Biti covek 2010

Curator: The brooding atmosphere is the first thing that strikes me about this canvas; it’s quite unsettling. Editor: That’s interesting. I see it more as pensive. We’re looking at Dragan Ilić Di Vogo's oil painting, "Biti covek", created in 2010. It’s a curious composition; almost dreamlike in its arrangement of figures and landscapes. Curator: Absolutely, the layering of imagery has an unreal, surreal quality to it. What is more fascinating is to imagine the studio space, Di Vogo in his work clothing. Where did he source the pigments and canvas, who else did he commission to help? Was it destined for a collector or state exhibition? Editor: I suppose the materiality tells its own story. Oil paint allows for such detailed realism in rendering form and texture. And I'm intrigued by how the artist uses stark lighting to create a dramatic contrast. Consider the luminous bust against the darkening sky and the shadowed figures surrounding her. Curator: And the dark cloaks worn by each of the figures on the ground? They feel almost ritualistic, the materials most probably sourced from local tailors, or perhaps handmade, indicative of a slower pace of life compared with today. I do agree that the materiality reinforces that contemplative aspect, particularly since they were hand-created for his palette. Editor: The symbolism is definitely multilayered; is that a landscape being constructed? Is the work looking at life from different dimensions, is it in transition? Also, consider the bizarre details, such as the colourful detail sprouting out of the central bust’s head! The realism with which these are rendered pulls us deeper into the mystery. Curator: For me, those colours hint at an engagement with art historical trends and references the materials that might be expected from that period – suggesting the role of production that the figures might have experienced to have brought them to this plane of existence! Editor: In some ways, it reads as a fragmented narrative that encourages us to consider broader themes like mortality or maybe something cyclical, but with technological overtones through its hyper-realistic components. The title "Biti covek"— "Being Human"— resonates in such a poignant way within this constructed setting. Curator: Precisely, it makes me wonder what he was aiming to express by utilizing a combination of different material origins for the creation of a scene set within an uncanny valley that invites viewers to consider, where have all the pigments really come from? And why are those processes of creation often forgotten in place of art’s interpretation. Editor: Food for thought. It’s hard to look away once the piece grabs you, and for that it stands tall. Curator: I agree. It reveals the rich history ingrained in everyday manufacturing that underpins artistic creation, something worth contemplation!