Sinisa Jeremic, pencil drawing artist / graphic designer
Born In Zagreb, Yugoslavia, July 21. 1966.
Graduated from the Faculty Of Graphic Arts
University of Zagreb, Croatia
Personal exhibitions:
Belgrade, Serbia [1997]
Bern, Switzerland [2003]
Darmstadt, Germany [2006]
Mondsee, Austria [2012]
Salzburg, Austria [2014]
Vienna. Austria [2015]
Walpersdorf Castle, Austria [2016]
Belgrade, Serbia [2018]
Art presented in this pencil drawing gallery is the print of my soul, a visible signature of what I am, a mirror of my inner life which reflects all of my subconcious impulses through symbolism of sacred feminine, where a woman represents a symbolic cornerstone of essential stages in life - love, birth and death.
The woman has always been the most significant symbol of eros, creation and generation, so that she was given a divine status and celebrated in Symbolism, Art Nouveau, Jugendstil, Liberty, Surrealism and surely in my pencil drawing art.
So it was the need to find answers to universal questions through the woman's erotic figure that formed the aestetics of the art of decadence, placing the woman in focus where she transforms into a symbol of certain psychological aspect, from angel to demon, eros to thanatos.
We live surrounded with figuration, we dream figuratively, and thus it makes sense that the erotic symbolism which appears mostly in our dreams is also the erotic figuration.
And this is where I seek for my own expression, inside the monochromatic image of mystic land of dreams, where the pencil has proved to be a grateful technique that allows me to release my impulses to come to the fore while drawing, with a unique abillity to truly express symbolism of my creative imagery, revealing the archetypal depths of my psyche on the paper ( mirror). In the hand connected online to Id.
The aesthetics of organic Art Nouveau or Jugendstil elements which I use in my pencil drawings emphasize my desire to more closely approach to the very source of life creation. DNA spirals of the living creatures become a medium shaped by stylizied ornaments from which the very existance originates. The nexus between the spiritual and the scientific approach has been established because science and art are not adversaries standing one against another, but only two divergent ways of searching for answers to the same questions.
Initial inspiration of my imagination is found in mysical, visionary dreams exploring art movements of Symbolism, Art Nouveau, Jugendstil, Liberty and Surrealism, which my own style has been shaped from, expressed exclusively through drawing with the pencil and so Neodecadence would be the term that best describe it.
And therefore, welcome to Neodecadence.
WELCOME TO NEODECADENCE
A symbol, by it's very nature, refers to an absent reality. In matmatics it signifies an unknown quantity, in religion, poetry or art it lends substance to an unknown quality - a value that remains out of reach. In a religious context , this quality is unknown ( or unknowable becose it belongs to a different order of reality - a supernatural order - and can therefore be signified only by a sacred object. The sacred in this view, is merely, a semantic category and should not be confused with the divine, as the chinese sage puts it, one must not confuse the moon with the finger that points to it. But even irreligious must acknowledge that there are things to which we cannot directly refer.
We need symbols to communicate these things.
Michael Gibson
... and I was just a kid when I communicated for the first time. The replica of one of Böcklin's paintings "Isle of the Dead" was placed in my father friend's living room, an architect and art lover, who was with a kind smile upon his face and infinite patience answering a burst of questions posed restlessly by a child obssessed with the picture which was by far surpassing the power of understanding art for those of his age. He was entertaining while besieged by the five-year old who was so much thrilled with the curiosity of his own and apparently enjoyed in meditative and mythological encirclement of death. It was my first encounter with art in the way it should be experienced and the passion awoken at that moment has not left me ever since. For years I have been trying to comprehend the feeling I had then and whatever I did later, I always returned to my original impulse.
Through personal development and education, I have become a great admirer of music, which has through my entire life generated a motivating circumstances under which my work has been created. My general predilection to music and art came from the quality environment where I was raised, just like the passion for expressing myself exclusively through pencil drawing developed under a close presence and influence of artist Dimitrije Popoviæ. This brought to the renewal of my personal interests for classical styles, Rennaisance in particular, which were pushed aside a bit while I was preoccupied with design and contemporary arts.
