nataša teofilovićd ist an ce

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Savremenici smo doba digitalne kulture koje je umnogome promenilo našu percepciju stvarnosti, donoseći sa sobom, kako pozitivne tako i negativne konotacije, kojih najčešće nismo ni svesni. Uzdrmalo je naš stabilni doživljaj realnosti i njenih manifestacija, a suprotstavilo nam je virtuelni svet i njegove zakonitosti, unelo sumnju u postojeće, ustaljeno i prihvaćeno. Istina i laž, stvarno i obmana, realno i iluzionističko se dodiruju, često preklapaju. Umetnik kao izuzetno senzualno biće, te promene oseća snažnije od ostalih. Za njega su one polje novih istraživanja i novih mogućnosti i prilazi im sa radoznalošću, često sa oduševljenjem, ali sa uvek spremnim kritičkim stavom.

„Rodbinski odnos sa iluzionizmom ne određuje samo format virtuelne stvarnosti; preko proračuna u realnom vremenu, međudejstva i evolucije, posmatrač dobija moć da obrazuje sliku koju istorija do sada nije videla. Istovremeno, gledalac je podvrgnut najvećem sugestivnom potencijalu slika, koje su sada dinamične, interaktivne, evolutivne i ‘žive’ u sveobuhvatnim slikovnim prostorima.“ 1

Toj radoznaloj i hrabroj umetničkoj porodici pripada i Nataša Teofilović, prepoznata u našoj kulturnoj javnosti kao reprezentant digitalne umetnosti, posebno istaknut u oblasti digitalne animacije. Njen umetnički diskurs se pozicionirao u graničnim oblastima ukrštanja umetnosti, nauke i tehnologije, njihovog sažimanja, preplitanja, a sve u interdisciplinarnom savezu razmene znanja i podrške.

Interdisciplinarna istraživanja ove umetnice zahtevaju poznavanje različitih oblasti umetnosti, nauke i tehnologije, kao što su: slikarstvo, vajarstvo, grafički dizajn, jezik filma, anatomije, psihologije, zakonâ

Svetlana Mladenov

D I S TA N C A

1 Oliver Grau, Virtuelna umetnost, Clio,

Beograd, 2008, str. 340.

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fizike, programiranja, komandovanja softverima i dr. Sva ta znanja umetnica koristi u svom istraživačkom postupku koji se odvija retko u jednoj umetničkoj disciplini, a najčešće u oblasti multimedijalnosti, i uvek je u službi ličnog, umetničkog diskursa i njemu je podređeno. Nataša Teofilović je ovladala potrebnim znanjima iz različitih oblasti nauke, tehnologije i umetnosti radi što boljeg i kompetentnijeg procesualnog vođenja svog ličnog umetničkog koncepta. U njenom postupku sâm proces rada ima značajnu ulogu, i od njega, kao i od upravljanja i manipulacije pojedinačnih segmenata tog procesa, zavisi krajnji rezultat.

U tim graničnim oblastima nauke–umetnosti–tehnologije postoje brojni pojedinačni eksperimenti, osvajaju se nove forme i sadržaji, ali se oni često ne mogu nazvati umetničkim. Ono što Natašu Teofilović izdvaja iz tog korpusa „medijskih istraživača“ je podređenost umetničkom konceptu, koji lično sprovodi od ideje do krajnje realizacije uz poštovanje visokih estetskih zahteva. Njena osnovna oblast delovanja je umetnička oblast.

O svojoj ličnoj poetici umetnica izjavljuje, parafrazirajući Gerfirda Stokera: „Rad u medijskoj umetnosti uvek zahteva istraživanje trenutnog stanja našeg visokotehnološkog (high-tech) društva i ispitivanje mehanizama rada u njemu. Poenta nije objašnjenje tehnološko-kulturnih transformacionih procesa kroz umetnost, već kreiranje neophodnih slika, narativa i simbola koji su nam neophodni da bismo mogli da se kulturno i socijalno razumemo, da se adaptiramo i ponovo odredimo u dramatičnim promenama izazvanim takozvanom digitalnom revolucijom.“ 2 3

Savremenoj digitalnoj kulturi, za koju su zaslužni umetnici, naučnici i istaživači, prethodi, određuje je i definiše razvoj novih ideja i diskursa unutar kibernetike, teorije informacija, opšte teorije sistema, strukturalizma i veštačke inteligencije. Umetnici tek u drugoj polovini 60-ih godina počinju da koriste tehničke uređaje (televizore), a tek kasnije počinju da istražuju mogućnosti video-kamera i računara. Džon Kejdž je otvorio prostor za razvoj ideja o interaktivnosti i multimedijima i neposredno uticao na umetnički pokret fluksus koji se zanimao za medije i telekomunikacije.

2 Nevena Đukić, Humanoidi će biti realniji od ljudi, intervju sa Natašom Teofilović, ArhArt, Beograd, 2011.

3 (Gerfird Stoker – direktor Festivala Ars elektronika, Linc)

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Od prvih eksperimenata u oblasti digitalne animacije, koji su se odvijali od sredine šezdesetih godina prošlog veka (Njujork, Štutgart), prošlo je četrdeset godina. Dugo je trebalo da digitalna animacija dobije svoje zasluženo mesto u umetničkoj sferi kao jedna od umetničkih disciplina u okviru medijske umetnosti. Broj umetnika koji se bave tim pokretnim medijem, mada je mnogo veći nego na početku istorije razvoja digitalne animacije, još uvek je skromnijeg obima, ali se broj novopridošlih umetnika mlađe generacije svakodnevno uvećava. U Srbiji je situacija slična, s tom razlikom da je broj umetnika na prelazu vekova bio zanemarljivo mali, da bi u prvoj deceniji, pa sve do danas, taj broj rastao. Umetnici-pioniri kao Nataša Teofilović često su bili usamljeni, nedovoljno shvaćeni ne samo od šire kulturne javnosti, već često i od samih kritičara i kustosa, koji nisu imali izgrađen stav o toj vrsti umetničke produkcije. Trebalo je vremena da se oni edukuju i upoznaju sa tom novomedijskom umetnošću kako bi mogli da je uvrste u svoje polje umetničkog interesovanja. Razvoju digitalne umetnosti i uopšte multimedijalne kulture doprineli su pojedini projekti i festivali koji su se trudili da ukažu na nadolazeću novu umetničku oblast u kojoj se otvaraju brojne mogućnosti za nove eksperimente i istraživanja: Videomedeja, 1996–2015; Otvorena osećajnost, 1997–2002. (autorka projekta Svetlana Mladenov); Brisanje; 2003–2006. (autorka projekta Marica Radojčić); Soft control, 2012–2015. (kustos Ivan Stanić), Festival S.U.T.R.A., 2009–2015. (direktor Ivan Stanić); Play Cultures – Svet digitalnih igara, 2007. (kustos Kristijan Lukić); Prostor za novi dijalog, 2008. (kustoskinja Sanja Kojić Mladenov); Ukrštanje nauke i umetnosti, 2013. (autorka projekta Svetlana Mladenov), Wonder Lab, 2015. (autorka projekta Sanja Kojić Mladenov). Da pomenem i dva najpoznatija i najstarija evropska festivala na kojima se promoviše digitalna umetnost: Ars Electronica Festival u Lincu, osnovan 1979. godine, i Festival Animated Films u Štutgartu, osnovan 1982. godine.

Doprinos edukaciji i razumevanju digitalne umetnosti, a posebno 3D animacije, dala je i sama Nataša Teofilović u publikaciji Umetnost pokreta u prostoru praznine – Tehnologija i praksa digitalnih karaktera, čiji je autor, a koja je objavljena 2011. godine na osnovu njenog doktorskog rada koji je odbranila 2010, kao prvi doktorski rad u Srbiji iz oblasti digitalne animacije.

