Organized by the Montenegrin Contemporary Art Museum (MCAM), a solo exhibition by painter Ivan Pejović titled “Paintings” was opened last night at the House of the King’s Guard.

The exhibition was inaugurated by curator Milica Bezmarević, who emphasized that Pejović’s painting is rooted in a unique experience of nature—an experience that carries layers of memory, emotion, and personal perception.

“For Pejović, nature is not just the scenery that surrounds us, but a space for encountering oneself,” she stated, adding that the landscape in his work evolves into an introspective space where thoughts, feelings, and memories merge with what is seen.

Bezmarević stressed that the artist does not depict the landscape as a faithful image of the external world, but constructs it through a rhythm of colors, brushstrokes, and chromatic masses.

“The landscape in his works is not static; it is constantly being born, reconstructed, and transformed, revealing its inner pulse,” said the curator. In this way, Pejović’s paintings function as a dynamic space where the creative process and the active engagement of the viewer intertwine.

Speaking about the artist’s approach, Bezmarević pointed out that Pejović’s work balances between a recognizable landscape scene and coloristic abstraction.

“It is precisely in that transition where the strength and suggestiveness of his paintings lie—they do not merely portray nature but also express our need to understand and experience it,” she emphasized.

Color, she added, plays a crucial role in Pejović’s work. Cool tones bring silence and introspection, while warm tones introduce energy and rhythm, transforming the landscape into an emotional space where nature and inner experience merge into a unified whole.

Ivan Pejović was born in 1978 in Nikšić. He earned both his undergraduate and master’s degrees in painting from the Faculty of Fine Arts in Cetinje. He is the recipient of the Annual Student Award for Painting (2005) and the Grand Prix of the Montenegrin Art Salon (2011). He has exhibited in numerous solo and group exhibitions both in Montenegro and abroad.

The exhibition “Paintings” will be open to visitors until November 16, 2025, at the House of the King’s Guard.