One of the most emphasized features of my early work is that it was created under a strong influence of surrealists like Dimitrije, Dali and Giger, but in later period it more and more inclines to symbolism, from which a personal expression inspired by other prominent artists, architects, writers and philosophers like Leonardo, Caravaggio, Van de Velde, Gaudi, Klimt, Munch, Jean Delville, Goya, William Morris, Alphonse Mucha, Peter Behrens, Victor Horta, Dürer, Bach, Mozart, Vivaldi, Dostoyevsky, Bulgakov, Thomas More and Karl Marx has been formed.
A creative atmosphere in which I live and work day after day is the debit I owe to a number of contemporaries like The Who, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Miles Davis, Weather Report, King Crimson, Dream Theater, Monty Pythons, Richard Taylor, Michael Moore, Douglas Adams, Carl Sagan, Stephen Hawking and many others.
Drawing the parallels between the time in the past when these outstanding men lived and expressed their natural talents through their work and the present, I am trying to explain the most profound ideas as far as the influence on my personal approach is concerned, as well as to disclose my personal attitudes, something that permeates my entire work, consciously putting myself into a risk of getting into controversies which so often used to be an unavoidable part in their formation.
Neodecadence
Since the Pre-Raphaelites, the decadence of the symbolists had reflected in keeping distance from the industrial revolution of the nineteenth century, a material imperative of those times and quite unreasonable ways of consuming natural and abusing human resources (and as a matter of fact, these ways haven't changed a great deal ever since). Their contempt toward the progress and all of its consequences unfortunately also extended to the sciencific achievements of that period, which were considered unspiritual (the fact that they indirectly exerted influence on the development of psychoanalyses remains as just another of their controversies).
The symbolists cherished a strong tendency of being isolated from the external influences of the nineteenth century world which, except that mentioned hereabove, also meant the Christian supremacy, so that the escape into a world out of time, world of fairy tales, a mystical and a world of erotics was motivated with the classical art, myths, legends as well as the iconography of pagan religions. A complete or partial renouncement and contempt toward the modern took the symbolist artists into controversy caused with their smugness through the tendency to seek and disclose the response on the decadence of the materialistic society which they regarded insulting to the real order of things in nature.
Due to these reasons, symbolism was never a kind of contemporary art, just another of actual "isms" of those times (each of them was, as a rule, condemned first and glorified later), because it didn't carry the sign of its time. It was anachronous and therefore unacceptable as such among the modern styles of 20th century, to which it had either direct or indirect impact, the nexus most but not all of the representatives of these styles denied (Andre Breton and Marcel Duchamp, for instance, recognized and praised how the symbolists had contributed to their work).
The artists of decadence used to express their admiration for the ingenious and above average, looking from their own perpective which implied a utopian view of the world, inspired by the new philosophical thoughts of those times. Many artists were themselves the socialutopists who had a vision of better future where the mankind could be brought by crossing the boundaries of mediocrity and reducing the class differences. Related styles, and such are Symbolism, Art Nouveau, Liberty and Jugendstil, abounded in aspiration to move an artisticaly shaped product away from being an exclusive privilege of the opulent, however, just like the idea of a society without classes, they would have often been caught in their own contradiction. By renewing both the styles and the idea itself, I leave some space for optimism.
And what about mediocrity? Does the craving for the above average exclude understanding for those who are just ordinary people, or this should be deprived only to the mediocrities, those individuals that display no need of pushing forward beyond their own limits, but only harbor desire to bring everything back onto their own level, using whatever means necessery to achieve that goal. Light and darkness reside in each of us, hidden behind a number of obstacles which we built in order to make ourselves socially acceptable, our essence and something what we really are, our true nature that holds the seeds of curiosity and creativity, often supressed not to discern from the average so much adored by mediocrities.
People have always lived under the social imperative of supressing their own individuality, which has also been imposed as the safest mode of their existence, and each digression from this course in the past was either sanctioned or rewarded by those who at the same time evaluated to which extent and in what manner their own interests were endangered. Ingenuity comes as a privilege of some, however the passion and desire of gravitating toward it belong to everybody.
