translated and summarized by: Liz Wollner-Grandville,
090209: Galerie ArtPoint /KulturKontakt Austria: Land of Promises – Contemporary Serbian photography
Galerie ArtPoint /KulturKontakt Austria: Land of Promises – Contemporary Serbian photography
A question of location
In the exhibit “Land of Promises – Contemporary Serbian photography”, not many works would be brought into connection with their country of origin. None of the artists at this exhibition, curated by the artist Ana Adamovic, deal with Serbia’s traumatic history. And if they do, then at best with more or less private memories, such as, for example Vladimir Peric with his photo series “Museum of the Childhood: Memories taken over”. His photos remind of Aby Warburg’s “Picture Atlas Mnemosyne”. Black-and-white photographs of children, mainly boys, with rocking horses – amazing how much can be found on one single theme.
The majority of the works – the exhibit claims to focus on socio-political and social issues - is less devoted to history and can be described as somewhat contemporary. The most fascinating work is Vesna Pavlovic’s photo series depicting gardens belonging to the Vlach minority in Eastern Serbia: a reared up plaster horse, a Virgin of Mercy seeming to guard the entrance, a ceramic deer with a puzzled look, angels carrying bowls with plants. These stage-like gardens clearly demonstrate the desire for cultural traditions.
Less site-specific: Uros Djuric’s photos showing the artist side by side with celebrities, such as Iggy Popp or Grace Jones; Zoran Naskovski’s photo series presenting basketball courts, Ivan Petrovic’s works showing nuclear fallout shelters. The title of the exhibit is obviously misleading. Most of the artists are not concerned with their country of origin; and that is actually commendable – as it evades the danger of exaggerated fussiness. In any case, the exhibit offers a great insight into Serbian photography.
By Nina Schedlmayer
Galerie ArtPoint / KulturKontakt Austria
1010 Vienna, Universitätsstrasse 5, until 27.02.09
www.kulturkontakt.or.at
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090209
Galerie ArtPoint / KulturKontakt Austria
1010 Wien, Universitätsstraße 5
Tel: +43 / 1 / 523 87 65 - 14, Fax: +43 / 1 / 523 87 65 - 20
Email: ursula.hilmar@kulturkontakt.or.at
http://www.kulturkontakt.or.at
Öffnungszeiten: geschlossen
Galerie ArtPoint / KulturKontakt Austria
1010 Wien, Universitätsstraße 5
Tel: +43 / 1 / 523 87 65 - 14, Fax: +43 / 1 / 523 87 65 - 20
Email: ursula.hilmar@kulturkontakt.or.at
http://www.kulturkontakt.or.at
Öffnungszeiten: geschlossen