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@n.i_n4
Fotografije: privatna arhiva
Postoje umetnici čiji unutrašnji svetovi u sebi kriju portal za druge dimenzije. Oni nas obično očaraju sopstvenom energijom, koja često ostavlja utisak onostranosti. Kada naiđete na ovakvog umetnika, intuitivno ćete znati da će ta knjiga, film ili slika da vam promeni strukturu DNK-a zapisa. Završićete sa nekim novim sobom u sopstvenoj glavi. Prostor u našoj glavi, nije ništa drugačiji od svemira, i on ima sposobnost da se beskonačno širi tokom čitave naše večnosti. Samo je potrebno pronaći odgovarajuće gorivo. Janja
Rakuš @igoghport je definitivno neko ko može da obezbedi materijal za nesmetano funkcionisanje tvog ličnog perpetuum mobile-a.
Sinestezija sačinjena od reči, zvukova i slika je pustila duboko korenje u plodonosno tle njenog životnog opusa. Za zimski dvobroj Plezira nam je dala dozvolu da makar letimice sagledamo i doživimo njeno transcedentalno putovanje kroz (ne) stvarnost.
1. Vešto se služiš sa toliko mnogo umetničkih izraza, da ja nisam zapravo sigurna koja je tvoja primarna forma kretivne ekspresije, ako bi se ijedna mogla uopšte diferencirati kao takva? Da li bi nam rekla u koju struju umetnosti si prvo uplovila i kako je sve počelo?
Najpre bih želela da se zahvalim na pozivu i prilici da razgovaram sa tobom za Plezir, magazin čiji koncept ima određenu vrednost i dubinu.
Da, mnogi ljudi, uključujući i mene samu, su pomalo zbunjeni kada dođe do definisanja moje primarne profesije. Moglo bi se reći da odgovor na to pitanje podseća na Borhesov lavirint sačinjen od sinhroniciteta, fatalnih susreta i čudnih koincidencija. Nakon srednje škole sam odlučila da krenem na studije hemije. Ova neobična ideja mi se verovatno javila usled okupiranosti alhemijom i starim alhemijskim manuskriptima, koji obiluju šarenim i bogatim simbolizmom i pomalo jezivom surealnom estetikom. Poteklo je i iz moje fascinacije Jim Morisonom i njegovim vizionarskim mislima o filmu i alhemiji. Morison je za film rekao da je vladalac alhemije i poslednji predstavnik erotske nauke, a o alhemiji da je to erotska nauka, koja se bavi onim nevidljivom aspektom realnosti, koja teži da isčisti i transformiše sva bića i materiju. Hemiju sam napustila na drugoj godini studija i zaljubila se u pozorište. Živela sam u studentskom domu u Mariboru, u to vreme su moje prve komšije radile u pozorištu i pod njhovim uticajem kročila sam na tle očaravajućeg sveta pozorišta. Takođe, počela sam da pišem za jedan od najvećih pozorišnih festivala u Sloveniji Borštnikovo Srečanje, jer je direktor novinske kuće pomislio da bi se mogla snaci kao novinarka i poslao me da intervjuišem pozorišnog reditelja Vito Taufera, koji je u tom trenutku bio na vrhuncu svoje karijere. Bila sam krajnje šokirana što je pristao, i tada sam uradila prvi intervju u svom životu. Nakon toga sam radila za taj časopis neko vreme. Bilo je divno iskustvo, mada nisam videla sebe kao novinarku, tako da sam odlučila da upišem pozorišnu režiju u Ljubljani. To je bila još jedna turbulentna promena. Akademija u Ljubljani je suviše konvencionalna, a ja sam bila više zainteresovana za neke druge aspekte pozorišta, drugačije od čisto formalnih koji oni nude. Napustila sam akademiju nakon dve godine i imala sam sreće da upoznam odličnu pozorišnu trupu i radim sa njima. Kada je prvi pozorišni ciklus bio završen, napisala sam svoju prvu knjigu – Električni rajsfer šlus. Na moje veliko iznenađenje knjiga je doživela poveliki uspeh. Iste godine sam se preselila u Amsterdam i započela studije performativnih umetnosti na DasArts akademiji. Vreme provedeno u internacionalnoj školi je za mene bilo veoma posebno. To je bilo mesto gde sam otkrila svoj vizuelni i kinematografski potencijal i tako je moje putovanje kao kinematografa otpočelo.
2. Električni rajsferšlus je tvoje prvo literarno delo. Osnova priče je bazirana na svakodnevnici dvoje rejvera, Vaske i Seta. Mogli bismo reći da su ti se tokom pisanja ovog romana misli vrtele oko unutrašnjih problema beogradske i ljubljanske omladine tog vremena. Dočarala si jedan aspekt realnosti kojim se Balkanska literatura retko kad uopšte i bavi. Kako je došlo do početka unošenja zapisa u ovaj „tehno dnevnik“? Uz to, zanima me i koje su neke od tvojih refleksija na ovu knjigu, sada kada je više od petnaest godina prošlo od izdavanja?