We usually don't think much about the influences the surrounding world exerts on us every single day, a variety of medias, other people's opinions, options we are forced to embrace or we refuse to accept consciously or subconsciously. A part of it has a positive impact on us, the other part doesn't, and unfortunately our choice is often made without any more profound reflections on need for positive values selection. By doing so, we also lose a part of our own personality because, regardless of that whether or not our intention is good, the point is in balance. Nothing looks as it seemed to be at first sight, and the road to hell is full of good intentions.
Formal and unformal education, general culture, as well as natural curiosity and passion for knowing, all of which we carry in ourselves, help us to create or recognize those values that will not fade in time.
Consequently, my way to protect my personal seeds of creativity is founded on a selective distancing from certain, widely accepted social ideas, and also resisting to the standardization of human psychology and acting through socially approved model.
Thanks to the fact that a huge database is now easily accesible, we're able to recognize and comprehend quickly and with facility, to extract what is important and discard what isn't. Knowing is not a bunch of facts, piled up in a head, it is the conscience about their justified existence. Only when all parts of a puzzle are put on their places, one can get a big picture.
Alexandria
"Thank God I am an atheist"
Bunuel
The internet, libraries and an easy access to the overall knowledge gathered through history of the mankind come as a privilege Alexander The Great, a conqueror whose legacy laid the foundations of the Alexandian Library, the largest and the most magnificent temple of the ancient world's knowledge, following his aspiration for collecting knowledges and readiness to recognize both religious and national differences (unfortunately, even the greatest minds of the ancient world didn't take seriously the slaves human rights issue), once dreamed about.
For seven centuries, the library represented the very brain, heart and soul of the mankind and knowledges had been collected from all around with great enthusiasm before stored thereat. The Roman Empire and the religions in expansion considered the library a threat and had been therefore destroying it systematicaly through its very existence until the Christian fundamentalists finally finished the job in the fourth century, monstruously murdering Hypatia, the master librarian and the last in the line of great philosophers and scientists of the old world. By the destruction of the library, the mankind was subjected to lobotomy, and the consequences of this horrible act echoed in the darkness of a thousand years long period of inquisition (until the virtues of the human spirit were rehabilitated during the Renaissance) where the feminine divine principle was replaced with the masculine repressive one, and Jesus was inaugurated into son of god. His teachings and his deeds were misused in many terrifying ways by countless manipulators, opportunists and fanatics that, just like their successors are doing it nowdays, poisoned the mankind for the purpose of attaining their own goals. All mortal sins can be set into one; to hurt someone for personal benefit.That`s why, I admire every altruistic effort.
We also remember from the recent history the rise of the Communist dictatorship of 20th century, which completely devastated the original idea of philosopher Karl Marx. It is strange that Jesus and Marx are as a matter of fact on the same side of the medal, while their followers are placed on the other (with worthy exceptions). If they had been contemporaries, they would have most likely written some kind of Social Gospel together.
Faith in the world of social welfare and in the universal force of creation (called superforce, a theoretical force that exists in a singularity, from which, from the moment of its creation, four basic physical forces are generated) is unique and represents the essence of some better future where the sole purpose of science, art and religion is to serve the mankind. Knowledge of true nature of the Great Architect is equaly far away from you, the pope and me. Faith and religion are not necesserily two members of the same club. In a scenario in absence of which there is no future, everything has to take its place eventually. Alexander's dream lives.