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U umetničkim konceptima Nataše Teofilović, posebno u digitalnim animacijama, može se prepoznati njen lični umetnički rukopis u harmoničnom skladu emotivnog i racionalnog. Kroz ukrštanje racija i emocija ona gradi novu stvarnost u kojoj i figuracija i apstrakcija imaju podjednako mesto. Ono što je zajedničko njenim figurama (karakterima) i apstraktnim oblicima je kretanje u nedefinisanom prostoru praznine. Njihovo egzistiranje u virtuelnom svetu i, na prvi pogled, distanciranje od realnog sveta samo još više naglašava njihovu usamljenost, ali i želju za komunikacijom. Natašine figure svojim pokretima i radnjama definišu virtuelni prostor u kome se kreću, hodaju, trče, vežbaju, igraju, lebde… – one mu daju smisao i čulnost (s.h.e., one-for-tango, 1:1, belo i dr.). I ma koliko ih ekran u kome se kreću odvajao od spoljnog sveta one iz tog sveta realnosti upijaju pojedine elemente potčinjavajući ih svojoj potrebi za traženjem sopstvenog identiteta koji je uvek negde na granici realnog i virtuelnog.

Virtuelna slika koju stvara umetnica sasvim je drugačija od klasične slike i njene materijalnosti, u dijalogu stvarnog i zamišljenog ta slika predstavlja istinu kao i svako drugo umetničko delo. Ona je sastavljena od vidljivog (slika) i apstraktnog (brojevi, kodovi) i ne razlikuje original od kopije (kompjuter štiti njenu strukturu od svake namerne ili nenamerne izmene). Digitalne slike se doživljavaju sa više čula, ne samo vidom već i drugim čulnim organima, što pojačava mogućnost sugestije.

Svi likovi koji se kreću i žive u Natašinim prostorima praznine koncipirani su po modelu sopstvenog tela i lika, njenih karakterističnih pokreta i permanentnih radnji. To čini vezu umetnice sa tim likovima još snažnijom i iskrenijom. Život tih karaktera zavisi od same umetnice, njene volje da ih zadrži, promeni ili ugasi. Atmosfera intimnosti obavija te karaktere, koji svojim kretnjama, koloritom ili sfumatom, senčenjima i razlivanjima unose notu lirskog i poetskog u čitavu kompozicionu šemu pokretne slike. Takva figuracija Nataše Teofilović ima daleke srodnike u figuraciji sa početka devedesetih godina prošlog veka u slikarstvu, autorskom stripu, crtežu i skulpturi, bez obzira na različitost medija i njihove mogućnosti. U to vreme sam pisala o novoj figuraciji: „… ova danas je uzdržana, ravnodušna, depresivna. […] Osećanje ugroženosti sopstvene egzistencije čini vezu između umetnika i dela tešnjom, te umetnik svoju ličnu sudbinu poistovećuje

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sa sopstvenim delom, tražeći u njemu i kroz njega potvrdu svog identiteta. […[ … slična osećanja i atmosfera povezuju ova dela, a to su otuđenost, usamljenost, izolovanost, melanholija, nekomunikativnost, nezainteresovanost, ravnodušnost, ponekad blaga ironija ili tek nagovešteni humor.“ 4 Nazvala sam je umetnost distance. Deo toga izrečenog o novoj figuraciji sa početka devedesetih godina prošlog veka moglo bi se odnositi i na figuraciju Nataše Teofilović, na njene usamljene, nenametljive karaktere koji nam se diskretno obraćaju. Ali, za razliku od onih starijih statičnih figura, Natašine su dinamičnije, komunikativnije, u stalnom pokušaju da nam se dopadnu, ponekad čak i udvarajući nam se, a kuckanjem sa druge strane ekrana nas dozivaju i podsećaju na sopstveno postojanje i spremnost na dijalog.

U apstraktnim radovima glavnu ulogu ima linija (knot/preplet, 7001 i dr.) koja je u kretanju i koja, preplićući se i ukrštajući se, gradi kompoziciju od jednostavnih do složenih struktura. Ona se u nekim animacijama deli i usitnjava (rasprskava) i kao takva kruži, menjajući brzinu svoga kretanja, razdvajajući se i grupišući se, uspostavljajući tako specifičan, dinamičan crtež, crtež koji je u stalnom kretanju i čija je struktura permanentno promenljiva.

O svojim digitalnim animacijama umetnica sama kaže: „Karakteristično je da su svi ovi umetnički projekti nastajali kroz proces razgrađivanja, čišćenja elemenata redukcijom i ponovnog sklapanja strukture, pri čemu je sam akter postajao gradivni element. Osnovni motiv takvog, često dugotrajnog metoda rada je procesualnost sáma, proces istraživanja tokom stvaranja, proces kroz koji se transformišu i rad i osoba koja ga stvara.“ 5

Njena znanja iz arhitekture, koja je stekla na Arhitektonskom fakultetu u Beogradu, bila su joj dragocena u prostornim plastičkim konceptima i ambijentalnim postavkama, koje je primenjivala u brojnim radovima od sredine 90-ih godina prošlog veka do danas. U ranijim radovima je oslanjanje na arhitekturu i njene zakonitosti bilo snažnije, direktnije, posebno u instalacijama, videu, umetničkim akcijama, dok je u novijim radovima, nastalim u prvoj deceniji novog veka pa do danas (digitalne animacije i grafike), ta veza postala diskretnija, a nagoveštena je u gradnji virtuelnog prostora i njegovom definisanju.

4 Svetlana Mladenov, Figura

– pojave u figuraciji devedesetih, Savremena

galerija Centra za kulturu Pančevo,

Pančevo, 1993, str. 3–5.

5 Nataša Teofilović, Umetnost pokreta u prostoru praznine – tehnologija i praksa

virtuelnih karaktera, Arhitektonski fakultet

Univerziteta u Beogradu, Beograd,

2011, str. 105.

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Stvarajući nove, virtuelne prostore osobenog senzibiliteta nije prestala da bude emotivno vezana za pojavni svet, posebno za prirodu (pejzaž), za njene različite manifestacije, elemente, promene i zvukove, što sve biva predmet njenog umetničkog istraživanja. Samo da pomenem neke od njih: Polje sreće, Lični pečat, Putujem budna, Tree@codec, land.scape, Ostrva, Kroz-Oko, Lična kolekcija…

U njima se prema prirodi i rezultatima njenih promena odnosi kroz ličnu vizuru i doživljaj, sopstveno iskustvo i intimu. Počivajući na relaciji intimno–javno, ti radovi čine njene iskrene zabeleške i ispovesti.

Čitav opus Nataše Teofilović, bez obzira na vrstu medija i njihova ukrštanja, može se povezati sa odnosom intimnog i javnog. Sopstveni život umetnica je poistovetila i ugradila u svoj umetnički koncept i tako ga iz najskrivenijih uglova intimnosti izvukla na površinu, ne plašeći se suvišnog razotkrivanja, zloupotrebe i manipulacije. Često elementima iz ličnog okruženja, kao što su sopstveni radni prostor, računar, kuća u kojoj živi i njena staklena vrata, lična arhiva i kolekcija, daje glavnu ulogu u svojim umetničkim konceptima. U tom rizičnom području hrabro je izgradila svoj prepoznatljivi diskurs koji se nametnuo stručnoj i široj javnosti svojom iskrenošću i osobenom artikulisanom emocionalnošću.

Problemi identiteta česta su tema i osnova njenih umetničkih istraživanja za koje je rešenje pokušala da traži i nađe kroz procesualni rad i u krajnjoj realizaciji svog umetničkog postupka. Kroz taj rad gradila je i sopstveni identitet, što je vezu umetnik–delo još više učvrstilo.