Električni rajsferšlus je moj prvi roman i jako mi je drago što je preveden i na srpski jezik, od strane sjajne prevoditeljice i pesnikinje Ane Ristović. Ona je odradila odličan posao i knjiga je veoma dobro prihvaćena od strane srpske publike. Kako sam došla do unošenja zapisa u „tehno dnevnike“? Ja sam bila rejverka. Slušala sam dosta tehna, hausa, esida i druge elektronske muzike. Išli smo po rejv žurkama. Na jed- nu za drugom. To je zaista bilo posebno doba. Delovalo je kao sekundarna renesansa nakom flower power revolucije iz šezdesetih. Plesali smo protiv sistema. Protiv rata. Protiv buržoazije. Protiv hiperkonzumerizma. Rejv žurke su svoje korenje pustile najpre u Engleskoj. Prvi rejvovi su bili ilegalni. Ljudi bi se okupljali u napuštenim prostorima, poput katakombi i plesali. Bilo je tribalno, univerzalno i ekstatično. To je bio vid protesta. Mislim da je zato i sama knjiga doživela toliki uspeh. U Sloveniji je postojao period kad su rejvovi bili intenzivirani. Organizovali smo tajne žurke po šumama, pa čak i pećinama. Pola knjige sam napisala slušajući setove Marka Karole. Pogotovu poglavlja koja su pisana sa oštricom, ona u kojima Set upload-uje i zaseca sopstveni DNK-a na vinilu. Rejv subkultura je bila nešto što nam je davalo nadu. Bila je prepuna energije. Bila je ekstaza. Mislili smo da nikada neće prestati. Mislila sam da će svaki mladi pisac i literarna novopridošlica napisati knjigu o tehno kulturi, ali na kraju niko nije. Električni rajsferšlus je bio prvi, poslednji i jedini roman u Sloveniji o rejv subkulturi. Rejveri su igrali s ovom knjigom u Ambasadi Gaviolli u Izoli. Bila je štampana u više izdanja. Sasvim rasprodata. Postala je simbol za našu rejv generaciju. I dalje ne razumem zašto mi se niko nije pridružio u ovoj lingvističkoj ekspediciji. Ceo pokret, pun atomske energije i čudne lepote je nestao kao čestice prašine. Električna zadruga je napisana u 2004. i kada pogledam unazad, mislim da je to bio neophodan i hrabar potez.
3. U svojoj petoj knjizi „Vudu valcer za epileptičare“ si prolaze između poglavlja gradila od hipergrafičkih slika. Zašto si odlučila da je dizajniraš na baš ovaj način? Na kom temelju je izgrađena sama priča, i da li ima i lični element? Filmska adaptacija bazirana na ovom romanu je osvojila prvo mesto na Burmese international film festival-u pre nekoliko dana; reci nam kako si postigla da na istu priču gledaš kroz okno drugog medija?
Knjiga Vudu valcer za epileptičare ima posebno mesto u mojoj ličnoj Parnassus bibliografiji. Ovo je moje najtrans- gresivnije delo i ponekad ne znam ni sama kako sam uspela da ga napisem. U pozitivnom i negativnom smislu. Ima jak personalni dodir, a taj dodir se zove epilepsija. Ja sam epileptičar i nosim se sa ovom „svetom bolesti“ svaki dan. Mnogo mi daje ali još više mi i uzima. Napisala sam ovu knjigu tri meseca nakon povratka sa svog hodočašća u Španiji. Imala sam osećaj kao da me je pogodila nekakva svetlosna kugla i ceo proces pisanja je bio poput lingvističke munje. Knjiga je prevedena na engleski jezik i sada je dostupna u pdf formatu na poznatoj UbuWeb arhivi , potpuno besplatno. Bila je posebno izabrana od strane Kenneth Goldsmith , osnivača UbuWeb-a. Evo i linka do romana. Ali, dopusti mi da najpre iznesem neke uopštene informacije o knjizi. Vudu valcer za epileptičare je hipergrafičko hodočašće od 36 sati. Kao što se može naslutiti već iz samog naslova, Vudu valcer je konceptualno literarno delo. To je višeslojni presek transgresivnog, satiričkog minimalizma i alhemijske destilacije reči. (Ne)vidljiva nit, koja spaja sve tekstove u unifikovani roman, pitanje je radikalne slobode koja se ot- kriva kroz epileptične napade. U delu, epilepsija je skicirana kao transparentnost bivstva, te je proučavana kao medicinski, istorijski i umetnički fenomen. I, naravno, kao granično stanje ljudske egzistencije. Takođe je, ali