Ego 2017

Curator: Standing before us is Dragan Ilić Di Vogo’s 2017 acrylic painting, "Ego". A surrealist portrait that seems to be flirting with neo-expressionist sensibilities. Editor: My initial thought is, this is a beautiful nightmare. The colour palette is seductive, but those hovering spheres and the figure’s altered features…it’s unsettling. Curator: Right. The artistic trend towards figuration experienced a pronounced resurgence around that time. Many artists, including Di Vogo, used the human form to investigate contemporary psychological states. Editor: Exactly! I’m drawn to how the planetary orbs, echoing personal symbols, could represent inner worlds projected outward, but notice also how the figure’s posture and facial expression evokes self-absorption, yet with an unmistakable hint of vulnerability. Curator: Do you think that hints at a societal self-obsession, reflecting an amplified introspection fueled by platforms that promote our images, literally creating visual echoes and digital planets of self-regard? Editor: Certainly, the artist perhaps captures the conflict of our hyper-visible age. We craft and project idealized images, yet wrestle with the inevitable imperfections, all symbolized by the figure and the otherworldly floating bodies in this space. Curator: Considering that it’s titled “Ego,” the work cleverly navigates the public role of the self and highlights how our images are consciously or unconsciously constructed for wider consumption. It mirrors the pressures of societal expectation. Editor: It truly underscores the cultural weight we place on identity and how we continuously reimagine and portray our own narratives. The distortions—both beautiful and strange—speak to the malleable nature of the self. Curator: Thank you. Exploring “Ego” with you has helped clarify how personal reflection becomes a public performance and also demonstrated just how adept Di Vogo is in his artful visual language. Editor: A deeply insightful journey! The blend of aesthetic appeal and emotional depth certainly invites each of us to self reflect too.