U novi milenijum Nataša Teofilović je ušla eksperimentišući i istražujući u oblasti digitalne umetnosti, što se manifestovalo kroz stvaranje njenih 2D i 3D animacija, digitalnu grafiku i fotografiju. Ta oblast je do danas ostala njeno glavno polje interesovanja, ali ne i jedino. Krećući se slobodno kroz prošireno polje umetnosti još od polovine devedesetih godina prošlog veka, obraćala se različitim medijima, često ih kombinujući. Istraživala je u oblasti performansa, umetničkih akcija, videa, dokumentarnog videa, instalacija, ambijentalizacije, plakata, fotografije, slika-objekata, procesualnog rada i rada in situ. Često je kombinovala performans i umetničku akciju sa videom ili instalacijom, što je rezultat njene stalne potrebe da razmišlja o prostoru i dijalogu različitih elemenata koji grade taj prostor, o prostoru unutar određenog novouspostavljenog ambijenta i onom van njega. Sáma javna prezentacija njenih radova, bilo da je u

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pitanju video, performans, fotografije i sl., veoma joj je važna i gradi je kao instalaciju ili ambijent u kome publika ima posebno mesto, ne više samo kao posmatrač već i kao učesnik događaja. U toj svojevrsnoj interaktivnosti delo dobija novu konotaciju i nove sadržinske i formalne mogućnosti. Samo da pomenem neke od takvih dela: Kroz-oko izvedeno u Galeriji SKC-a u Beogradu 1995; U mojoj duši, izvedeno u Galeriji SKC-a u Beogradu 1998; Putujem budna, izvedeno u Galeriji „Dvorište“ u Pančevu na samostalnoj izložbi sa Biljanom Klarić – Klarom 2000; II001, izvedeno na hepeningu Otvorena osećajnost u okviru Belefa u Barutani u Beogradu 2001; Jedno pitanje jedan dinar jedan odgovor i RGB, izvedeni na Bijenalu vizuelnih umetnosti Ukrštanja u Pančevu 2002.

Njena prva umetnička istraživanja kao mladog umetnika odvijaju se u vrlo neprijateljskom okruženju 90-ih godina prošlog veka, dobu duboke egzistencijalne krize srpskog društva, praćenog građanskim ratom, međunarodnom izolacijom, siromaštvom, poremećenim sistemom vrednosti, NATO bombardovanjem, a zatim, u 21. veku, revolucijom, srušenim nadama i iluzijama, razočaranjem i dugim tranzicionim procesom. Takav kontekst u kome je nastajala njena umetnička praksa nije mogao a da na njoj ne ostavi svojevrstan trag. Potreba da iznese svoj stav o vremenu u kome živi i radi mogao se zapaziti u nekoliko njenih radova. On je diskretan, ponekad prikriven ili samo nagovešten atmosferom i interakcijom, ređe samim sadržajem. Ti radovi bi se s pravom mogli podvesti pod angažovanu umetnost toga doba (Door Town Peć Kosovo Jugoslavija 1996, 1999; Putujem budna, 1999; CUT, 2000; Ujedinjenje čini snagu, 2001; II001, 2001; Staro sajmište 1937–2002, 2002).

Pitanja rodnosti takođe su za umetnicu veoma bitna. Sa posebnom osećajnošću i senzibilitetom prilazi „ženskom pitanju“, pitanju uloge i pozicije žene unutar savremenog društva u Srbiji iz pozicije učesnika i saučesnika. Bavljenje tim pitanjem danas je vrlo aktuelno i važno, te i umetnici nameće izvesnu odgovornost da o njima iznese svoj stav, pre svega zato što je savremenica društva još uvek opterećenog patrijarhalnim načinom razmišljanja, raznim provincijalizmima i ranije usvojenim stereotipovima. Izdvojila bih video-rad Ampularnica, sniman u jednom pogonu fabrike stakla u Pančevu u kome rade isključivo žene, a koji je nastao u okviru Internacionalne radionice Staklo 2002. Takođe i njene performanse, koje je izvodila zajedno sa svojim koleginicama (U mojoj duši, sa Mimom Orlović, 1998; Žeravica, sa Biljanom Klarić – Klarom,

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1999; Savršen izbor, sa Anom Vilenicom i Jelenom Balać, 2002; Play, sa Anom Vilenicom, 2002) i u kojima je ispitivala granice ženskog tela i uma, njegovu izdržljivost, osetljivost na bol, mogućnost koncentracije i međusobnog poverenja.

Na relativističkoj i fleksibilnoj poziciji umetnosti Nataša Teofilović gradi svoju ličnu umetničku strategiju u kojoj prvobitna ideja i sam proces rada imaju odlučujuću ulogu. Krećući se u proširenom polju umetnosti, svoj diskurs je izgradila na uzajamnim odnosima umetnosti, nauke i tehnologije, intimno-javnog i regionalno-univerzalnog, baveći se pitanjima identiteta, rodnosti, otuđenosti, usamljenosti, prijateljstva, ličnih sloboda, etnoarheologije, geopolitike, memorije, prostora, virtuelnih i iluzionističkih paradigmi…

Njeni animirani karakteri nam kroz ekransku sliku šalju humanu poruku o važnosti ostvarivanja istinske bliskosti i prijateljstva, danas pomalo izgubljenih u globalnoj mreži novih tehnologija. I kako duhovito zaključuje Čarli Gir u svojoj knjizi Digitalna kultura: „Živimo u svetu u kome smo sve povezaniji i sve razdvojeniji globalizovanim mrežama informacionih i komunikacionih tehnologija. Možda i ne treba da budemo iznenađeni što je s nestajanjem tradicionalnih oblika zajednice i razvojem novih oblika subjektiviteta i povezivanja koncept ‘prijateljstva’ postao vidljiviji i važniji. U situaciji kad ‘Tom’ može da tvrdi kako ima više od dvesta miliona prijatelja, neophodno je iznova promisliti sam izraz ‘prijateljstvo’.“ 6

Razmatrajući umetnički opus Nataše Teofilović, nastao u poslednjih dvadesetak godina – od polovine devedesetih godina prošlog veka do danas, može se zaključiti da je on veoma kompleksan i slojevit. Da bi se mogao sagledati i razumeti potrebno je upoznati sve njegove aspekte, one lako vidljive i one prikrivene, biti otvorenog uma za novomedijska eksperimentisanja i interdisciplinarnu složenost. Kao tranzicijski paradigmatski akter umetnica gradi svoju umetničku praksu na spletu umetničkih referenci i kroz praksu mnogostrukosti delovanja, artikulišući entropijska nastojanja novotehnoloških sistema, nastojeći da kroz procesualnost rada gradi svoj sopstveni svet, sada već prepoznatljiv na granici virtuelnog i stvarnog, u ukrštanju ličnog i opšteg, lokalnog i internacionalnog.

6 Čarli Gir, Digitalna kultura, Clio, Beograd, 2011, str. 210.

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Ako bi se u umetničkoj situaciji danas u Srbiji tražila nova avangardna stremljenja, ona bi se mogla pronaći u okviru digitalne umetnosti, a posebno u umetničkoj praksi Nataše Teofilović, koja to potvrđuje svojom inovativnošću, eksperimentalnošću, „pogledom unapred“, prevratničkom pozicijom, nenarativnošću, spremnošću na ispitivanje novih principa i mogućnosti koje pruža razvoj novih tehnologija, prilazeći im bez straha od rizika, nepoznatog, neizvesnog i slučajnog.

