Aware of the Art of Painting... 1974

Curator: Look at this work from 1974 by Mladen Stilinovic. It’s called "Aware of the Art of Painting…" and incorporates drawing, mixed media, and textile elements on paper. Editor: Well, my first thought is it has a deceptively quiet presence. The contrast between the strokes of white paint and the faint text creates a strangely unsettling calmness. Almost like a secret being whispered. Curator: Yes, the materiality speaks volumes, doesn't it? The deliberate combination of seemingly disparate elements—textile fragments, graphite, and paint—challenges our traditional notions of art making. Stilinovic was deeply engaged with process and how materials carry meaning. Editor: Absolutely! And that handwritten text adds another layer. It looks like notes, fragments of thoughts about art itself, perhaps the struggles or breakthroughs while facing a blank canvas. A poem about painting in the raw. Curator: It also challenges notions of value. Using simple paper and pencil, materials readily available and inexpensive, elevates the conceptual over the purely aesthetic. This aligns perfectly with the Art Informel and conceptual art movements to which he belonged. The work critiques consumerism. Editor: It makes you consider, what IS painting, really? I mean, beyond skill or prettiness. He's getting at something more profound, like the very essence of creative pursuit. I get a playful, inquisitive feeling. Curator: Precisely, and how that pursuit might be compromised, or even defined, by external forces like politics and economics, or the practical reality of 'labour', during that specific social and political climate. Editor: So true, this tiny work sparks so many thoughts. Its fragility is a virtue that encapsulates his reflections on art. I am going to walk away and let this work quietly resonate for days. Curator: Indeed, its strength lies in its seeming simplicity, a potent commentary on the artistic process. Thanks for helping me tease out these rich aspects.