Modern-day heroines, placed in spaces of silence and introspection

An intimate and thoughtful look at a modern woman, her inner dilemmas, thoughts, feelings, moments of loneliness, enthusiasm, but also the need for self-knowledge, was presented by Sejla Kerović at her new solo exhibition of paintings in Podgorica. The exhibition, symbolically titled “Whispers of Solitude,” opened at the Art Pavilion of the Association of Fine Artists of Montenegro in Podgorica on Tuesday evening, organized by the Public Institution Center for the Preservation and Development of the Culture of Minorities of Montenegro, and the public can view it until Saturday.

The exhibition consists of about thirty works of various formats, in the space of ULUCG she builds the very atmosphere that the paintings themselves carry, as evidenced by their names. A representative selection of works shows the recognizable painterly approach, style and poetics of Sejla Kerović, who cultivates a special poetics of atmosphere and introspection. In her works, she thematizes the contemporary experience of women, alienation, silence and inner spiritual spaces, but also raises questions about their position - both in the family and in society, and all through portraits, self-portraits, figures placed in our everyday life, through close architectural units, urban surroundings or authentic landscapes.

The exhibition “Whispers of Solitude” confirmed that Sejla Kerović is successfully building her place on the Montenegrin art scene, as the author of a recognizable artistic style that, through the motifs of a contemporary woman, silence and inner states, explores universal issues of the human being, identity, alienation and the need for closeness with others and, primarily, with oneself. In this subtle balance and equilibrium between solitude and inner freedom, between noise and silence, city and nature, lies the importance, strength and appeal of the exhibition itself.

Opening the exhibition, an art historian Ljiljana Zeković She pointed out that the artist "has a sovereign command of space", while her works are characterized by carefully designed compositions, clear artistic organization and harmonious color solutions. Her artistic expression is dominated by color contrasts and purified geometric spatial visions, with which she achieves a sense of silence, introspection and emotional tension.

"At the exhibition 'Whispers of Solitude', Sejla presents works that are thematically and artistically specific, confirming that in her creative process she changed depending on her inner dynamism and freedom of artistic expression... She gives her paintings a hidden meaning by exploring the unconscious part of the soul, where reality intertwines with imagination and dreams," Zeković pointed out.

She assessed that Kerović moves between neo-romantic sensibility, metaphysical imagination and certain elements of pop art culture, creating a recognizable visual language. The figures of women, who occupy a central place in almost all of her works, are most often placed in reduced urban or imaginary spaces, free from unnecessary details, which further emphasizes their inner states, the art historian noted, and stated that such an approach allows the viewer's attention to be focused on the emotion, symbolism and psychological dimension of the depicted characters.

Sejla Kerović's artistic style, visitors will notice, is characterized by a combination of figuration and symbolism, while her works often act as visual records of memories, real events, or dreams and internal dialogues. It is through such poetics that the artist explores themes of loneliness, identity and the position of contemporary women, leaving space for the audience to interpret them themselves.

In her speech, Zeković emphasized that Kerović has been cultivating an authentic artistic expression for years, guided by personal sensibility, sincere inspiration and innate creativity. Speaking about the artist's artistic development, Zeković stated that from her early works inspired by landscapes and native motifs, Sejla Kerović gradually reached the themes that represent the essence of her creativity - man, and especially woman, with all her fears, states, strength and emotional experiences. At the center of her interest, Zeković added, is the modern man faced with the challenges of time, isolation and internal questioning.

"In Sejla Kerović's paintings, hidden meaning emerges through the exploration of the unconscious part of the soul, where reality intertwines with imagination and dreams," Zeković noted, adding that the figures on her canvases are often depicted as heroines of the modern era, placed in spaces of silence and introspection.

As the title of the exhibition suggests, silence is one of the key elements of the exhibition, but also of all the individual works. Most of them depict those precious moments of quiet thought, moments of solitude, contemplation, sometimes loneliness, worries, fears, insomnia, but also the dynamics of everyday life, daydreaming, small joys and love, all the way to abandonment or excitement, strong energy and play.

Zeković assessed that the works displayed in the ULUCG Pavilion exude a metaphysical atmosphere, with the reduced spaces and carefully designed compositions enhancing the feeling of solitude, but also opening up space for the observer's inner dialogue with themselves...

The author of the exhibition, Sejla Kerović, also addressed the audience, emphasizing that the support of the audience gives her special significance and strength, and the opening was attended by a large audience. She expressed special gratitude to Ljiljana Zeković for the inspiring text that recognized, followed and rounded off her many years of artistic journey.

"I hope that each of you, among these works, will find your own whisper, your own silence, and your own peace," the artist said.

The Director of the Center for the Preservation and Development of Minority Culture of Montenegro, Gzim Hajdinaga, reminded at the opening of the exhibition that they continuously work on promoting the cultural creativity of minority peoples and multicultural values ​​in Montenegro, emphasizing that the Center will continue to support artists and cultural creators whose work enriches the Montenegrin cultural mosaic.

"Our goal is to promote what is valuable and significant for the cultural identity of Montenegro, as well as the wealth that minority peoples bring to its cultural scene," said Hajdinaga.

He thanked those present who came in large numbers to see the exhibition by Sejla Kerović, and at the same time presented the Center's activities to date, announcing that the program would continue to be rich. The artistic evening was enriched by a young musician Hana Kerović, a student of the Music School "Vasa Pavić" who, with her musical performance and the sounds of the flute, further enhanced the atmosphere of the evening and earned a loud applause. The program was hosted by a journalist Maja Kovacevic.