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Nataša Teofilović (1968) je umetnica koja kroz novomedijsku i kompjutersku umetnost istražuje pojavnost i identitet ženskog i čulnog u virtuelnom prostoru. Njen umetnički razvoj kretao se od neokonceptualne umetnosti ranih 90-ih do digitalne umetnosti novog veka, koja spaja umetnost, nauku i tehnologiju. Tehnički posmatrano, ona radi u različitim medijima, od eksperimentalnog videa i performansa do 3D karakter animacije i digitalnih ambijenata. Konceptualno, te radove objedinjuju teme identiteta u praznom (void) virtuelnom prostoru, percepcije virtuelnih bića i ispitivanje granica između virtuelnog i stvarnog prostora. Njeni digitalni radovi se mogu opisati terminima interdisciplinarne, hibridne i intraaktivne umetnosti.

Nataša Teofilović je odbranila prvi doktorat u Srbiji iz digitalne umetnosti na Interdisciplinarnim studijama Univerziteta umetnosti u Beogradu (2010). Na istom univerzitetu magistrirala je (2007), a diplomirala je arhitekturu na Arhitektonskom fakultetu Univerziteta u Beogradu kao studentkinja generacije. Autorka je prve knjige u Srbiji koja se bavi teorijom i praksom 3D karakter animacije (kompjuterske animacije humanoida), sa posebnim akcentom na analizi vlastitih animacija kroz koje istražuje pojavnost svog virtuelnog ženskog tela u kompjuterski generisanom prostoru. Vanredna je profesorka

na Fakultetu za medije i komunikacije (FMK) Univerziteta Singidunum u Beogradu.

Izlaže od 1995. godine i od tada je realizovala 15 samostalnih i oko 120 kolektivnih izložbi, nacionalnih i međunarodnih, od kojih treba izdvojiti: Ars Electronica (Linc, Austrija, 2007), Incheon International Digital Art Festival 2009 (Inčeon, Koreja, 2009), DAT – Digital Art & Technology (Singapur, 2007), KIBLIX 2014 – Parallels (Maribor, Slovenija, 2014), Premonition, Blood, Hope – Art in Vojvodina and Serbia from 1914 to 2014 (Beč, Austrija, 2014), Cargo East, The Subdued existence: Serbian Contemporary Art Scene (Tajvan, 2014; Banjaluka, BiH; Košice, Slovačka, 2015).

Od 1999. do 2006. godine bila je aktivno uključena u rad AŽIN-a (Asocijacije za žensku inicijativu, radeći na umetničkim radionicama, kao i u ogranku AŽINA – INDOK, gde radi na produkciji feminističke štampe, kao i feminističkih video-radova.

P U B L I K A C I J A

Nataša Teofilović, Umetnost pokreta u prostoru praznine (tehnologija i praksa virtuelnih karaktera), Arhitektonski fakultet Univerziteta u Beogradu, Beograd, 2011.

B I O G R A F I J A

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Pančevački Oktobarski salon 1999; Telo; slajd-projekcija makrofotografija na bioskopsko platno, 26. 5. 1999. Beč – Beograd; instalacija / fotografije (3 fotografije pruge 30x40 cm i jedna meseca 50x70 cm), zvuk (zričci); grupna pozivna izložba; Nagrada Oktobarskog salona, žiri: dr Lidija Merenik, dr Ješa Denegri, Marina Miljuš; Bioskop Apolo, Galerija savremene umetnosti, Pančevo, 1999.

31. salon, Pančevo 2001, Kontinuitet, pečat, situacija; Perfect Choice, 2D animacija, pozivna izložba; kustos: Ljiljana Ćinkul; Nagrada Salona, žiri: Zoran Erić, Svetlana Mladenov i Biljana Bralušić; Galerija Dvorište, Galerija savremene umetnosti, Pančevo, 2001.

34. salon, Pančevo 2004, Intimus; Just Follow the Red, plakati / digitalna štampa; pozivna izložba; kustos: Svetlana Mladenov; Nagrada Salona, žiri: Sava Stepanov, Radmila Savčić i Biljana Bralušić; Galerija savremene umetnosti, Pančevo, 2004.

35. salon Pančevo 2005; Character 0.05; segment rada s.h.e. – radna faza / jednokanalna 3D animacija; Specijalna nagrada 35. salona – produkcija rada i samostalna izložba; žiri: Lidija Merenik, Jasmina Čubrilo i Dragan Jelenković; Galerija savremene umetnosti, Pančevo, 2005.

Ars Electronica 2007, Goodbue Privacy; s.h.e., 3D karakter animacija / instalacija / ambijent; otkup rada za jednogodišnje prikazivanje u

okviru postavke Muzeja Ars Electronica 2007–2008; Ars Electronica Center, Linz, Austria, 2007.

Prix Ars Electronica Collide@CERN 2011; Honorary Mention – Prix Ars Electronica Collide@CERN 2011, Geneva, Switzerland; Počasna nagrada na međunarodnom konkursu iz digitalne umetnosti Evropskog instituta za fiziku čestica – CERN, Ženeva, i međunarodnog festivala digitalne umetnosti Ars Electronica, Linc, 2011.

15th Japan Media Arts Festival; 1:1. 3D karakter animacija / instalacija / ambijent; [Jury Selection Work – 15th Japan Media Arts Festival, Art Division; Tokio, Japan, 2011.

FESA – Festival evropske studentske animacije, s.h.e. 3D karakter animacija / instalacija / ambijent; Diploma za najbolji rad u kategoriji Eksperimentalnog animiranog filma; žiri: József Fülöp, Karoline Riha, Rastko Ćirić; Barutana, Beograd, 2012.

Behind the Border, 11. međunarodno bijenale akvarela; one-for-tango; 3D karakter animacija/ instalacija; selektorka: Svetlana Mladenov; Velika nagrada 11. bijenala akvarela, otkup rada za kolekciju galerije; žiri: Sunčica Lambić-Fenjčev i Slavica Popov;Savremena galerija Zrenjanin, 2015.

N A G R A D E – O T K U P I

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70012016, 3D animacija fraktala, 5.30

Animacija 7001 i slike u knjizi nastale su isključivo u programu za generisanje fraktala, što znači da se zasnivaju na matematičkim formulama. Međutim, vizuelni rezultat otkriva jednu drugu, ličnu prirodu i asocira na slobodni, gestualni crtež rukom i uskovitlane čestice. Rad sa fraktalima nosi specifičnu poetiku. To je da svaki najmanji delić slike sadrži u sebi informaciju, globalnu sliku celine. Najmanje sadrži u sebi najveće, i obratno. Sličan pristup je aktuelan i u naučnim radovima – naučnici koji se bave univerzumom (tj. beskonačno velikim) svoje postulate zasnivaju na rezultatima fizičara koji se bave istraživanjem čestica (tj. beskonačno malim). Mikro i makro univerzum se uzajamno sadrže i definišu. Kao i u poeziji, prožimaju se globalno i pojedinačno, opšte i lično.

70012016, 3D animation of the fractals, 5:30

Animation “7001” and images for the book have been produced exclusively by using a fractal generating computer program, which means that they are based on mathematical formulas. However, the final visual result uncovers a diferent, more personal side, reminding us of a freeform, gestural hand drawing and particles in motion. Working with fractals carrying in itself a poetry of its own. Every part, even the smallest, contains information, a global image of the whole. The smallest contains in itself the largest and vice versa. Similar approach is also used in scientific works. Scientists dealing with the infinitely big, the Universe, are basing their axioms on the results by works of the physicists dealing with the infinitely small, particle research. Micro and macro universes are mutually reflected and contained. Just like in poetry, global and individual, common and personal, are intertwined.

