Town 2016

Editor: This is Nemanja Vučković's "Town" from 2016, crafted with acrylic paint. The monochrome palette creates such a stark, almost brutal atmosphere. I’m really struck by the energetic brushstrokes – what do you make of it? Curator: The energy is palpable, isn't it? I see this work as engaging with the legacies of expressionism but filtered through a contemporary lens. Considering our current socio-political landscape, what does this raw expression communicate to you about our lived experiences? Are there themes around power, or perhaps a critique of urban structures evident in the frenetic mark-making? Editor: I hadn't really thought of power, but seeing it now, those forceful black lines definitely feel assertive. The lack of color almost amplifies that, stripping away any softness. Curator: Exactly. Think about how the history of abstraction often served as a form of resistance, particularly for marginalized artists. How might we interpret Vučković’s abstraction in terms of contemporary struggles for visibility and representation? Are there echoes of protest in the painting’s very form? Editor: It's interesting to consider abstraction as protest. I was so focused on the technique; the black and white lines... But the raw energy could definitely represent a resistance to something. I’ll never look at abstract expressionism the same way. Curator: And that's the beauty of art – its ability to spark dialogue and challenge our assumptions. What you initially saw as stark, has now opened pathways to engage with topics surrounding power, gender and identity!