The works presented within the exhibition Interspace deal with the space surrounding the painting – functioning like a negative as they speak of that, which is not shown. The three artists, whose paintings and drawings are shown, elude addressing the essence and topic with which they in fact deal with, and thus avoid to directly confront and analyse those questions and phenomena which occupy them, leaving this essence outside of the painting.

The three artists address insecurities and uncertainties, by the means of varied motives and methods. On the paintings and drawings of Bowon Kim, images of landscapes and strangers are shown. For her, they are unknown to a degree to which she does not direct the attention to the portrayed individuals and landscapes, but rather the atmosphere and her memories to these places and people. In this way, a specific, non-binding, ephemeral intimacy is made, which allows traversing established boundaries. Freed from the context of the past and with no obligation to fulfil other people’s expectations, she sees and represents them without the fear of being judged or criticized – in spite the fact that she may feel lonely as a result. While Bowon seeks a specific type of communication, Nebojša Adamović completely avoids it in his paintings. The absence of contact within the very painting and the lack of a connection with the observer only emphasizes and problematizes it more. Avoiding the encounter with others is avoiding encountering oneself. Words spoken aloud, glances, and the potential feedback received during a conversation may represent a danger to confront oneself. That is why escaping contact with others or eternally clinging to trivialities guarantee existing in interspace and the path to deter from the status quo. Stefan Lukić literally paints the physical interspace – the passage between two localities. The artist does not show the passage as a transitional period between two points, as the destination is never reached. In his paintings, transition is the goal. By showing what happens in between, in transit, which should be a pure method to reach a set goal, and not the goal itself, he emphasizes the interrupted and unstable residing somewhere in between and the impossibility to stay in one place.

The works of Bowon, Nebojša and Stefan suggest an atmosphere, a feeling of incompleteness and anticipation. In them, the desire to escape and confront the real and concrete is reflected. Constantly roaming somewhere in between and stumbling in the dark. Anticipating something bigger to happen. Life in the meantime. The attempt to exist in interspace.

Text: Sanda Kalebić
Transtaltion: Isidora Krstić
Photo: Milovan Ilić

Supported by: Embassy of the Republic of Korea