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s|word2015, 3D karakter animacija (animacija humanoida) i instalacija, 3.24

s|word je 3D karakter animacija i instalacija. Kao instalacija prikazuje se frontalno, u veličini ljudske figure, koja se kreće prema posmatraču. Naziv s|word je igra rečima na engleskom, jer sadrži u sebi reči „mač“ i „reč“. Reči su kao i oružje jer mogu raniti, zaštititi ili lečiti. Ovaj nenarativni rad pokušava da vizualizuje metaforu „duše“ koja se javlja u snovima, kroz pad i podizanje, pamćenje i zaborav, beg – gubitak duše i vraćanje u sebe – „let“ sa dušom.

s|word2015, 3D character animation (humanoid animation) and installation, 3:24

“s|word” is a 3D character animation and installation. As an installation, the work is conceived as a frontal projection, about 2.4 m in height, making it almost a life size figure, facing and moving towards the visitors. “s/word” is a play on words, containing both “sword” and “word”. Words are like weapons, as they can hurt, protect, or heal the soul. This non-narrative work attempts to visualize the metaphor of the human “soul” appearing in dreams, like falling and getting up, remembering and forgetting, running - loosing the “soul” and coming back into ourselves - “flying” with the soul.

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moon below and lake above2015, 2D generativna animacija, 2.59

Kao izvorni fajl za generisanje slike korišćen je video mora, sniman u Plavoj špilji na otoku Visu, gde svetlost dolazi ispod površine vode i boji unutrašnjost pećine u plavo.Ovaj video ima lično značenje i predstavlja metaforu uranjanja u podsvesno.Mesec se ogleda na površini jezera ali istovremeno Mesečeve mene utiču na tok vode. Mesec i jezero su odvojeni razdaljinom ali su nerazdvojivi uzajamnošću uticaja.

moon below and lake above2015, 2D generative animation, 2:59

As a source data for generating the picture, the artist used the footage of the sea surface with the light coming from below, recorded inside a cave (Blue Cave, Vis [island], Croatia). This video also has a personal meaning and represents a metaphor for diving into the subconsciousness. The moon is mirrored on the lake surface, but its phases simultaneously influence the water flow. The moon and the lake are separated by the distance but inseparably intertwined by their influence on each other.

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a|symmetry2013, 3D i 2D karakter animacija (animacija humanoida), 7.57

Animacija a|symmetry je nastala iz jednog pokreta virtuelne ruke koja čulno i ispitujuće dodiruje prazninu (void) virtuelnog prostora. Taj izolovani pokret, nakon višestrukog umnožavanja, više se ne prepoznaje kao pojedinačni element već formira jedinstvenu sliku. Rotacija, simetrija i sukcesivno kašnjenje pokreta generišu apstraktnu formu koja asocira na organsku strukturu i poprima kvalitete simbola poput mandale ili neke vrste oživljenog pulsirajućeg univerzuma. Multiplikacijom, svaki najmanji trzaj prsta u finalnoj kompozitnoj formi dobija dramatičan impuls i ubrzanje. Pojedinačno jedno postaje Jedno.

a|symmetry2013, 3D and 2D character animation (humanoid animation), 7:57

a|symmetry animation originated from a singular virtual arm movement, touching the void of virtual space. It represents a wondering and sensual touch. The isolated movement, when multiplied, starts losing its individual quality, and forms a single picture. Rotation, symmetry, mirroring, and time delay, produce an abstract form, reminiscent of an organic structure and acquires symbol-like qualities, such as mandala, or some kind of a living pulsating universe. Through multiplication, even the smallest finger movement receives a dramatic impulse and velocity in the final form. An individual one becomes the One.

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one-for-tango2012, 3D karakter animacija (animacija humanoida), 5.25

Animaciju one for tango inspirisale su dve naizgled odvojene teme. Prva je metafora za motion blur (razmazivanje, razvlačenje konture tela pri veoma brzom kretanju), a druga je sećanje iz detinjstva na slobodu tela pri pokretu. Kompjuterski generisan motion blur je virtuelna interpretacija naše percepcije – kako ljudsko oko vidi brz pokret. Može se reći da je, što je motion blur duži, duža i memorija prethodne pozicije tela. Veće kašnjenje memorisane pozicije tela duplira figuru i jedno telo se duplira u dva. Virtuelno biće počinje da igra sa virtuelnim sobom a tango postaje metafora za ples sa vlastitim sećanjima. Osećaj slobode iz detinjstva nalazi se u dva suprotna pokreta tela. Prvi je prepuštanje padu. Drugi je let, koji se događa samo u snu.

one-for-tango2012, 3D character animation (humanoid animation), 5:25

“one for tango” animation was inspired by two seemingly separate themes - a metaphor for the motion blur (smudging, softening of body contours by extremely rapid movement), and the childhood remembrance of freedom in body movement. Computer-simulated motion blur is a virtual interpretation of our impression – rapid movement as perceived by the human eye - the longer the motion blur, the longer the memory of the body position. The delay of the memorized body position doubles the figure and a single body is duplicated. One becomes two as virtual being starts to dance with its virtual-self and the tango becomes a metaphor for the play with the memories of oneself. The feeling of freedom in my childhood was set between two opposed body movements - letting myself fall down and flying, which only happened in my dreams.

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s.h.e. 20112011, 3D karakter animacija (animacija humanoida), 6.25Iz kolekcije MSUV

Rad s.h.e. 2011 je prerađena, prerenderovana i prekomponovana varijanta rada s.h.e. iz 2006. godine. Dok je prvi rad bio instalacija u prostoru, sastavljena od 5 nezavisnih sinhronizovanih projekcija na ekranima 4:3, rad iz 2011. je prilagođen HD formatu i prikazivanju na jednom ekranu, na crnoj pozadini. Digitalna animacija s.h.e. 2011 ispituje pojmove virtuelnog, stvarnog i čulnog u digitalnom okruženju. Digitalni modeli su virtuelne membrane, tela bez organa koja mimikom, gestom i zvukom (kucanjem sa unutrašnje strane ekrana) komuniciraju uzajamno i/ili sa posmatračem. Šest različitih karaktera svojom materijalizacijom i pokretom prikazuju šest različitih emotivnih stanja. U praznini virtuelnog prostora – virtuelne glumice su ostavljene da istražuju svoj virtuelni identitet. Iz tog razloga one dodiruju ivicu (granicu) virtuelne slike, ulaze u svoja vlastita virtuelna tela i susreću se sa „samom sobom“. Elementi ličnog, privatnog i autoportreta su prisutni u svakom segmentu rada. Portreti virtuelnih glumica se u osnovi zasnivaju na umetnicinom licu. Digitalno osvetljenje modela preneto je iz ambijenta u kome živi. Zvuk – ritam koji udara o ekran je kucanje po staklenoj površini monitora, na kojoj je rad nastao. Mimika, pokret i gest su lično njeni.

s.h.e. 20112011, 3D character animation (humanoid animation), 6:25From the MoCAV Collection

“s.h.e. 2011” represents an adaptation - over-rendered, and over-composed version of the work “s.h.e.” from 2006. While the initial artwork was an installation in space made of 5 independently synchronized projections on screens 4:3, the 2011 version was adapted to HD format and showing on a single, black-background screen. Digital animation “s.h.e. 2011” examines the notions of virtual, actual,

and sensory, in a digital environment. Digital models are virtual membranes, bodies without organs, which communicate with each other and/or with the audience. Six different characters represent six different emotional states through their materialization and movement. In the void of the virtual space, virtual actresses are left to explore their virtual identity. For this reason, they touch the edge (borderline) of the virtual picture and enter their own virtual bodies, meeting “their own selves.” Elements of personal, private, and self-portraits are present in every segment of this artwork. Portraits of virtual actresses are actually based on the artist’s own face. Digital lighting of the model was carried from the ambient in which she lives. The sound – the rythm of the blow against the screen represents the rapping against the glass surface of the monitor where this work was created. Expression, movement, and gestures are her own.

