There are no borders for art, so the language of colors and emotions is universal, said academic painter Goran Ćetković in an interview for "Vijesti", on the occasion of his new solo exhibition. An exhibition of works from the series "Voices of Silence" by a prominent Montenegrin artist was recently opened in Croatia, organized by the Society of Montenegrins of the City of Rijeka (Croatia), in the gallery "Montenegrina" in Rijeka. From today, the exhibition will also be posted on the official portal of the city of Rijeka - Rijeka.hr.
"In this extremely complex time, when freedom of movement is limited and alienation between people is even more expressive, every presentation of an artist and his art is of inestimable importance... It is the same with this exhibition in Rijeka, and it will be the same in the future. There are no borders for art, and the language of colors and emotions is universal", said Ćetković to "Vijesta".
This is Ćetković's 33rd solo exhibition, and due to the complex epidemiological situation due to the corona virus, the exhibition was opened in unusual circumstances, in accordance with the measures prescribed by the Republic of Croatia. The exhibition was opened by the general secretary of the Croatian Association of Fine Artists (HDLU), MA Jasna Rodin, bringing the painting of the Montenegrin artist closer to the audience.
"About 17 works were presented. These are works in which human emotions are in the foreground, emotions that express all the misery, despair, a gesture in which he is very strong and which he achieved with a pure contrast of colors. The author himself wants to leave the audience with an effect of helplessness and misery, of an individual who does not find his way in a new society and who somehow speaks precisely through his actions. All of his (Ćetković's) heads have a cry that can even be felt aurally while observing his paintings," said Rodin.
And precisely because of this cycle, which closely corresponds to the works from the cycle "The Tooth of Time", and the motif of a man's head, Ćetković is perhaps the most recognizable, walking with a brush on his canvases from expressionism to abstraction or fantasy. With expressions of faces under the influence of various forces of chaos and silence, along with carefully selected bundles of colors, Ćetković arouses interest in the viewer and invites him to reflect, find, question in his canvases... The names of the works themselves, such as "Scream", "Scream", "Smile", Ćetković suggests and refers to the paths of the mental labyrinth of emotions and self-knowledge, which actually lies deeper than the surface representations of oneself. All this is additionally contributed by the constant dynamics of his works, the visibility of quick strokes with a brush that resists static and passivity, calling for a moment, for spontaneity, but also pointing to the restlessness of today's man and the centrifugal circle of life.
"Since my student days, my painting has dealt with one question, and that is always the question of man, today's man and the survival of his spiritual being in a world where human values are fading and slowly disappearing. For me, the human face is the center of the cosmos... When painting, I rely on emotion in addition to intuition. Each picture is the product of a certain psychological state, and drama is an inexhaustible source of my inspiration", said Ćetković in one of the past interviews for "Vijesti".
Although this is his first presentation in Rijeka, he has previously exhibited in Croatia several times, and this exhibition will continue its journey after the "Montenegrina" gallery. This is the result of good cooperation between the City of Rijeka and the Society of Montenegrins, Rodin pointed out, but also the Association of Fine Artists of Montenegro, of which Ćetković is a member.
"Otherwise, in addition to Rijeka, if the citation allows, 'Voices of Silence' will be presented in Istria and most likely in Dubrovnik. I hope that some better, more beautiful times are coming, when the galleries will be full of people... I paint, therefore I exist", announced Ćetković...
Still exhibited works on billboards in Bar and Podgorica
Ćetković's innovative exhibition of paintings from the cycle "Horizons" is still ongoing and is available to all citizens and passers-by in Bar and Podgorica. Namely, Goran Ćetković displayed his works on advertising billboards in several locations in these two cities, and it is probably the first exhibition of this type, not only in Montenegro, but also beyond. The locations where the selected works are located are Jovana Tomašević Street in Bar, Moskovska Street in Podgorica, opposite the Telekom representative office, and on Mihaila Lalića Boulevard, in Ulica bratstva i jedinstva near Gintaš...
"Certainly, the main goal is the promotion of art. Art that in this way becomes accessible to everyone - both the art audience and people who are not in the habit of visiting exhibitions. Unfortunately, in most of society, art is reduced to something secondary and without importance", said Ćetković and emphasized that it is necessary for art to be visible and current regardless of the epidemiological circumstances. "Given the circumstances caused by the emergence of the virus and the fact that there are certain restrictions when it comes to galleries, I came up with the idea of presenting myself to the art audience in Podgorica and Bar in an alternative way, through billboards. The author of the photos and conceptual solution for the billboards is Balša Rakočević, and what I particularly like about them is their simplicity," said Ćetković.
Unlike the cycle "Voices of Silence", the paintings from the cycle "Horizons" have a landscape as their basis, so the motifs of earth, water and sky dominate the works, as well as the remains of ruined architecture, the Montenegrin karst, the homeland, and in addition to the beauty of the landscape, you can also feel an atmosphere of transience.
Bonus video:
