The Museum of Contemporary Art of Montenegro announces the exhibition Phantom Bouquet by renowned contemporary artist Bojan Šumonja, which will open on Thursday, June 5 at 8 PM at the ULUCG Art Pavilion. The exhibition is curated by Natalija Đuranović.

In the accompanying exhibition text, Đuranović highlights that the beauty in Šumonja’s painting lies in the creative act itself — in the unpredictability of an artistic process centered on the inner dynamics of fascination with the world of sensations, as well as in creative freedom and sensuality.

“Each painting carries an element of surprise, which makes it vibrant and pulsating. In this sense, excitement does not stem from the final form, but from the process of creative exploration, where the artist allows the painting to guide him toward the final result — the painting as a finished product,” writes Đuranović.

Through precise drawing and carefully conceived relationships between light and shadow, Šumonja creates works of striking expressiveness. His analytical approach does not exclude spontaneity — on the contrary, he carefully structures surfaces, as if “scanning” nature, while allowing the material itself to speak through the act of creation.

“Drawing plays a central role — it is precise and convincing, and through it he builds the materialization of surfaces. Plasticity and form arise from the interplay of light and shadow, but also from the very texture of the paint,” the curator adds.

Bojan Šumonja (1960, Pula) graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Venice. His artistic expression develops within the neo-expressionist aesthetic, with a pronounced tendency toward the reinterpretation of traditional motifs, mythological references, and influences from comics and film. He has exhibited in more than 300 group and solo exhibitions across Europe and beyond. His works are included in numerous significant collections and institutions. He is the recipient of several awards, including the Grand Prix of the 7th Painting Biennial in Zagreb. He lives and works in Pula, where he also acts as co-founder and artistic director of the Poola Gallery.