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knot / preplet2011, 2D animacija, 5.24

U radu Knot/Preplet čvorovi se upliću i raspliću. Motivi su preuzeti iz srednjovekovnih ornamenata – prepletâ i matematičke teorije čvorova “Knot Theory”. Rad je inspirisan istraživanjem etnografkinje i pedagoga Jelice Belović Bernadžikovske, koja je sakupljala, tumačila i razvrstavala ručno rađene artefakte tekstilne umetnosti u južnoslovenskim zemljama. U svojim tumačenjima ona izjednačava vez i pisanje, analizirajući te radove kroz modernistički pristup, kroz stilizaciju nasuprot realističnoj predstavi. Ornamenti, stilizovani i apstraktni, kao i boje – to su i instrumenti magije, umetničke i praktične. Simbolička značenja šara, poput paukova i svetih buba, „baja“, ili drugih zaštitnih motiva, osnažena su bojom.

knot 2011, 2D animation, 5:24

In Knot/Preplet, the knots are interlaced and losened. The motives are taken over from Middle Age ornaments – knots and the mathematical “Knot Theory.” This artwork was inspired by the research of the ethnographer and pedagogue Jelica Belović Bernadžikovska, who collected, interpreted, and categorized hand-made artifacts of textile art in the South Slavic countries. In her interpretations, she identifies embroidery and writing, analyzing these works through modern approach, stylization against realistic representation. Ornaments, stylized and abstract, as well as colors, are the instruments of magic, both artistic and practical. Symbolic meanings of patterns such as spiders and sacred bugs, “bajas” [words uttered by village ‘witch doctors,’ or magic practitioners, to attract/repulse evil, or predict future events – transl.comm.] or other protective motifs, are empowered by color.

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1:12010, 3D karakter animacija (animacija humanoida) i instalacija, 4.24

1:1 je 3D ambijent – 3D karakter animacija projektovana na podu. Animacija prikazuje senku nevidljivog virtuelnog aktera koji se nalazi sa „suprotne strane“ virtuelne ravni. Takvom postavkom posmatrač zamenjuje vlastitu senku virtuelnom. Naziv rada 1:1 predstavlja oznaku za prikaz u realnoj veličini. Takođe, simboliše i relaciju između dva entiteta, kao što su 3D akter i njegova senka, ali i posmatrač – virtuelna slika.

1:12010, 3D character animation (humanoid animation) and installation, 4:24

The artwork “1:1” was developed as a 3D ambient, i.e. a 3D character animation projected on the floor. The animation presents a shadow of an invisible virtual participant placed on the “opposite side” of the virtual plane. This setup enables visitors to replace their shadow with the virtual one. The title of the art work “1:1” is the symbol for the “full scale” representation. In addition, it refers to the relationship between two entities - a 3D participant and its shadow, but also the audience-picture relation.

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s.h.e.2006, 3D karakter animacija (animacija humanoida) i instalacija, 10.38

s.h.e. je digitalni ambijent sastavljen od instalacije i animiranih 3D likova koji žive u svom digitalnom svetu. Pet monitora je postavljeno tako da razmaci između njih obezbeđuju prostor za pokret tih likova koji lutaju od ekrana do ekrana, ali ostaju vidljive praznine između monitorâ. Kada se posetioci suoče sa virtuelnim likovima u visini očiju – uspostavlja se sfera komunikacije koja bez ikakvog uputstva za interakciju privlači posetioce u svet iza ekrana, u kome se iznenada počinju preklapati virtuelni i realni prostor.

s.h.e.2006, 3D character animation (humanoid animation) and installation, 10:38

s.h.e. represents a digital ambient composed from an installation and animated 3D characters living in their own digital world. Five computer monitors are set up so as to provide space for the movements of these characters that wander from screen to screen but remain visible in the gaps between the monitors. When visitors are confronted with the virtual characters at eye level, a sphere of communication is established, which, without any interaction instructions, draws the visitor into the world behind the screens, where virtual and real space suddenly begin to overlap.

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belo / white2006, 3D animacija i video, 5.44

Rad Belo predstavlja kombinaciju videa i 3D animacije. Kao instalacija, „belo“ prikazuje prisustvo / odsustvo virtuelnog tela u realnom prostoru. Bela haljina na nevidljivom virtuelnom telu pleše, hipnotički se okreće oko sebe poput igre derviša. Video prikazuje jutarnju senku na garderobnom ormanu. Usporeni zvuk pucketanja vatre asocira na pucanj. Tema rada je dualitet: virtuelnog prisustva i realnog pokreta, tela i opne. Prisustva tela vidljivog samo kroz opsesivni pokret. Hipnotički ples kojim pokušava da transcendira svoju virtuelnu prirodu.

white2006, 3D animation and video, 5:44

“White” represents a combination of a video and a 3D animation. As an installation, “White” shows presence/absence of a virtual body in real space. On an invisible body, white dress is dancing and rotating, in a hypnotic, dervish-like dance. Video shows the morning shadow on the wardrobe closet. A slow, delayed sound of burning wood is reminiscent of a gunshot. The topic of the work is a duality: virtual presence and real movement, body / membrane, body presence visible only through obsessive movement, hypnotic dance which attempts to transcend its virtual nature.

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tree@codec2005, 2D animacija – generativni video, 2.37

tree@codec je generička 2D animacija koja dekomponuje video-snimak krošnje drveta pokrenute vetrom.

tree@codec2005, 2D animation – generative video, 2:37

tree@codec is a generic 2D animation, decomposing a video of the treetop moved by the wind.

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spirits2005, 2D animacija, 15.15

Spirits je simulacija naučnog eksperimenta izvedenog u programu za obradu slike, primenom “blending mode” algoritma u fotošopu. Svako preklapanje dva „roditelja“ (dva lejera) proizvodilo je više „dece“, koja su u sledećem koraku ponovo ukrštana. Vremenom, dobijene slike su počele da dobijaju organske karakteristike, koje su asocirale na oči, usta, stomak. Ono što je dovelo do takvog rezultata je bio moj izbor tokom „ukrštanja“.

spirits2005, 2D animation, 15:15

“Spirits” is a simulation of a “scientific experiment” done in Photoshop by a default layer blending mode algorithm. Every blending between two “parents” (two layers) produces more “children,” who were again intertwined in the next step. As time passed, the pictures started to acquire organic features, like eyes, mouth, or a stomach. This was a direct result of the choices I made during the “crossings.”

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Pričaj sa mnom2003, 2D animacija, 1.22

Slike spelovanja samoglasnika i suglasnika u srpskom jeziku sklopljene su u animaciji slučajnim izborom tako da mimikom i bez glasa govore nerazumljivim jezikom.

talk to me 2003, 2D animation, 1:22

Pictures of spelling Serbian letters, merged in the animation by random choice, resulting in the soundless pronounciation of unintelligible language through facial expression.

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RGB2002, 3D animacija, 1.46

Animacija slika crtanih digitalno, koje asociraju na žive, pulsirajuće forme.

RGB2002, 3D animation, 1:46

Animation of digital drawings, reminiscent of living, pulsating forms.

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II0012001, 2D animacija, 8.33

Animacija digitalno crtanih slika. Beskonačno kretanje kompozicije vagona.

II0012001, 2D animation, 8:33

Animation of digital drawings. Endless composition of wagons passing by.

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perfect choice2001, 2D animacija, 8.50

Projekat perfect choice je urađen kao serija kompjuterski iscrtanih varijacija fasada. Svaki frejm predstavlja jedan konačni, mogući „savršen izbor“, ponuđen korisniku kao simulacija ili kao njegov „savršeni izbor“ vlastitog identiteta.

perfect choice2001, 2D animation, 8:50

“perfect choice” project was executed as a series of computer-drawn facade variations. Each frame represents a single final, possible “perfect choice,” offered to the user as a simulation or as his/her “perfect choice” of their own identity.