i primarno, priča o četvoro ljudi obolelih od epilepsije čiji sudbinski susreti dovode do kraja starog sveta i rođenja novog sveta. Poglavlja su povezana hipergrafičkim slikama ili multiplicitetima digitalnog sopstva, koje sam crtala u programu Painter, koristeći miš. Vudu valcer je, takođe, i o otkrivanju i kreiranju, dizajniranju i redizajniranju ljudskih bića i onoga što ona imaju zajedničko, a to je duh. To nije ludilo, samo je napisano u nenormalnom svetu. U ovom svetu, u neoliberalnom ludilu. U vreme koje je Bauman, nazvao fluidnim. Može biti čitano kao digitalni dnevnik ili kao vodič kroz iOccupy, mitološki i sakralni tekst ili lingvistička erotika sa primesama noir-a. Ekstenzivna kolekcija slika i teksta leži negde između linearne i konkretne poezije, oblikovane piktogramima, ideogramima i žicama od URL-a. Postoji razlog zašto sam odlučila da dizajniram knjigu na ovaj način. Jednu godinu pre nego što sam počela da pišem knjigu odlučila sam da počnem da koristim Facebook. Ovu hegemoničnu i hipersatuiranu web stranicu, kao galeriju za moje crteže. Facebook je digitalna tvrđava sa „najvišom stopom populacije“. Mogli bismo reći da je veća nego u Kini. U to vreme sam eksperimentisala sa digitalnim crtanjem, posredstvom kompjuterskog miša, veoma jednostavne, nalik na dečije crteže. Možete ih videti u knjizi. Postavljala sam ih svakog dana i postali su prilično popularni. To je bio veoma uzbudljiv period, prepun humora. Tokom pisanja imala sam ose- ćaj, intuitivni predosećaj, da bi se ovaj materijal uklopio uz koncept, tako da sam odlučila da neke od njih stavim u knjigu. Vudu valcer je dobio nagrade na različitim filmskim festivalima u poslenje vreme. Ovo nije iznenađenje, s obzirom na to da se knjiga nekako i pisala kao film. To je bilo moje holografsko putovanje, ja sam bila u samom filmu. Na neki način to je roman i scenario u isto vreme.
4. Određeni lajtmotiv se provlači kroz tvoja dela. Izmenjena stanja svesti, sanjolika stanja i predeli natopljeni apstrakcijom prisutni su kao učestali motiv. Koji unutrašnji čvor si pokušavala da razvežeš fokusirajući se na ove određene teme?
Ovo je interesantno, ali i dosta teško pitanje. Uvek sam bila zainteresovana za „ono što je iza zavese“ kao što je Laurie Anderson rekla. Oduvek sam želela da break-on-through-the-other-side. Možda sam zato i bila rejver. To ima neke veze sa ekstazom, sa magičnim letom koji praktikuju poslednji pravi šamani na svetu. Sa druge strane sva velika umetnička dela imaju dve strane. Dve dimenzije. Vidljivu i nevidljivu. Interesantno je šta se dogodi kada one dođu u kontakt ili kada jedna od njih prevagne. Kao u magijskom realizmu, na primer. Pedro Paramo i dolina u plamenu , genijalna je knjiga meksičkog pisca Huan Rulfoa, tako je jedinstven umetnički komad. Ili čak jedno još bolje delo Hamlet. Hamlet je večno remek-delo baš zato što sadrži tu nevidljivu komponentu. Pod nevidljivom stranom mislim i na snove. Nikada nisam pisala dnevnik snova ili tako ne- što, ali sam uvek bila zainteresovana za arhitekturu samih snova, kao i lucidnih snova. Tolteci i Meksikanci imaju dosta razvijenu tradiciju tumačenja snova kroz spiritualne prakse. Kažu da je osoba koja se ne seća sopstvenih snova kao hodajući mrtvac, da nema kontrolu nad svojim životom ni kad je budna. Popularni i kontraverzni Karlos Kastaneda je lucidan san doneo na Zapad, na primer. Moj odgovor bi bio da spiritualni deo umetnosti, različita stanja svesti, snovi i druge nevidljive arome, nisu racionalni deo artističkog koncepta. Mi ih ne biramo sami. Oni biraju nas. Ja sam samo instrument. Sluga.
5. Kako se filozofija tibetanskog budizma uselila u mentalni prostor jedne Slovenke koja je dosta vremena živela i u Amsterdamu? Kako je upoznavanje sa različitim kulturama potpomoglo da srčane kapije otvoriš još šire? I šta je tvoja životna filozofija i dominatna boja pogleda na svet?
