The exhibition in Ostavinska gallery is the result of Anna Jarosz’ and Astrid Vlasman’s residency at Belgrade Art Studios.
Astrid has lived and worked in Serbia for three months, Anna spent a month in Belgrade. Together they are showing the ar(s(c result of their stay in Belgrade.
Anna Jarosz: I was sat at the corner of a table
The exhibition is a result of a month-long residency at Belgrade Art Studios. The work presented is a visual sketch and experimentation around ongoing research that Anna Jarosz has been undertaking during her stay in Belgrade. “I was sat at the corner of a table” is a reflection around the no(on of superstition and its connection to the collective experience of trauma. An exploration of significant cultural links between the artist’s motherland of Poland and the host country Serbia, and furthermore how the uncertainty of current reality allows space for superstitious beliefs to re-emerge and flourish. Yet, pre-Christian pagan beliefs stand as a direct juxtaposition to the religion that is strongly embedded in the societies and cultures of both countries. Superstition becomes, in a way, a safe haven for those who have lost their minds, but also exist in a collective unconsciousness and is characterized by a fear of the unrevealed. The main research questions that Anna Jarosz poses are how trauma connects the experiences of people living within the same social structure and how the mythologies around supers((on determine the system of beliefs and navigation of the community.
Anna Jarosz is a Polish artist, recently graduated from Valand Academy in Gothenburg, Sweden with a MFA in Fine Art Photography following previous studies at FAMU in Prague, Czech Republic. Her main focus of interest is gendered trauma and objected bodies. By investigating these issues through the lens of s(ll and moving camera but also by building spacial installations that combine sculptural objects, sound, video and other media, she focuses on trauma, trauma being a very personal experience to an individual or as a collective experience shared by many. She uses art as a tool to reverse socially constructed terminologies of gender and norms by emphasizing the objectification of bodies (often in the context of her own experiences, social background and nationality). She touches upon the general obsession of gendered bodies and the unspoken weaknesses that are so often connected to the alienation of different kinds. Inspired by contemporary feminist thought, existentialist philosophy and psychoanalysis, she looks into deep aspects of trauma.
Astrid Vlasman: Serbian woman
Four paintings from the series “Serbian woman” are made out of material that has recently been found in Belgrade. These so-called “paper paintings” are covered with torn out posters, handwritten recipes, school notebooks, theater posters, and children’s drawings. Napkins and wrapping paper have also been used and oil paint has been added. Astrid used herself as a model for the work, through which she entered a personal connection with her environment. Fragments from Belgrade have been added. In the background there are shapes from the city to be seen such as downspouts and fans. The underlying layers in the paintings remain visible. The layering of various types of paper ensures a paper skin. Tearing and sticking to canvas is the technique that preserves the vibrancy of paper. The volatility of old paper is cherished and appreciated as a mean of expression with which the work shapes. The technique of tearing and gluing creates the work piece by piece, whereby the inside, the bottom layer, the hidden side also become visible. Despite this old tear-paste technique that is used, the work is about people today. Women in awkward situations or attitudes are present in the work. They look lost or withdrawn into the world. The uneasiness of people in their (social) environment shows the vulnerability. In this vulnerability, the women confront the visitor’s gaze. In other recent work, abandoned spaces are shown. Rooms and kitchens that look like someone was just there. Man, and the place he occupies are the most important subject in all work.
Astrid Vlasman is a visual artist from Leiden with a love for paper. For more than twenty-five years she has been telling stories about people and their environment, using paper as material. She is always looking for the layers beneath the story. The Unspoken. Used paper becomes part of new work. Colored collages are created. She draws inspiration from her surroundings and all the images she encounters. From her studio in the center of Leiden, she pastes large canvases with torn paper. She has shown these at various exhibitions and fairs in the Netherlands. As an artist-resident she has been staying in the Balkans for six months now, putting her experiences there into new work. Her work has also been published in Curatorial Volume.2 Leaders in Contemporary Art. She received her education at the Free Academy in The Hague under the direction of Bob Bonies. Besides making free work, Astrid also gives passionate art projects in primary and higher education. With years of educational background, she works a lot with children and young people. She is also involved in community projects.
OPENING HOURS:
Friday (opening): 17:00-21:00
Saturday: 17:00-20:00 Sunday: 17:00-20:00
Ostavinska, Kraljevića Marka 8, Beograd