INTERVIEW Eraković: Life in art without limits

Academic artist Olivera Olja Eraković "The world creates as it pleases," she says in an interview with "Vijesti." She does this in various media, and her works are born from an instinctive creative impulse, whether it is painting, installations (in space), theater, film or television costume design, or curatorial work.

"As for inspiration, I have no problem with inspiration. We live in a time when there is at least no shortage of inspiration. If I had a few more hands, I wouldn't have time to do what goes through my head during the day. Sometimes I don't know what's going to happen, but 'Me' happens," she says in an interview for "Vijesti".

She has been present on the regional art scene for years, and now she reveals that she is preparing a new cycle of paintings and installations that will be part of her solo exhibition in Podgorica in 2026, but also in Zagreb. In July, she presented herself in Pula with a solo exhibition of paintings called "Liberte", in the historic De Martini Palace, and for "Vijesti" she shares her impressions from the gallery, as well as from the entire exhibition.

Her works are dominated by the atmosphere of urban life, civilization, but also rebellion, the city becomes a strong and striking figure and character, and freedom is both a goal and a means. Olivera Olja Eraković brings an authentic voice with an echo of world art, both to the domestic and international scene, and it can rightly be said that her solo exhibition in Podgorica will be of particular importance next year.

Eraković was born in Nikšić in 1976. She graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Trebinje, Department of Painting, in the class of Prof. Marko Musovic. She received her master's degree from the Academy of Theatre, Radio, Film and Television in Ljubljana, department of costume design, in the class of prof. Janje Korun. He is currently pursuing his doctoral studies at the University of Ljubljana in the class of prof. John the Rich, with the topic “Contemporary creative interpretation of Montenegrin national costume”. She is employed as a curator-museum advisor at the Public Institution “Museums and Galleries Nikšić”, and is also engaged as a lecturer at the University of Donja Gorica.

She has exhibited independently in Montenegro and abroad, published several scientific articles, won awards and recognition, as well as scholarships for professional and academic development. For "Vijesti" she talks more about her creativity, exhibitions, motives, but also about working in a public institution, the challenges of the artistic profession, as well as costume design - theatrical, stage, but also everyday.

After numerous presentations outside Montenegro, your solo exhibition in Podgorica can be anticipated and even announced. Can it be said that it is time to open a dialogue with the domestic audience and why has the choice so far been abroad? When can we expect it and what are you preparing for that occasion?

It was simply the circumstances, I received invitations from prestigious galleries outside Montenegro, which I gladly responded to. But, the dialogue with the domestic scene always existed. I remind you, my first presentations for many years were related to renowned Montenegrin galleries, and that path continues. What is expected in the coming year is certainly Podgorica, but also Zagreb.

At the beginning of the summer, you presented yourself with a solo exhibition in Pula, organized by the Art Collection of the City of Pula. What are your impressions and how did the exhibition go?

Yes! In July, I presented myself with a solo exhibition organized by the Art Collection of the City of Pula. The impressions I have from the exhibition are clear. I would say it is a civilization. A feeling of respect, hospitality and serious organization. My works were recognized by the Art Commission of the City of Pula and they were invited to the gallery space of the Art Collection “Antun Motika”, in Kandlerova Street. A solo exhibition in the City Gallery in the heart of the old town is of great importance to me, both because of the reputation of the gallery and because of the recognition that my expression is presented in one of the most significant galleries in Croatia.

The exhibition was a success, with great interest and positive reactions from the Croatian audience, art lovers, representatives of cultural life, as well as visitors from France, Italy, Slovenia... It was open for a month.

How much did the ambiance itself, both of the gallery and the city of Pula, influence the selection?

From what is known about the space itself of the historic 15th-century De Martini Palace, built in the Venetian style, a series of free rooms connected by arches, it could be assumed that such a space influenced the format and rhythm, or rather the exhibition itself. When I entered the gallery after the exhibition was set up, I found myself in a kind of wonder, I guess I collided with myself again. The “strip-like” sequences on such walls so emphasized the frontal figures and written texts that I could not leave that space for a long time.

Thanks to this space that attracts both the audience and artists, colleagues and curators..., the doors to future collaborations are opening. Prominent Croatian sculptor Eros Čakić opened the exhibition and gave special importance to this event.