Tibetanski budizam i nije neka moja specijalnost. Istina je da sam napravila kratki film Ecstasy of Death 7.0 koji je za- snovan na Tibetanskoj knjizi mrtvih, ali to nije filozofija ili praksa koju sam zaista implementirala u svakodnevnicu. Mislim da imam prirodno meditativan um i ovo mi je dosta pomoglo tokom snimanja triologije Alchemy On The Amstel (I-III). Posmatrajući i snimajući reku dve godine stekla sam solidan uvid u prakse zen budizma. Ne bih ulazila u detalje same triologije, rekla bih samo da narativ i struktura filma dolazi od same reke Amstel i grada. U to vreme sam bila opterećena vodom, ništa nije bilo lepše nego živeti u Amsterdamu i meditirati na ovom predsokratskom elementu. Naišla sam bila i na knjigu od Gaston Bašlara Water and Dreams koja je radikalno promenila moj odnos i pogled na vodu i poetsku imaginaci- ju. Drugi deo triologije Alchemy On The Amstel (II) je bio selektovan za filmski festival Shortcutz Amsterdam i bila sam veoma srećna i počastvovana što sam bila izabrana od strane sjajnog glumca i umetnika Rutger Hauera, legendarnog replikanta iz Blade Runner-a znanog po svom virtuoznom monologu u Tears in Rain. Živeti u jednom kosmopolitskom gradu kao što je Amsterdam je privilegija ali i veliki izazov, u isto vreme. Amsterdam nije megalopolis, on je manji od Beograda ali u Amsterdamu živi oko 140 nacija koje međusobno koegzistira- ju. Ako dolaziš iz manje zemlje, prepune istorijskih tenzija i konflikata onda ti ovo dođe kao olakšanje. To je veoma živ i dinamičan grad. Dosta ti pomaže da sagledaš sopstveni život i nacionalno nasleđe iz druge, opuštenije perspektive. Amsterdam je bio i biće moj Genius Loci. I ta priča još nije gotova. I za kraj, šta da kažem o svom pogledu na svet? U ovom trenutku se osećam kao mistik sa manastirom u džepu, ali i ovo može uvek da se promeni.
6. Kako bi ti definisala alhemiju? Kako se materija preobražava u 21. veku? Imam različite definicije. Na ličnom, intimnom nivou kao ljudsko biće i umetnik, alhemija je za mene duhovno hodočašće putem metamorfoze (Nigredo, Albedo, Rubedo). Ova tri alhemijska stadijuma korespondiraju sa tri boje. Crnom, belom i crvenom ili zlatnom. Oni korespondiraju sa tri stadijuma života samog umetnika. Crna je za mukotrpni entuzijazam mladosti, koji donosi razočarenje. Bela je za ličnu i umetničku zrelost, a crvena/zlatna stoji za period kada umetnik doživi vrhunac kosmičke spiritualnosti. Generalno gledano, alhemija je nauka o promeni i bavi se pitanjima raznih procesa u kosmosu, prirodi i čoveku. Česta je tematika evropskog kulturnog nasleđa. Od Milleta, Van Goga, Ivana Grohara… Ova figura i njegova poza me je uvek inspirisala i zato sam napravila kratki film o tome pod nazivom The Sower. Film je dobio dosta nagrada na različitim filmskim festivalima i galerijskim događajima širom sveta. Moja slika sejača je kosmička. Veliki umetnik koji na nepreglednim poljima seje semena preporoda. Ovo zlatno seme je sveto i sa sobom nosi duhovnu energiju punu preobražavajućeg potencijala. Iznenadna promena iz tame u svetlo. Svetlosno hodočašće kroz ljudsko telo. Kako preobraziti materiju u 21. veku je zaista kompleksno i zanimljivo pitanje. Ovo je vek artificijelne inteligencije. To ne znači nužno i transhumanizam u koji ne verujem, niti mi se idejno dopada, ali možda je interesantno razmisliti o konekciji između drevnih učitelja alhemije i AI-a.
Šta bi mogla da bude naša percepcija i interpretacija ovog high-tech sveta,
Kako Bismo Mogli Putem Drevnih Spisa
iz alhemijske tradicije, tradicije koja je puna „duhova zemlje“, bolje da razumemo vreme u kom živimo? Kao takva, alhemija se može sagledati kao low-tech senka naše high-tech budućnosti, koja još uvek sadrži neizmerne mudrosti koje je neminovno vredno ponovo razmotriti.