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circle2000, 2D animacija, 3.48

Sva vrata u kući u kojoj živim su zastakljena osim glavnih ulaznih vrata. Kuća oslikava svoje stanovnike, kao i nemogućnost privatnosti i izolacije. Otvaranje i zatvaranje vrata snimano je tokom dana. Noćne fotografije su rađene u oktobru 2000. u užurbanom gradu, u noći kada je pao režim Slobodana Miloševića. Glas u videu ponavlja reč patience (strpljenje) na engleskom koja, kada se pusti obrnuto, zvuči kao „život“ na srpskom, što je slučajno otkriveno tokom montaže.

circle2000, 2D animation, 3:48

All doors (except the main entrance door) in the house I live in are made of glass. The house represents its inhabitants, as well as the lack of privacy and isolation. The opening/closing of doors was recorded during the day. The night shots were taken in October 2000, during the busy city night when Slobodan Milosevic’s regime fell. The voice in the video repeats “patience,” which, when played in reverse, sounds like the word “life” in Serbian (“život”), which was accidentally discovered during the video editing.

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70012016, digitalna štampa – knjiga, 30x30 cm, 36 kom.

70012016, digital print - book, 30 x 30 cm, 36 pieces

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ptice2014, digitalna štampa – generativna grafika, 100 kom, 70x100 cm

birds2014, digital print – generative graphics, 100 pieces, 70x100 cm

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Equilibrium Mode i Last Train2007, plakati, 70x50 cm

Equilibrium Mode and Last Train2007, posters, 70x50 cm

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a fraktali2006, digitalna štampa, 40x40 cm, zajedno sa Larisom Ackov

fractals2006, digital print, 40x40 cm, with Larisa Ackov

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Lična kolekcija2006, digitalna štampa, 60x40 cm i razglednice

Personal Collection2006, digital print, 60x40 cm, and postcards

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Just Follow the Red2004, plakati / digitalna štampa, 70x50 cm

Just Follow the Red2004, posters / digital print, 70x50 cm

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neko laže2003, digitalna štampa; 50x50 cm

someone’s lying2003, digital print; 50x50 cm

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Još uvek živim u Pančevu2002, digitalna štampa; 30x40 cm, 3 kom.

I Still Live in Pančevo2002, digital print; 30x40 cm, 3 pieces

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Unification Becomes Strength / Ujedinjenje čini snagu2001, digitalna štampa – bilbord i 4 tipa razglednica

Unification Becomes Strength 2001, digital print - billboard and 4 types of postcards

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Door Town Peć Kosovo Yugoslavia 19961999, plakat – kolaž

Door Town Peć Kosovo Yugoslavia 19961999, poster - collage

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land.scape2013, video, 2.21

Susret dve ruke koji formira apstraktan pejzaž, animirani akvarel.

land.scape2013, video, 2:21

The encounter of two hands, forming the picture of abstract landscape; animated water color.

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08.08.08.doc2008, video, 1.07

Dokumentarni zapis uklanjanja mušica sa praznog belog lista prikazanog na kompjuterskom ekranu.

08.08.08.doc2008, video, 1:07

A documentary video of eliminating midges flying over a white empty paper shown on the computer screen.

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ampularnica2002, video, 8.01

Dokumentarni video-zapis automatizovanog procesa proizvodnje i manuelnog rada radnica u ampularnici, jednom od pogona fabrike stakla u Pančevu gde isključivo rade žene. Proizvodni ciklus koji obezbeđuje neprekidnu proizvodnju istovremeno je i ciklus u kome se troši ljudsko, kreativno vreme.

ampoule production line2002, video, 8:01

A documentary video of automated production process, as well as manual work in the ampoule production line of the glass factory in Pančevo, which employs women only. A production cycle enabling constant production at the same time represents the cycle expending human, creative time.

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I Stay in Residence2000, video, 1.44

Na tri prozora unutar jedne slike video prikazuje lice, telo i stopala osobe koju pokušavaju guranjem da pomere, ali koja se stalno vraća na istu poziciju.

I Stay in Residence2000, video, 1:44

In three separate windows inside the same picture, a video shows a face, body, and the feet of a person pushed around in an attempt to move him/her, but the person constantly comes back to the same position.

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CUT2000, video, 2.10

Putovanje kamere od pupka do grla, preklopljeno sa fotografijom vara metala koji podseća na ožiljak. Var je fotografisan na brani na reci Pčinji, na granici Jugoslavije i Makedonije.

CUT2000, video, 2:10

Camera movement from the navel to the throat, overlaid with photos of the metal welding, reminiscent of a scar. The welding photograph was taken on the dam of the river Pčinja, on the Yugoslav-Macedonian border.

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Jé voyage éveillée / Putujem budna1999, video i instalacija, 4.01

Kroz svojevrsni autoportret, u video-radu se govori o putevima (izvan zemlje, izvan vlastitog identiteta) koji nisu „ni odlazak ni povratak“.

I Travel Awake1999, video and installation, 4:01

As a particular self-portrait, the video “Je voyage éveillée” (I Travel Awake) describes traveling (beyond borders of one’s country, or beyond one’s identity), which can be defined as “neither leaving, nor coming back.”

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Staro sajmište Beograd 1937–2002. / Old Fair Belgrade 1937–20022002, dokumentarni video i 3D animacija; 24.49; zajedno sa Biljanom Klarić – Klarom, produkcija Goethe Institut Beograd

Dokumentarni video prikazuje dramatične promene, pre svega u funkciji, arhitektonskog kompleksa Starog sajmišta u Beogradu. Obrađena su četiri perioda. Tokom prvog, 1937–1941, tu je izgrađen ogroman međunarodni sajamski kompleks. U drugom periodu, 1941–1945, to mesto je transformisano u nacistički logor. Treći period, 1945–1952, je vreme posleratnog entuzijazma, i na toj lokaciji su bile smeštene radne brigade i Agencija za izgradnju Novog Beograda – glavnog grada novog komunističkog režima. Četvrti period započinje 1952, kada su objekti Starog sajmišta dodeljeni ULUS-u i postali umetnički studiji. Metamorfoza tog prostora prikazana je kroz relaciju sa čovekom koji stvara, koji razara, čovekom idealistom i onim koji briše memoriju.

Old Belgrade Fair Grounds 1937 – 20022002, documentary video and 3D animation; 24:49; with Klarić Biljana Klara, production: Goethe Institut Belgrad

This documentary video shows the dramatic, primarily functional, changes, of the Belgrade Old Fair Grounds architectural complex, since it was built in 1937 up until the present day. The documentary video consists of four periods. During the first period (1937-1941), a large international fair ground complex was built on this site. During the second (1941-1945), the place was transformed into a Nazi camp. The third period (1945-1952) marks the time of the post-war enthusiasm. During these years, work brigades and The Agency for the Construction of New Belgrade - the “capitol” for the new Communist regime, formed their offices here. The fourth period began in 1952, when the premises of the Old Fair Grounds were given to The Association of Plastic Art Artists of Serbia to be used as artistic studios. The metamorphosis of the location is shown through the relation with a man: creative, destructive, idealist, and man who erases memory.

