Gea 2014

Dragan Ilić Di Vogo painted 'Gea' using oil on canvas to explore themes of mythology, nature, and technology. The name, "Gea," connects us to ancient Greek mythology, where Gea is the primal Greek goddess personifying the Earth. The image shows a horse, but it's adorned with planets, geometric shapes, and other surreal elements, challenging our conventional understanding of the natural world. Born in 1962 in what was then Yugoslavia, Ilić Di Vogo’s work reflects the cultural and political shifts of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. The dreamlike composition invites us to question the role of technology in shaping our understanding of nature and our place within the cosmos. Art historians can draw on a wealth of resources to better understand the ideas expressed here: examining the political and cultural history of the Balkans in the late 20th century, researching the history of mythology in art, and investigating the shifting representations of nature in the face of technological progress.