‘Vrijeme je da se suočimo sa svojim osjećajima i da ih prihvatimo (It’s time to confront and embrace our emotions)’ is a body of work consisting of an immersive installation that includes a large scale freestanding sculpture to be viewed in the round. On one side, it displays a painting in an emotional state that is hard to put into words. The back of the sculpture consists of body casts of myself climbing and bursting out of the back of the painting. This can be viewed either as dissociating and trying to escape or trying to confront the other surrounding emotions. The sculpture is surrounded by large scale paintings of different figures in different emotional states, painted with oil paint and gamsol.
The works portray raw and unnerving emotions through the human form. Building up thin layers of paint to evoke a skin-like texture, I enhance the bodily presence of the figure, using chiaroscuro, and saturated color palettes draw the viewer in. Through my work I want to evoke a visceral or gut reaction from the viewer; a kind of uneasiness.
This exhibition explores the psychological effect of generational trauma, mixed with my anxieties about my personal life and the current state of the world. My work has been greatly impacted by learning about the horrors my family and friends have gone through during the war and genocide in Bosnia. Through my work I am able to process all those emotions in addition to my everyday stress, struggles and anxieties.
This installation creates an atmosphere that houses my work, the walls are covered in bedsheets that are pale blue/green emphasizing the psychological/emotional environment. With the bedsheets I have created a lowered ceiling and another wall, transforming the exhibition into a more personal, intimate or even claustrophobic space where the viewer is surrounded by different emotional states; pushing the viewers to acknowledge and confront their emotions. The sheets drape down from the wall and onto the floor as well as drape over the base of the free standing sculpture creating a pathway to be followed. This particular aspect of the installation expands on the theme of my paintings; how everyone can relate to going to bed after a rough day, which can either be a safe space or a lonely place where you’re left alone with your thoughts or fears. Ultimately, I aim to offer a space where viewers are able to connect with these emotions through their own personal experiences and perspectives.
A key aspect of this exhibition is the use of the Bosnian language in the titles of my work. Viewers are invited to scan a QR code at the entrance to access Google Translate, should they wish to learn the meanings. This element shifts the dynamic of cultural understanding, encouraging the audience to engage with the Bosnian language on their own terms. It reflects my desire to preserve the language and assert its place in my work and identity.