It was Čakić who highlighted the importance of your artistic creation, which, through the exhibition “Liberte”, addresses universal themes of freedom and individual expression. He emphasized that such events not only enrich cultural life, but also provide a platform for artists to convey their messages to contemporary society. What are the foundations of this exhibition, and of your work in general?

The exhibition presents 30 oil paintings on canvas, large and medium gallery format, created recently. These are works from the “Liberte” cycle that combine the characteristic features of pop art, comic book visual expression, and graffiti aesthetics, so that the paintings integrate text, drawing, color, ambiguous messages, and the characters as if they were cut from a film strip. This is what my work is based on, and that is that there is one “Liberte” in all of us.

What does “Liberte” tell us, and what does it mean to you, and how are the word itself and its spirit (or contradiction) reflected in the works you create, but also those you have shown?

Excellent question! “Liberte” is recognized as an act of complete artistic freedom. For me it means living in art without restrictions.

Through pop art style, comic book and graffiti expression, I define reality from my own introspective perspective, suggesting that "Liberte" stems from inner experiences, that freedom is deeply woven into the conceptual flow of my creation.

How the word "Liberte" itself and its spirit are reflected in my works... I'll tell you... I see the "Spirit of Liberte" here as the courage to combine different cultural combinations, urban and intimate, criticism and laughter. That my art is open, that its strength comes from the interaction with the observer.

In form and content, your work stands at the crossroads of pop art, comics and graffiti. Which elements of each of these directions do you consider most important for your expression and why? On the other hand, which motifs predominate and what would you say is your inspiration in creation?

I create the world as I please. It is true that my artistic language is a collision of three directions that carry different layers of meaning. They are equally present in my works through the power of symbols, signs, messages, untold stories, and graffiti that carry the freedom of gesture and remind us that art lives in spontaneity. And as for inspiration, I have no problem with inspiration. We live in a time when at least there is no shortage of inspiration. If I had a few more hands, I wouldn't have time to do what goes through my head during the day. Sometimes I don't know what's going to happen, but I happen to be "I" - a colorful, alienated, lonely, isolated individual who, in addition to visual identification, is decoded by textual and symbolic elements, symbols, cities, subways, traffic lights. It happens "Banksy(ev) humor and irony”.

Motifs and characters that interest me appear in my works for conscious and unconscious reasons, becoming symbols that have a deep background, carrying within them ambiguity and ambiguity.

Some paintings show written words, sometimes in foreign languages, but also elements resembling sketches... Certainly, the combination of text, sketches, colors... gives fullness to your works. How much of this is planned, personal and intentional, and how much is impulsive, in the ecstasy of creation and emotion?

I believe that true works are born from an instinctive creative impulse, not from anything formal. There is no concept. This is precisely what personally and freely allows me to “play around” to infinity and create works full of symbols and written words. Along with the expressive color that dominates the paintings, written words, children's drawings and graffiti make up a fullness of an emotional and thoughtful “visual diary”.

Critics associate you with Basquiat and Warhol. How do you view that?

I can understand and accept this connection as a compliment. It is interesting because it speaks of energy, a relationship to popular culture, a language that is close to comics and pop art. But I think I work differently, my work is more focused on the inner, the personal. The parallel exists in the means of expression, but the meaning and message are different. If there is a connection with Warhol, then it could be the energy of color that carries the spirit of rock and roll, which Eros mentioned at the opening of the exhibition, and the characters that become a sign or icon through framing. And with Bacciati, similarities can be recognized in the inner voice. The energy of a child's drawing and words.

Art historian Ljiljana Zeković describes your paintings as a “world in miniature,” with a tendency toward a closed, uniform space without depth. Does such a space reflect the emotional landscape and circumstances of our times, such as alienation and isolation, or is it a microcosm that we create and live in, seemingly protected from external influences?

Yes, the “world in miniature” becomes an internal map of emotions. It is the colors that reflect the visual emotional landscape that oscillates between tension and calm, between noise and silence, between alienation and the search for freedom.

The environment acts as one of the motifs that connects the paintings. In your work, can the city be called a character that speaks for itself, carries dramaturgy and action? How do urbanism, architecture and the environment influence you, how do they communicate with man and society, what do they give/take away from us?

That is a good observation. I can quite legitimately treat the city as a character. It is not shown “behind”, the city is drawn into the characters. It not only “carries the dramaturgy” but is often the main actor of modern life. The characters in my works are masks that carry many layers, symbols, contents, the essence of which is unfathomable, and the city is the stage. The city governs them, they do not exist without it. The game of freedom begins precisely where their masks touch.