Dreamland
I grew up a free spirit, unfettered from religious, national or traditionalistic imperatives. As for myself, cultures of the world were as equaly acceptable as that of my own. My need for spirituality (and thus the understanding of religion) was developing through practicing art, studying its history and human psyche. Like the socialutopists have always used to, I also believe in the world of social justice, small class differences, equal educational opportunities for everybody and efficient health care and legal systems. I was born in a country which, aside with all the flaws of its system, firmly stuck to such a course (but unfortunatelly never got any chance to reach the final point, unlike the Scandinavian countries for instance). My mother was a social worker, my father was a union official, and both were dedicated to work with people. Countless life stories used to come and pass through our home every single day. Tragedies, comedies, and even surreal situations worthy of Monty Pythons, not much different from some movie scenarios dreamed in a couple of hours, stories that depict the true nature of heart and mind. And so since the childhood it has become my habit to pay attention on whatever happens to people and observe a wide spectrum of their responses and reactions, a wide spectrum of circumstances life brings. As time was passing by, I was more and more occupied by the questions of human psyche and it was only my passion for art that prevented psychology from becoming my vocation (yes, a shrink was the first choice). Art is indeed a print of our soul, visible signature of what we carry inside and what is human.
We come as a unique product of evolution with the ability to think in abstract or surreal manner, which is controlled from the most powerful cosmic creation, our cerebral cortex. History of the mankind comprises many examples of great civilizations that rose and fell (mainly due to their own decadence), the diseases of which were a mere product of disbalance between the cortex and the lower brain regions inherited through evolution. Everything we do is a pure consequence of heaven and hell in our minds, if you don't believe this, just turn around yourself, that will do. Let those stubborn ones switch on their TVs.
The brain too has its own world within which it is autonomous and makes decisions by itself about the shows it will perform in the nighttime. Its true nature is located in the Dreamland, where incredible stories of endless creativity are composed every day and everything is permitted. The Dreamland Production is run by editors of all the brain regions, and their activity is a product of eternal confrontation between Id, Ego and Superego, controversial like the art of decadence. All this shapes one amaizing and frightening world which struggles to come out through my pencil and appear on a sheet of paper.
For a long time already, we have been trying to see through dreams, we explain them, make science or pseudoscience of them, attribute them different meanings either symbolic or precognitive, but still keep being equally far away from the answer nonetheless. By exploring the matrix with such a chaotic scheme, we reach the boundaries of mistery, the line beyond which we certainly should not travel.
We have always converted dreams into symbols, symbols into stories, stories into myths and sagas. Our creativity and capacity even to think beyond reality come from our ability to dream. Each of our deeds is predetermined in our dreams. Can you assume anything more important than that? Perhaps I could.
We live surrounded by figuration, we dream figuratively, and therefore it makes sense that the symbol which appears most in our dreams is also figurative. It is the woman. The symbol of woman is universal, omnipresent, necessery and desired. As men, we experience the woman as mother, wife, mistress, sister, friend and foe (women experience this in slightly different manner). We scream when we leave her body and for entire our life we try to return inside (at least most of us). Women run our lives consciously or unconsciously, they represent our most important psychological component (Freud set the scientific foundations of psychoanalyses based on human sexuality exclusively besause of the atmosphere of decadence, the times of curiosity and experimenting). The woman has always been the symbol of generation, birth and creation, so that she was given a divine status and celebrated in some prechristian religions and cultures as such. So it was the need to find the answers to universal questions through the woman's figure that formed the aestetics of the art of decadence, placing the woman in focus where she transforms into a symbol of certain psychological aspect, from angel to demon, and where I seek for my own expression within the mystic land of dreams, dwelling in The Twilight Zone betwen symbolic ans surreal.
The aesthetics of organic and Art Nouveau elements which I use in my work emphasize my desire to approach more closely to the very source of creation of life, organic form and nature itself. DNA strings of all living creatures become a medium shaped by stylizied ornaments from which the very existance originates. The nexus between the spiritual and scientific approach has been established because science and art are not adversaries standing confronted one against another, but just two divergent ways of seeking answers on the same questions.
Through my drawings I am trying to create my own tranquility place (a working title of the painting from which everything started), a meditative space where familiar figuration of undestructable beauty resides, surrounded by demons from Id in the harmony of space and time, heaven and hell. It is the contradiction of the contents described hereabove which unambigiously symboliyzes the need for coexistence of opposite forces for the purpose of attaining the common goal. Survival. And nature, as supreme act of creation, shows us the way how.