Face in contact with the sun

Different authorial poetics, expressions and approaches to introspection and reflection on man, society, closeness and reality are united in the exhibition "Where faces touch the sun, the shadow becomes light", the third edition of the Summer Art Salon of the Association of Fine Artists of Montenegro (ULUCG).

The exhibition consists of 45 works by contemporary Montenegrin authors, each of which carries its own strength and impact, so that together they form a kind of collage that responds to the very title of the exhibition “Where faces touch the sun, the shadow becomes light”. What is immediately noticeable is that the Salon does not insist on spectacle, sensation, or any new expressions, but rather subtly encourages a dialogue between art, the work and the observer. In this moderation lies perhaps its greatest value.

The inspiring theme encouraged and gathered contemporary Montenegrin authors and their works in the ULUCG Art Pavilion, which thus becomes a unique ambiance of quiet inner reality, but also a poetic framework that connects sensibilities into a common space of meaning and dialogue. Through motifs of light and shadow, traces, faces and absences, the works of the gathered artists transcend the boundaries between personal experience and collective memory, all under the selective guidance of an art historian and theorist. Kristina Senić.

The very title of the exhibition carries a pronounced poetic and symbolic dimension, leaving room for interpretations and opening up the field of encounter between light and shadow, as the two basic poles of human experience. Whether read through the identity, emotional, social or psychological plane, faces in contact with the sun seem to suggest a moment of discovery, closeness and/or spiritual relief, because then the shadow becomes light, although it does not disappear completely, but loses its weight and brings the possibility of a deeper inner experience. The openness of the exhibition, as well as the title itself and the possibilities of its interpretation, correspond to the character of the Salon, which invites the viewer to find their own relationship to light, memory, body and time through the works, and even to art and the exhibition itself.

At the Salon's opening ceremony on May 19, selector Kristina Senić stated in her address that the exhibition brings together artists whose works reflect on the relationship between light and shadow as a space of meaning, emotion, and personal experience.

"The theme 'Where faces touch the sun, the shadow becomes light' speaks of the meeting of the visible and the invisible, presence and absence, the outer and inner world of man, of what we show and what we carry within ourselves. It is in these subtle spaces that contemporary art opens up the possibility of dialogue - with ourselves, with others and with the times we live in. Thank you to the artists who shaped this exhibition with their works, as well as to all of you who are here tonight to share art with us," she said on that occasion.

This year's third Summer Art Salon of ULUCG is dedicated to anniversaries, namely the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Association, and as part of the program marking the 20th anniversary of the restoration of Montenegro's independence. The exhibition thus gains additional symbolic weight and significance, confirming the continuity of contemporary artistic creation and the need for spaces for encounters, exchange and cultural memory. This was especially pointed out by the President of ULUCG Svetlana Dragojević emphasizing that this year is particularly important for the Association.

"We are celebrating 80 years of the Association of Fine Artists of Montenegro, eight decades of dedication to art, creativity and the preservation of the cultural space of Montenegro. At the same time, we are also celebrating 20 years of the restoration of Montenegrin independence, an important jubilee that reminds us of the identity, continuity and values ​​that we build and preserve together. The Summer Art Salon is becoming significant for our Association, as a meeting place for artists, the audience and different artistic sensibilities, a place for dialogue and exchange of ideas through contemporary visual art," said Dragojević.

The exhibition was officially opened by the Prince Nikola Petrović Njegoš who pointed out that through this major exhibition, visitors discover “the preoccupation of our best artists, between shadow and light, visible and invisible, inner and outer.” He opened the exhibition with the words: “Long live art and artists, long live Montenegro.”

Artists whose works can be viewed by the public at the ULUCG Art Pavilion until June 13th are: Mijo Adžić, MArija Vemić Abramović, Anka Burić, Vesna Bošković, Bato Boljević, Marica Kuznjecov Boljević, Anita Ćulafić, Zdravko Delibasic Beli, David Delibasic, Stefan Delić, Draško Dragaš, Svetlana Dragojević, Marko Dumnić, Milena Mijović Durutović, Dušan Đukić, Natalija Đuranović, Vladimir Dado Đuranović, Ivan Đurišić, Radovan Grujić, Masa Jovović, Dragan Karadžić, Blažo Kovačević, Nada Kazić, Biljana Keković, Dijana Lazović, Đuro Lubarda, Joveta Ljumović, Tanja Markuš, Nikola Marković, Asja Mijović, Ksenija Borozan Popovoda, Pavle Pejović, Ivan Pejović, Marko Petrović Njegoš, Jovo Petričević, Ivana Vana Prelević, Ivana Radovanović, Milovan Miki Radulović, Željko Reljić, Slobodan Bobo Slovinić, Ivana Tiodorović, Vlatka Vujošević, Tijana Vujović, Naod Zorić i Nikolina Zuber.