Last night, the exhibition “Instinct” by artist Ivica Aranđus was opened at the MCAM Gallery.
“Ivica Aranđus has a rich artistic biography, establishing him as a mature artist in a continuous process of exploration. The themes present in his work speak to the influence of the masses on the individual, the phenomenon of loneliness, a critical depiction of sociological conditions in today’s world of hypocrisy, distorted images of reality, ideologies still affecting human lives, as well as social institutions imposing themselves as ultimate moral authorities and the imposition of false identities. The artist expresses all of this in a direct yet highly provocative manner through art, which must maintain a critical stance towards reality,” said exhibition curator Natalija Đuranović at the opening.
In his artistic practice, Aranđus explores the negative aspects of the social milieu or social reality, uncovering the hidden mechanisms at work within the system or pointing to possible alternative models.
The exhibition includes works featuring characteristic provocative and engaged motifs, spanning from 2006 to the present. The artist has presented paintings in oil on canvas as well as mixed techniques, designing the exhibition to suit the representative space of the gallery.
“In Ivica Aranđus’ paintings, every visual representation, focusing on the internal processes within the individual, reflects the surrounding reality and impacts the viewer, who simultaneously merges with the overall experience of the seen. The contemporary world, the harsh present day, the reality in which we live, is depicted in the paintings, visual interpretations of a mature and inspired artist. Everything affects him: the environment and people, personal experiences of life, and reality,” emphasized Đuranović.
Through his authentic visual language, the artist analyzes and re-examines the perspective of today. In a series of contrasts between good and evil, light and dark, he positions the characters of his representations, giving them roles, demystifying events shrouded in mystery, and presenting provocative scenes of the clerical clergy, before which we become witnesses to unfortunate events in society and the world around us.
The exhibition is open to the public until March 31, 2024.