7. Kako publika reaguje na tvoje filmove? Koji su neki od filmskih festivala na kojima su se tvoja dela našla?
Nije mi baš najprijatnije da sedim u publici i gledam svoje filmove. To bi bilo kao da čitam svoju knjigu nekome pre spavanja i očekujem da će neko to sanjati. Ali nekada to i uradim, i reakcije su razne. Zavisi prevashodno od same publike. Ljudi koji su u eksperimentalnim vodama obično uživaju i imaju interesantne komentare i pitanja, ali oni koji su više za holivudskije filmove budu dosta zbunjeni. Dosta sam proputovala zarad filmova poslednjih godina. Od AVIFF Cannes festivala, gde je moj kratki film Alchemy On The Amstel
(III) osvojio prvu nagradu, do Njujorka, Rima, Praga, Genta, Brisela, Londona, Porta, Beograda, Zagreba, Indije, Japana, Kolumbije, Meksika, Singapura, Kolumbije, Rusije, Azije, Saudijske Arabije pa čak i Hollywood Pine Studios i brojna druga mesta.
8. Da li bi našim čitaocima preporučila neke knjige, filmove i muziku koja je ostavila znatnu impresiju na tebe, nešto što ne smeju da propuste?
Ovo je uvek nezgodno. Zavisi kome preporučuješ i takođe zavisi i od projekata na kojim trenutno radim. Poslednjih godina sam čitala i gledala dosta o bojama i moja lična biblija u to vreme je bila knjiga od Iv Klajna How to overcome the problematic of art. Već sam spomenula roman Pedro Paramo i dolina u plamenu i UbuWeb Archive. Mislim da su književnost, istorija umetnosti i istorija filma neophodni kako bismo razumeli vreme u kom živimo. Ja još uvek uživam u Šekspiru i Rembou, na primer. U decembru sam ponovo čitala slovenačke pesnike Srečka Kosovela, Tomaža Ša- lamuna i Gregora Strniša, kao i Celine’s Journey to the end of the night i genijalna pisma Marine Cvetajeve, pisma koja je pisala Rilkeu nakon njegove smrti.
Moj poslednji kinematografski period je vezan za ponovna godišnja gledanja kratkih filmova od Džordana Belsona, uz to, obožavam i filmove Patrika Bokanovskog, ali pravo otkriće mi je bio Džo Ramirez i njegov projekat The Gold Projections . Drugačije je od bilo čega što nudi moderan film. Postoji i knjiga i samo čitajući je i gledajući slike u njoj dovoljno je da konzumer umetno- sti zakorači u nešto potpuno drugačije od današnje produkcije. Vim Venders koji je napisao esej o ovoj knjizi naziva Ramireza “A 21st century Renaissance artist”.
9. Da li bi nam otkrila na čemu trenutno radiš i šta možemo očekivati od tebe u budućnosti?
Trenutno sređujem svoj novi roman
Tri Barve Za Eno Smrt/Three Colors For One Death. Dobio je prvu nagradu na takmičenju povodom dvadesete godiš- njice postojanja izdavačke kuće u kojoj je moj prvi roman, Električni rajsferšlus, prvi put i izašao u štampu. Osnovna tema knjige su boje, a knjiga sadrži i neke novitete kao što su QR kodovi, tako da će čitaoci imati priliku da skeniraju kodove i očitaju moje kratke klipove. Više je meditativnog i organskog karaktera u odnosu na prethodne knjige. Planiramo da je pustimo u štampu na proleće.
10. Koji savet bi dala nekome ko je tek počeo da se bavi umetnošću?
Šta je tvoj osnovni princip kad dođe do traženja inspiracije u samoj sebi, kao i snage da otpočinješ novi kreativni ciklus iznova i iznova? Kako ostati istrajan?
Ako znaš da je umetnost nešto čime moraš da se baviš, bez obzira na to kakve su okolnosti, a obično su teške okolnosti, onda će istrajanje doći kao prirodna pojava. Ali nije lako. To je težak i zahtevan posao. Nema prečica. Sa druge strane, ako istraješ bićeš nagrađen radošću i dostojnošću da ovaj život proživiš kao umetnik.
Interview: Nikolina Gavrilov @n.i_n4
Photos: private archive
There are artists whose internal realms can be used as a portal to other dimensions. They mesmerize us with their energy that almost feels otherworldly. When one comes across such an artist, it becomes an intuitive notion that their book, movie or painting will rewrite their DNA code and somehow make them different. Space within the skull becomes one with space itself and has the ability to expand to eternity. The trick is in finding the right fuel. Janja Rakuš @igoghport is certainly someone who can provide material for personal perpetuum mobile. Synesthesia made out of words, sounds and pictures has grown deep roots into her lifework’s soil. For this issue of Plezir magazin she allowed us to catch a glimpse of her transcendental journey.
1. You have adopted so many art expressions that I couldn’t actually tell what your main occupation is, if there is even any that could be differentiated as such. Could you tell us in which stream of art you dived into first and how it all started?
First of all I would like to thank you for the invitation and opportunity to talk for Plezir magazine that has such a great concept and depth. Yes, a lot of people including myself are a bit confused when they have to define my main occupation. It feels a bit like Borghes’s labyrinth made of synchronicity, fatal meetings and strange coincidences. After high school I decided to study chemistry.
