Three exhibitions

As a result of the first competition for an accessible work of art within the Inclusive Gallery project, three solo exhibitions, by authors Milica Dukić, Dragana Kuprešanin and Konstantin Đuričković, were realized in Novi Sad, during December 2018.

The Inclusive Gallery is a project realized by Elementary and Secondary Boarding School “Milan Petrović” from Novi Sad. The idea arose during the collaboration with artists gathered in the Shock Cooperative, members of SULUV (Association of Fine Artists of Vojvodina) and the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad. The goal of the project was dual. The first was to bring art closer to the widest audience, especially to people with disabilities to whom works of art are most often inaccessible. Another goal, no less important, was the idea of ​​proposing to artists to adapt their work to inclusion and to make their works accessible to everyone.

Dragana Kuprešanin presented her original collages of experimental tactile comics with texts adapted for the sighted and in Braille for the blind, entitled “Invisible Wave”. The exhibition was held in the Atelier MP. In her work, she addresses the widest readership. This tactile comic is part of a three-year work on doctoral studies at the Faculty of Applied Arts in Belgrade, under the mentorship of prof. Rastko Ćirić.

The artist says about her work: “Experimental comics “Invisible Wave” goes beyond the existing appearance of comics (albums, magazines, notebooks, dailies) and emphasizes its pure form in other different techniques and materials. The different relief structures that are specific to this work can equally activate the tactile and visual perception of readers, thus affecting the complexity of the perceptual narrative.

Konstantin Đuričković, a student of new art media at the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad, at the exhibition in the Atelier MP, presented the Novi Sad Cathedral / Church of the Name of Mary as an object made in the technique of 3D printing. The building consists of several individual forms that build a unique shape of the church, and hence the name of the work is – “Puzzle principle”. The project stems from the idea of ​​combining utilitarianism in education, modern technology and art.

“Architecture, which is one of the most important characteristics of every city, at the same time becomes challenging to understand and experience for those who do not have or have a reduced visual ability. By using modeling and 3D printing, we can come up with realistic models of architectural works, with all the details that can be felt under the fingers. The Cathedral / Church of the Name of Mary is the central building and the main landmark of Novi Sad, “said Konstantin talking about his work.

The artist Milica Dukić presented the artwork entitled “If we all put on masks” in the SULUV (Association of Fine Artists of Vojvodina) gallery. While the works of the previous two artists were performed using modern technology, Milica’s work combines elements of traditional art techniques such as embroidery and possibilities provided by today’s technique of digital canvas printing. Namely, the artist underlines the photographed motifs and masked portraits of people with disabilities with the embroidery technique. Such unusual scenes are additionally emphasized by the lighting that is placed under the canvas. The works thus, in addition to tactile provocation, gain a new dimension, radiating their humanistic message.

The artist explains her work: “The need to disguise has always existed and is very common in all cultures. From an early age, we were invited to carnivals and masquerades, with the goal of peeking through different characters and learning to walk through a world much more colorful and cheerful. What would happen if we make every day to be a masquerade ball and if everyone would put on masks? If we all put on masks, that would erase inequalities and make the world even more different. ”

The Inclusive Gallery project was supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia and the Directorate for Culture of the City of Novi Sad.

Dejan Jankov
Project Coordinator