You ask me how urban and architecture influence me... That's completely clear. A lot of that "mine" is born on walls, billboards, advertisements, cafes, metro stations. So in my paintings, through the surface of colors, emphasized contours, horizontal and vertical networks of lines, the urban zone is felt.

Your figures are often frontal, mask-like, states Zeković, "with a closed physicality, an infantile simplified and deformed corpus..." Do you use deliberate infantilization and deformation as a critical tool and if so, what do you draw attention to? To what extent is it a portrait of an individual, and to what extent is it a symbol or archetype of (modern) man?

The presence of children's drawings in my works indicates naivety. In order to Vojo Stanić said: "I have always listened to instinct. Art is intuition. Naivety is a child's quality, and fortunately there are people who are too serious to allow themselves to lose that naivety."

This infantilization is a conscious, critical strategy, a way to portray the grotesque game of modern man.

Infantilization is a portrait of an individual, but an internal one, in which everyone can recognize themselves.

You work as a curator-museum advisor at the Public Institution Museums and Galleries of Nikšić. What is the situation like and what are you currently working on at that institution?

Given that the museum has been under renovation for many years, the situation is not exactly at an enviable level. It is difficult to organize a program because at the moment we do not have galleries in which to hold exhibitions. We can work on thematic research and prepare future exhibitions. I hope that the space will be completed soon and that it will serve the function of art.

How do you balance between an institutional role and an autonomous artistic practice? Does working in a public institution change the way you view your own production?

Balancing between curatorial work and authorial work, i.e. exhibitions, including having a family, a son Michael, It's not exactly simple or easy for one woman. Curating is often more than just a job, artistic work is personal, requiring time and peace, and family always comes first. I've simply found a way to find a balance between these three key "needs" in my life. And it works.

How would you describe the Montenegrin art scene, as well as the work of institutions, considering that you are on both sides of the system? What is the position of art and creators?

We live in a very complex time where a great responsibility lies not only with institutions, but also with those who finance institutions, and even with us, the creators. The state should establish a more transparent support system so that the younger scene in particular can gain greater visibility. I believe that artists, as important bearers of cultural identity, are not economically supported enough for their work to be perceived as a stable profession. So they are marked by numerous challenges.

As for institutions... With greater flexibility and cooperation, they can become clear drivers of contemporary processes. Both art and theater institutions in Montenegro are open to Montenegrin and foreign artists, but not under equal conditions for everyone.

The costume is a good combination of image and dramaturgy.

Considering that you also do costume design for theater, how close is that field to painting, what is the work process like, what are the similarities and differences in approach and challenges?

In addition to my basic studies at the Academy of Fine Arts, majoring in painting, I had significant experience studying in Ljubljana (Master's degree in costume design at AGRFT) and working with prominent artists who were my lecturers and colleagues with whom I worked. This experience allowed me to gain insight into how theatrical and film costumes are made. And to set the boundary between stage costumes and fashion costumes, through directors Branko Šturbej, Matjaž Župančić, Dušan Mlakar to playwright Blaž Lukan and costume designers Janja Korun, Tina Kolenik and Angelina Atlagić, as well as through “Space and Play” by the set designer of special spirit Meta Hočevar.

Although painting and costume design are different disciplines, as a painter I have established a close connection with theatrical costume, since it is impossible to deal with costume and not have a relationship with color, shape, texture and composition. My experience as a painter inspires me to try out costume in a different way, according to the rules of theatrical costume. So, I do not change the language, I just use it in a different way.

The painter is mostly alone in his space. The process of working on a costume is dynamic. Working on a theatrical performance is collective, so the costume designer must adapt his artistic ideas to the movement, dramaturgy, set design, director's concept and the actors themselves, so that the costume is a good combination of painting and dramaturgy.

How do you see the role of costume in art, but also what would be a costume in the context of clothing at some official events or in everyday life? What does it testify to and how does it speak about what lies behind those “costumes”?

For me, a costume is an artistic act that activates a theatrical play. “To put on a stage costume is to start a theatrical play.” And in everyday life, clothing is associated with a person’s inner identity. It is simply an extension of ourselves. In fact, it is psychology. As for official events, I believe that clothing should serve the personality and context, and not “overshadow.” So the threads are often confused.