The Third Biennial of Nude, like the previous two, traditionally organized by public institution "Red Commune" in its renowned gallery "Marko K. Gregovic" in Petrovac undoubtedly confirms that figurative art is very vital and relevant, despite the absurd disdain and frequent unfounded discredits. The figurative art resistantly endures in our country as well as in other world art areas. A human being, that infinitive universe, like Spiritus Movens, has always been, since time immemorial up to nowadays, and will remain indestructible artistic paradigm. Impeccably created, canonical proportionated and in relation to the environment in balanced dimensions, the human being is one of the substantial artistic - aesthetic attributes. Certainly, his universal, spiritual - physical sublimation is definitely inexhaustible source of inspiration of many fine artists. Whether the treated object is male or female figure, entire nude or torso, the creative - executing results are, by the rule, always remarkably contending, aesthetically diversified and very spiritually refined.
At this year's Biennial, just like at the former two, the most numerous are fine art works carried out in oil, combined and watercolour technique on canvas, pressed wood, cardboard or paper. The works of Ratko Vucinic (The Award for Painting) and Isidora Stamatovic "Sunbathing" belong to realistic - constructive and structural concept with more or less pastuous layers of intense or sustained chromatic range. The paintings "Luiza" and "Nina" by Zoya Buchner are accomplished with logical and very elegant deformities, restrained colouring but poetically. In post modernistic and restrained romantic manner Radovan Grupe worked out his exhibit in dark colouring values. The nudes of Petrija Jovicic and Zivojin Celic are executed very expressionistic and utterly associative using intensive chromatic range with gesturalpastuous stratifications. Jelena Papovic and Alena Piatrouskaya have done their harmonious watercolour nudes very rippling, gentle in pouring sfumato.
A drawing, the base of the fine arts, is absolutely adequately presented. In the realization of the drawings were used black crayon, pressed coil, quill and black ink. With sensible sketch-linearity and light shading Zeljko Reljic accomplished his arabesque nudes poetically. Dalibor Cetkovic treated his nude-studies "Morning Expression" and "Afternoon brake" analytically using intensive and counterpointing dark-light relations. Energetic-expressive and utterly gestural are linear nudes drawn by Dordije Bato Boljevic.
Graphics, favourite form of artistic expression, are presented in few technical-technological shapes like mezzotinta, lithography, silkscreen, cardboard engraving and digital art print. The graphic "Payin" by Marina Lazareva is executed in the realistic-romantic manner with accentuated light effects and subtle modeling. Hristos Tsatsinov has done his graphic paper in stylized-simplified manner substituting forms and shapes, and using restrained polychromatism. Out of the relation of sublimation and association William A. Topli has carried out a surface-transparent and multicolour graphic "Aquelas Gotas", and sfumato explications "Day" and "Reflection" by Karina Khareneka (Praise of the Jury) are accomplished colurfully, waveringly and poetically. Eugen Buchner (The Award for Graphics) has executed very sensible nudes "Sea", "Birth", "Dream", "Eva" in subtle and polychromatic way using photographs, op-artistic meanders and digital art print.
A sculpture, due to the problems in delivery, is represented moderately even on this Biennial. Hadika Guile (The award for Sculpture) has modeled "Female Act" and "Male Act", actually trunks, in restrained cubist manner distinctly movable with the sense for plastic of the shape and rustic-superficial treatment. Tatijana Stolpovic, a sculptor, has decided for assemblage of three corpus forms connected in conceptual manner with polyester threads. Particularly simplified and stylized Saga Radisic accomplished his rather shallow, relief colouring nude.
Slobodan Bobo Slovinic
Painter and Art Critic