Često mi je muka od principa po kojima funkcioniše probijanje na umetničkoj sceni, jer imam zajednički utisak sa kolegama da se mnogo toga bazira na socijalnom kapitalu, promociji i kontaktima, a manje na kvalitetu radova. Tako da ljudi koji imaju dobre ideje ponekad imaju utisak kao da nemaju prostora da ih pokažu, ukoliko nisu deo “ekipe”.
These words were spoken by the artist Ana Stojković, whose exhibition “Are You Tired of Breaking Through in the Art World?” was presented to the public at the Vagon Gallery. Ana Stojković is currently pursuing a PhD in Painting at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Belgrade. This exhibition attracted attention because Ana offers a completely different world of a pharmacy. Here, the medicines are not those that alleviate physical pain. For a moment, the Vagon Gallery transformed into a pharmacy where the shelves were filled with medicines with special powers – medicines offering solutions to the problems that artists struggle with daily.
That's exactly what we were talking about.
For further reading of the text, please consult your personal doctor or pharmacist…
I: You use the language of pharmaceutical products and advertisements. How does this aesthetic and linguistic strategy help in critiquing the widespread trust in instant solutions and plastic identities?
A: Well, precisely because there is widespread trust in the instant solutions offered by pharmaceutical companies, emphasizing this phenomenon helps in questioning such trust and the foundation upon which it is built.
I: You also address values that are often considered key to success in an artistic career. What are those values that, in your opinion, rarely face criticism, and why do you think this is the case?
A: Vrednosti koje su naglašene na početku razgovora, kao i ustaljeni sistemi funkcionisanja, trebalo bi da budu podložni kritici, kako bi se stvari pomerale i napredovale. Isto mislim i za umetničke radove koji podležu očekivanjima diktiranog diskursa.
I: How do you envision an alternative way of breaking through in the art world that is not based on instant solutions and mass success standards?
A: I envision it precisely through the critique of existing systems and deviation from them, lately through as much collaboration and unity as possible, and as little individualism and conformism as possible.
I: What "side effects" or personal challenges have you experienced during your artistic journey that might also be reflected in the themes you address in this exhibition?
A: Nuspojave su obavezne, raznovrsne su i mnogobrojne, slične onima koje obećavam uz lekove, a dolaze sigurno i bez njih – testirano i provereno iz ličnog iskustva i iskustva kolega.
