Critics
Aleksandar Jerkov, Ph.D.
An artist used to perceive the world as a composition of genuine objects, creatures, and beings, full of occurrences unfolding in front of his eyes, or the ones he foresees. An artist no longer sees a world in which man spends his limited time on Earth and projects his elevated aspirations, as well as basic instincts. The world today, both in art and sciences, whether natural or social, is reduced to a level where the classical means for its portrayal become insufficient. Now one can see a rise of conceptual art or the art that dissects the elements of the painting.
Still, in front of the artist who is possessed by strong sentiment exists another path, offering an impression search, for the color of an emotion, for the inner shape of desire, a truth, and a suggestion of expression. This is a trail that this exhibition chooses and reveals through its paintings. It presents a strongly defined palette, clear transitions, and co-relation between colors, de-formation, and new forms that lead a dialog with both the rest of the composition and the observer. All these elements are here to help the artist express her inner, deep, disquieting nature.
What happened to a man or what’s wrong with his world remains unanswered. Still, delicately, but convincingly at the same time, the artist projects her overpowering distress on canvas. Even the paintings where the artist tranquilizes the original trauma just enough to allude to a bit of progress, something like hope or the possibility of good feeling, are nothing else but the artist’s attempt to hide a deeply disturbed subject, and an effort not to disclose more than her intimate world allows her to. Still, this is the expression powerful enough to capture the eye and the spirit of the observer who enters the world of painting.
This is the exhibition of a compelling approach to sensitivity that sinks into fear that the world still exists, but that it is not enough. And that the painting still exists, but, is it enough?
Art historian Sanja Sofijanic
Milica Raičević’s paintings exist in a realm that is not bound by any specific time or space, instead resonating with various time frames simultaneously. Her work occupies an intermediate zone between dream and reality, as well as between ultimate expression and surreal observations. It explores the tension between what could and should be, and what is inevitably subject to decay and disintegration. The modernity of her work stems from the desire not to confine anything within established cultural frameworks. The artist’s freedom is evident in her courage to expose disintegration while skillfully infusing her pieces with a sense of hope for survival. This deeply human need to hope should never be lost, even when it seems unattainable. It allows us to connect with Milica’s paintings on a primal level, evoking love for them even when their abstract nature defies direct perception and understanding. Whether she paints women, cosmic fragments, or explores various philosophical ideas, her art conveys profound inner pain that paralyzes, tears apart, and destroys. While this pain can be camouflaged, it cannot be truly hidden; ultimately, it transforms into a longing and hope for deliverance. Our understanding of phenomena relies on developing the awareness to recognize our own capacities within these frameworks.
From that position, these large-scale representations, as Milica is primarily known for her large formats, leave a profound emotional and feminine imprint on the viewer’s soul, often bypassing rational analysis. These paintings serve as mirrors of our struggles and fears, reflecting our aspirations for growth alongside our anxieties about burning out at great heights. This is an ongoing process, which is why her works are not meant to be confined to a canvas frame. The lines and textures demonstrate a tendency to extend beyond their boundaries, embodying a dynamic that refuses to be restricted by physical constraints. At first glance, they may appear to have been applied randomly; the artist herself highlights that she often dreams her images, creating them through a sequence of dreams. However, the meticulous technical craftsmanship and mathematically structured composition restore a sense of balance to the artwork, providing at least an illusion of stability within which it becomes easier to breathe. The platform of such a delicately intricate geometric treatment of motifs reveals an artist who has the freedom to dream and explore the realms of abstract expressionism. Yet, at any moment, this artist demonstrates a strong ability to return to a precise, almost Renaissance-like analysis of the observed world.
Textures play a significant role in Milica’s work. At first glance, they may appear as loosely applied and somewhat uncontrolled brush strokes. However, their thick layers often conceal meticulous processing and a keen attention to detail. Much like a game of hide and seek, the puzzles and solutions are not always evident on the surface, which invites the viewer to delve deeper into the artwork and fosters a desire to uncover what lies beneath.
This relief, combined with strong color contrasts, serves as the painter's main asset, infusing the artwork with a powerful rhythm and dynamism, even when it seems empty at first glance.
Art historian Sanja Sofijanic
Although it may seem that Milicass primary focus is on space, I am captivated by her perception of time. Time that inexorably slips away and eludes us all; time that almost everyone has—or finds countless ways to spend or utilize—and yet few consider how to harness it for personal benefit. Time presents itself as an unyielding force, recklessly interacting with all living and non-living things, treating them as passive surfaces and incoherent puppets that fill its voids and cavities for entertainment. Milica reflects deeply on the nature of moments and the rapid pace at which time, driven by technological advancements that often become goals in themselves, evolves into a more complex entity. She warns of the chasm that opens between the limitless horizon of possibilities and humanityss struggle to establish a universal or lifelong connection to it. From her perspective, this disconnect invalidates us as human beings, particularly as emotional individuals.
One cannot keep pace with the ever-accelerating changes that have turned the developed world into a vibrant, chaotic display. Our only option is to remain in a state of awe and fascination. However, these feelings can work against us; they become uncomfortable, making it ultimately impossible to linger in experiences that are designed to be fleeting.
Our desire for new and more impressive sensations remains long and eternal. In an age of increased global competition, these sensations are consistently presented as unattainable values, destined to become obsolete by tomorrow. Consequently, what are now our greatest goals and achievements can quickly turn into defeats. All that remains is a profound emptiness, filled with a deep sense of loneliness, stemming from the feeling that we are the only ones not reaching the heights that everyone else seems to pursue with great enthusiasm and excitement. Unfortunately, this sensation is something that many modern individuals experience.
The artist emphasizes the importance of issues we consciously ignore through the playful use of vibrant colors and a variety of objects and materials, as well as the format of their works. These elements draw attention to problems that are easier to overlook when viewing them as a whole. Long ago, the two- dimensional forms in Picasso’s paintings became ends in themselves, much like trees that obscure our view of the forest. The scale of these images serves as a call to awaken; it suggests that fragments only hold meaning when they are harmonized with the whole. This indicates that individuality can never be truly great or self-sufficient, and that the philosophy of anthropocentrism is collapsing from within, through the very means that continually create it.