This strange idea probably came from my fascination with alchemy and old alchemical manuscripts with very rich and colorful symbolism and spooky surreal aesthetic. It also has roots in my fascination with Jim Morrison and his visionary thoughts about cinema and alchemy. Regarding the cinema, he wrote: Cinema, heir of alchemy, last of an erotic science… While on alchemy he said: Alchemy is an erotic science, involved in buried aspects of reality, aimed at purifying and transforming all beings and matter. So, I quit my chemistry studies after two years, but within that time period fell in love with theater. I lived in a student’s house in Maribor at the time and one of my neighbors worked in theater and invited me into the seductive world of theater. I also started to write for the biggest Slovenian Theater Festival Borštnikovo Srečanje, because the director of the newspaper confused me with someone else and sent me to make an interview with theater director Vito Taufer who was at the top of his career at the time.
I was so shocked that I accepted and did the first interview in my life. After that I worked for the newspaper for a while. It was a great experience, but I didn’t see myself only as a journalist, so I decided to study theater directing in Ljubljana. It was another turbulent transition. The Academy in Ljubljana is very conventional and I was interested more in other aspects of theater than the dramatic one. I left the academy after two years and was lucky to meet some great theater groups that came to Ljubljana and worked with them. When the first theatrical circle was closed I wrote my first novel Električna zadrga - Električni rajsferšlus. To my great surprise it was a huge success. The same year I went to Amsterdam and started my MD of performing arts at DasArts. At that time DasArts was a very special international school. It was a place where I discovered my visual and cinematic potential and this is how my journey as a visual artist and filmmaker started.
2. “Elekrična zadrga” is one of your literary works. The story line is based upon the everyday lives of two nineties ravers, Vaska and Set. We could say that you’ve circled your thoughts around the internal struggles of Belgrade and Ljubljana youth at that time. You’ve portrayed an aspect of society that rarely ends up in Balkan literature. How did you come up with writing these “techno diaries”? But also, what are some of your reflections about this book, now that more than fifteen years have passed since publishing?
Električna zadrga is my first novel and I am very delighted that it was translated into Serbian language by the brilliant translator and poet Ana Ristović. She did an excellent job and the book was very well received in Serbia as well. How did I come up with writing “techno diaries’? I was a raver. I was listening to a lot of techno, house, acid and other electronic music. We went to rave parties. One after another. It was a special time. It felt like a second renaissance after the flower power rev- olution in the 60s. We danced against the system. Against war. Against bourgeoisie. Against hyper consumerism. Rave parties have their roots in England. The first rave parties were illegal. People gathered in abandoned places, almost like in catacombs and danced. It was tribal, universal and ecstatic. It was a protest. That’s why the book was a success I think. In Slovenia there was a period of intensive rave parties. We organized secret parties in the forests and even caves. I wrote half of a book with hard techno sets of Marco Carola on my ears. Especially chapters that are written with slashes, where Set uploads and scratches his DNA on vinyl records. Rave subculture was something that gave us hope. It was high energy. It was Ecstasy. We thought it would never stop. I thought that every young writer or newcomer in literature will write a book about techno culture. But in the end nobody did. Električna zadrga was the first, last and the only rave novel in Slovenia. Ravers danced with this book in the Ambasada Gavioli Izola. It was reprinted. Sold out. It became a symbol for rave generations. I still don’t understand why nobody joined me in this linguistic expedition. The whole movement, full of atomic energy and strange beauty disappeared like particles of dust. Elekrična zadrga was written in 2004 and when I look back at it now I think it was a necessary and brave gesture.
3. In your fifth book “Voodoo Waltz for Epileptics”, passages between the chapters have been built of hypergraphic images. Why have you decided to design it in this way? What is the backbone of the story itself and does it have a personal touch as well? The movie adaptation based on this writing has won the first prize on the Burmese international film festival a few days ago. How did you manage to look upon the same story through different media perspectives?
The book Voodoo Waltz for Epileptics is a special case in my own mini Parnassus bibliography. It is my most transgressive work and sometimes I don’t know how I managed to write it. Meaning both in a positive and negative sense. It has a strong personal touch and that touch is called epilepsy. I am an epileptic and I deal with this “sacred disease” every day. It gives you a lot and takes even more. I wrote this book three months after I came back from my pilgrimage in Spain. I looked and felt like a ball of light and the whole process of writing was like a linguistic thunderstruck. The book is translated into English and is now available as a free pdf on the famous UbuWeb Archive. It was curated by Kenneth Goldsmith, founder of UbuWeb. Here is the link.
