Montenegrin academic painter Matan Vukcevic he made a series of paintings "Sweet without sugar" made in a special technique - he used coffee instead of paint.
As he says, even during his studies, he began to think about the research that could use all these materials.
"I don't mean only the material here, but also various topics that interested me. Even then, I had a tendency to combine various techniques and created a kind of freedom in my space of understanding art, which later, when watercolors with coffee began to be created, only gave me that moment where, even in the name of the painting 'Sweet without sugar', I used that the story is complete, on the one hand, coffee as a material, and on the other, a female figure and a female character as a motive. It's nice that you notice that it's a bit out of the ordinary coffee as a material, but I'm not the only one who uses, for example, coffee in the creation of works. In addition to coffee, they also know how to create beautiful pictures with wine, and I know some artists who use wine in their work", recalled Vukčević.
According to him, this technique is not labor-intensive.
"To be honest, during the years of work behind me and as someone who, above all, paints with oil on canvas, but also someone who has also researched drawing and watercolor, coffee as a material and the way I use it is close to watercolor. If someone is wondering how to approach coffee as a material, it's the same as with watercolor, so I use paper intended for it as a base. As for the canvas, I haven't tried painting with coffee, and I don't think it would be permanent until it is fixed with varnish after finishing the work on paper. After that, it is only necessary to frame it so that it does not deteriorate", explained Vukčević.
For his works with coffee, he uses multi-gram paper, which is thicker and has a fine texture for watercolor.
"After finishing the work, which is created relatively quickly, because it suits me that way, I fix it with varnish and quickly frame the work. Anti-reflective glass when it comes over the work itself, which is fixed, is the best way to preserve it. I have with me the first watercolors that were created back then in 2014 and 2015. Those paintings have been completely preserved and no changes or damage have occurred," explained Vukčević.
Many women were models for Vukčević to complete this series of paintings.
"Sometimes I find an interesting photograph, sometimes the starting point is a picture, sometimes my acquaintances pose, sometimes they are interesting girls-women from society. I also have a collaboration with a wonderful person Viki Vukic a three-time Playboy beauty, she was a Playboy Playmate three times and appeared on the cover of Croatian Playboy, a famous model who is building a long-term modeling career in Belgrade and abroad", reveals Vukčević, who has posed for him all over the years.
Most of the pictures can be seen on his Facebook profile, and he already had an exhibition with similar motifs.
“I have an offer for exhibitions, so we'll see. Until I'm absolutely sure, I won't announce anything. The preparation is a little slower due to commissioned works for clients that I like to respect, and on this occasion I would like to thank them for trusting me to produce the images they want. Mostly, one paints, one creates, and that is the most important thing for me. Exhibitions should be spontaneous, I don't look at exhibitions as something necessary that has to happen", believes the painter and reveals that watercolors are created faster than oil paintings on canvas.
"I use that moment of rapid creation to make a series of several of them," admits the artist, who is sure that he will continue the series of these paintings.
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