But let me first tell you some general information about the book. Voodoo Waltz for Epileptics - Hypergraphic Pilgrimage in 36 Hours. As it can be glimpsed from the subtitle, Hypergraphic Pilgrimage in 36 Hours, Voodoo Waltz is a conceptual literary work. It is a multilayered cross section of transgressive, satirical minimalism and alchemical distillation of a word. The (in)visible thread that binds the whole text into a unified nov- el is the question of radical freedom revealed through epileptic seizures. In the work, epilepsy is sketched out as the transparency of being and is examined as a medicinal, historical and artistic phenomenon; even as an excess. And of course, as a borderline condition of human existence. It is also, and primarily, a story about four epileptics whose fateful encounter brings about the end of the Old World and the birth of the New One. Chapters are linked with hypergraphic images or multiplicities of a digital Self, which I drew in a drawing-program-Painter, using a computer mouse. Voodoo Waltz is also about inventing and creating, designing and redesigning of human beings and of what they have in common and that is spirit. It’s not insane, it is written in an insane world, however. Inside this world, inside the neoliberal insanity. In a time Bauman named liquid. It can be read as an on-line-diary or guideline through iOccupy, mythological and sacral text or linguistic erotism with a drop of noir. A panoply of images and text are lying somewhere between line- ated and concrete poetry, shaped with pictograms, ideograms, and strings of URL-s. There is a background why I decided to design the book this way. One year before I started to write the book I decided to use Facebook, this hegemonic and hyper saturated web page as a gallery for my drawings. Facebook is a digital Fortress with the “highest rate of population”. We could say that it is bigger than China. At that time I was experimenting with digital drawing by using a computer mouse, very simple, child like or brut art drawings. You can see them in the book. I uploaded them every day and they became quite a hit. It was a very exciting period, full of humor. During writing I felt intuitive that this material would fit into the concept, so I decided to put some of them into the book. Voodoo Waltz is receiving awards in different film festivals lately. This is not a surprise because the book was somehow written as a film. It was my holographic journey, I was inside the film. In a way it is a novel and a script at the same time.
4. A certain leitmotif is noticeable throughout your work. Different states of consciousness, dream-like states and scenarios seem to be a repetitive motive. What internal knot have you been trying to untie while focusing on these particular themes?
That is an interesting but also difficult question to answer. I was always interested in “what is behind that curtain” as Laurie Anderson said. Always wanted to break-on-through-the-other-side. Maybe that’s why I was also a raver. It has something to do with ecstasy, with the magic flight practiced by last and real shamans around the world. On the other hand, all great works of art are made from two sides. Two dimensions. Visible and invisible. It is interesting what happens when they connect or when one prevails. Like in magic realism, for example. Pedro Paramo, an ingenious book by the Mexican writer Juan Rulfo is such an unique art piece. Or even greater, Hamlet. This is an eternal masterpiece also because of its very strong invisible side. By invisible side I also mean dreams. I nev- er wrote a dream diary or something like that, but I was always interested in the architecture of dreams, in lucid dreams. Toltecs and Mexicans have a strong tradition of dreams as a spiritual practice. They say that the person who doesn’t remember their dreams is one of the living dead, as they have no control over their life when they’re awake. The popular and notorious Carlos Castaneda was the one who delivered lucid dreaming into the west, for example. My answer would be that the spiritual part of art, different states of consciousness, dreams and other invisible aromas are not rational parts of the artistic concept. You don’t choose them, they choose you. I am just an instrument, a servant.
5. How does the philosophy of Tibetan Buddhism move into the mental space of a Slovenian girl who lived in Amsterdam for quite a while? How has knowing different cultures helped you to open heart-gates even more? And what is your own philosophy of life and a dominant color of the world view?
Tibetan Buddhism is not some speciality of mine. It is true that I made the short film Ecstasy of Death 7.0 based on The Tibetan Book Of The Dead, but it is not a philosophy or spiritual practice that I would really dive into. I think I have a naturally meditative mind and this helped me when I was making my film trilogy Alchemy On The Amstel (I-III). Observing and filming rivers for two years gives you a good zen buddhist practice. I wouldn’t go too much into details with this film trilogy except that narration and structure of the film comes from the river Amstel and the city itself. At that time I was obsessed with water, nothing special if you live in Amsterdam and meditate on this pre-Socratic element. I also encountered a book from Gaston Bachelard: Water and Dreams which radically changed my view and relation toward water and poetic imagination. The second part of the trilogy Alchemy On The Amstel (II) was selected for the film festival Shortcutz Amsterdam and I was very lucky and honored that it was selected by great actor and artist Rutger Hauer, the legendary replicant from Blade Runner known for his ingenious monologue Tears in Rain. To live in a cosmopolitan city like Amster- dam is a privilege as well as a big challenge at the same time. Amsterdam is not a megapolis, it is smaller than Belgrade but in Amsterdam there are 140 different nations who co-exist and live together more or less peacefully. If you come from a small country full of historical tensions and conflicts this is a relief. It is a very vibrant and dynamic city. It helps you to see and reflect on your life and national heritage from a different, more relaxed perspective. Amsterdam was for me and still is my Genius Loci. And the story is not even finished yet. Finally, what can I say about my worldview? At the moment I feel like a mystic with a monastery in my pocket. But this can always change.
6. How would you define alchemy? What is the way to transmute matter in the twenty-first century? I have different thoughts or “definitions”. On a personal, intimate level as a human being and artist, alchemy is Pilgrimage of the Soul through the metamorphosis (Nigredo, Albedo, Rubedo).
These three alchemical stages correspond to three colors. Black, White and
Red or Gold. They correspond to three different periods of an artist’s life. Black for the ardent enthusiasm of youth, and its natural disappointments. White for personal and artistic maturity and Red/ Gold when the artist has reached the apex of a cosmic spirituality. In a more general view alchemy is the Science of change and is concerned with the question of processes in cosmos, nature and man. My favorite figure for alchemical processes is an image of Sower. It is a common theme in European culture.
From Millet, Van Gogh, Ivan Grohar…
This figure and his gesture always inspired me. That’s why I made a short animated film called The Sower. The film received a few awards at different film festivals and gallery events around the globe. My image of Sower is cosmic. A great Artist who spreads the seeds of rebirth within the field. The golden seed that is scattered all around is the carrier of spiritual energy full of transmutation potential. The sudden change from darkness into light. Pilgrimage of light through the human body. How to transmute matter in the 21st century is a really complex and interesting question. The 21st century is a century of Artificial Intelligence. It doesn’t neces- sarily mean transhumanism in which I don’t believe and don’t like either. So maybe it is interesting to think about the connection between old masters of alchemy and AI. What can our perception and interpretation of our high-tech world learn from ancient sources from the alchemical tradition, a tradition that is full of ‘spirits of the earth’? As such, alchemy itself can be considered as the low-tech (fore)shadow of our high-tech future that still holds infinite wisdoms that are worthwhile reconsidering.
7. What is the audience’s reaction to your movies? Which are some of the film festivals you’ve attended?
I don’t feel very comfortable to sit with the audience and watch my films. It is like reading your own book to someone before sleep and expecting to dream about it. But sometimes I do and reactions are different. It depends on the audience. People who are more into experimental waters usually enjoy and have some interesting questions or comments, but those with more Hollywoodish expectations can be confused. I had a good ride with films around the globe in recent years. From AVIFF Cannes festival, where my short film
Alchemy On The Amstel (III) won first prize, to New York, Amsterdam, Rome, Prague, Talin, Ghent, Brussels, London, Porto, Belgrade, Zagreb, India, Japan, Columbia, Mexico, Singapure, Russia, Asia, Saudi Arabia, even Hollywood Pine Studios and some more.
8. Could you recommend to our readers some of the books, movies and music that have had a special impact on you, something they mustn’t miss out on?
This is always difficult. It depends on who you recommend to and also on the projects I am working on. During the past few years I was reading and watching a lot about colors and my bible was the book from Yves Klein: How to overcome the problematic of art. I already mentioned the novel Pedro Paramo and UbuWeb Archive. I think canon in literature, history of art and history of film is necessary to understand the current times. I am still enjoying Shakespeare and Rimbaud a lot. In December I was rereading Slovenian poets Srečko Kosovel, Tomaž Šalamun and Gregor Strniša as well as Celine’s Journey to the end of the night and the ingenious letters of Marina Cvetajeva, letters that she wrote to Rilke after he died. My last cinefile period was rewatching Jordan Belson’s short films. I also adore films of Patrick Bokanowski. But the real discovery for me was Joe Ramirez and his project The Gold Projections. It is very different from anything else I have seen in modern cinema. There is also a book available and just by reading and looking at the images you enter into something completely different from current production. Wim Wenders who wrote an essay for the book considers Joe Ramirez “a 21st century Renaissance artist”.
9. Would you share with us what you are currently working on and what can we expect from you in the future?
At the moment I am editing my new novel Tri Barve Za Eno Smrt/Three Colors For One Death . It won the first award at the 20th anniversary of Publisher House Litera, the one where my first novel Električna zadrga was published. The main theme of the book is color, it contains some novelties like QR codes so readers will have the possibility to scan codes and get links to my very short clips. It is more meditative and organic than previous books. We plan that it will be published in the Spring.
10. How would you advise someone that has just started to make art? What is your main principle when it comes to finding inspiration and strength to start a creation cycle over and over again? How to stay persistent?
If you know that art is something you have to do no matter how hard circumstances are and usually they are, you will naturally persist. You will work inside out. With necessity. You won’t have another choice. You will have to surrender. It is not easy. It is hard work with no short cuts. On the other side you will be rewarded with joy, grace and the gift to spend life like an artist.