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Olga Jevrić, skulptor, 50 godina rada2001, dokumentarni video; 30.55; koncept i razrada projekta: Biljana Tomić i Ješa Denegri; produkcija: Goethe Institut Beograd; zajedno sa Biljanom Klarić – Klarom

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Olga Jevrić, Sculptress, 50th Anniversary2001, documentaryi video; 30:55; concept and development of the project: Biljana Tomić and Ješa Denegri; production: Goethe Institut Belgrad; with Klarić Biljana Klara

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play2002, performans, zajedno sa Anom Vilenicom

Obe performerke imaju belom bojom obojene „rukavice“. Tokom performansa kleče jedna naspram druge i udaraju ruku o ruku (kao dečja igra koju smo svi ponavljali), a potom naizmenično udaraju šamare jedna drugoj. Leva ruka – desna ruka – obe ruke – levi obraz – desni obraz. Nema zvuka, dominira ritam, koncentracija, bol.

play2002, performance, with Ana Vilenica

Both performers have ”gloves” painted in white. During the performance, they kneel one opposite each other and slap their hands together (similar to the child’s game we all used to play), and then alternately each other’s cheeks. Left hand – right hand – both hands – left cheek – right cheek. There is no sound - rhythm, concentration, and pain dominate.

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Jedno pitanje jedan dinar jedan odgovor2002, happening / instalacija

Jedno pitanje, jedan dinar jedan odgovor je instalacija i događaj – scenario uličnih igara sreće ili sudbine. Kao instalaciju, rad čini 35 različitih kartončića (4x4 cm). Publici je ponuđeno da „postavi jedno pitanje“, „kupi jednu karticu“ (ostavi jedan dinar) i pročita odgovor na njenoj poleđini. Odgovori na poleđini svih kartica su bili isti: „vera“.

One Question One Dinar One Answer2002, happening / installation

“One Question One Dinar One Answer” is the installation and happening, scenario of street fortune games and tellers. Installation consists of 35 different cards, 4 x 4 cm. The audience is given a choice of “asking a question,” “buying a card” (leaving a dinar) and reading an answer on the cards’ back. The answer on the back of the cards is always the same – “faith.”

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Savršen izbor 2001, performans / ambijent, zajedno sa Anom Vilenicom i Jelenom Balać

Ovaj performans je fizički vrlo iscrpljujući, sa mogućnošću povrede tela, te su se u njegovoj pripremi koristile tehnike kao što su: buto joga, kontakt improvizacije, fizički trening. Bavi se ispitivanjem granica – krajnjih stanja uma i tela, fizičke i mentalne pripremljenosti/nepripremljenosti. U tome nema kompromisa jer kada se ispituju vlastite granice svesti ili bola – mora se tačno znati gde se one nalaze.

Perfect Choice2001, performance / ambient, with Ana Vilenica and Jelena Balać

This performance is physically extremelly demanding, with a possibility of injury, thus requiring preparation techniques, such as butoh, yoga, contact improvizations, and strenuous physical training. It deals with exloring the limits, or extreme states of body and mind, physical and mental preparedness (or unpreparedness). There is no room for any kind of compromise here – when one’s own limits are tested, whether of mind or pain, one must know exactly where they are.

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Live Coals / Žeravica1999, performans; zajedno sa Biljanom Klarić – Klarom

Performans Live Coals je izveden tokom noći, na otvorenom prostoru, iz dva dela. Prvi je čin paljenja i negovanja vatre – stvaranja žeravice, koji je urađen pre zvaničnog performansa. Drugi deo, sam performans izveden pred publikom (u našem narodu postoji sličan ritual), je spravljanje žive vode i žive vatre. Učesnice golim rukama vade usijano ugljevlje iz vatre, naizmenično ga dodaju jedna drugoj i tako ga prenose do posude sa vodom, gde ga gase. Performans se završava umivanjem „živom“ vodom, tj. simboličnim činom ozdravljenja i očišćenja duše i tela. Ugašeni ugarci – „živa vatra“ – dele se publici. Performans ispituje granice vlastite svesti i njenog odnosa prema telu. On je mogao dovesti do samopovređivanja, opekotina ili povređivanja partnerke. Duboka koncentracija i prepuštanje, praćenje ritma prebacivanja ugaraka iz ruke u ruku, uzajamno poverenje, rad koji transformiše svest – to su bili dragoceni segmenti tog iskustva.

Live Coal1999, performance; with Klarić Biljana Klara

“Live Coal” was performed during the night, in open space, in two parts. First part represents the act of burning and tending the fire, i.e. generating live coal, which was completed before the official performance. The second part, the performance itself, was realized before the audience, consisting of making live water and fire (a similar ritual exists in Serbian folk tradition). Participants take live coal from the fire with their bare hands, giving it to each other, and taking it to the bowl with water, thus extinguishing it. The performance ends with performers washing their faces with the same (“live”) water, which represents a symbolic act of healing and cleansing the body and soul. Extinguished coal - “live fire” is given to the audience. The performance tests the limits of the mind and its relationship with the body. The performance could have led to self-injury, burns, or hurting the partner. Deep concentration and letting go, following the rhythm of moving the coal from hand to hand and to the bowl, mutual trust, work which transforms the mind – those were the priceless segments of this experience.

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u mojoj duši / in my soul” / μεσα ψυχη μου1998, performans / video / instalacija, zajedno sa Mimom Orlović

Video-rad dokumentuje gest (performans) stvaranja i dekomponovanja različitih struktura od trobojnih keramičkih pločica. U kadru su vidljive četiri ruke i odraz neba jer se taj čin izvodi na ogledalu. Dinamika kretanja ruku i sporo proticanje oblaka pojačava prisutnost („beskrajnog“) vremena. Tokom projekcije učesnice performansa izgovaraju značenja reči psihi (duša), preuzete iz grčko-engleskog rečnika. Glas autorki se superponira sa zvukom udaraca keramičkih pločica o staklo.

in my soul” / μεσα ψυχη μου1998, performance / video / installation, with Mima Orlović

This video recording documents the gesture (performance) of creating and decomposing different structures made of three-colored ceramic tiles. Considering that the act is executed on the mirror, the screenshot shows four hands and the reflection of the sky. The dynamics of hands and slow movement of the clouds reinforces the presence of (“infinite”) time. During this projection, performers pronounce the definition of the words psyche/soul taken from the Greek/English dictionary. The voices are superimposed on the sound of ceramic tiles crashing on the glass.

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26. 5. 1999. Beč – Beograd 1999, fotografije, 50x70 cm

May 26,1999, Vienna - Belgrade 1999, photographs, 50 x 70 cm

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Telo1999, fotografije, 50x70 cm i slajd-projekcija

Body1999, photographs, 50 x 70 cm, and slide projection

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1:11998, 2 cibahrom fotografije izrađene sa slajdova, 50x70 cm; ručno rađena aluminijumska konstrukcija

1:11998, 2 Cibachrome photographs developed from slides, 50 x 70 cm; manually constructed aluminum structure

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Centar za interdisciplinarna istraživanja1997, arhitektonski projekat / ambijent / instalacija

Predlog rekonstrukcije i revitalizacije napuštenog industrijskog kompleksa nekadašnje betonjerke u Marini Dorćol. Centar za interdisciplinarna istraživanja je projekat otvorene kulturne institucije koja ima karakteristike Kunsthalea, umetničkog prostora koji čine: prostor za izlaganje, radni prostor, depo i dokumentaciono-informativna baza. Program Centra je, kroz praćenje i promovisanje aktuelnih događaja u kulturi i umetnosti, usmeren na aktivni, odnosno interaktivni rad.

Center for Interdisciplinary Research 1997, architectural project / ambient / installation;

A proposal for the reconstruction and revitalization of abandoned industrial complex of former factory hall on Marina Dorćol. Center for Interdisciplinary Research represents the project of open cultural institution with the characteristics of Kunsthale – artistic space consisting of: exhibition space, work space, storage, and documentational-informative database. The program of the Center is directed towards active and interactive work through following and promotion of current cultural and art events.

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Polje sreće 1996, objekat/ ambijent; deteline (756 detelina sa 4 lista, 174 detelina sa 5 listova, 12 detelina sa 6 listova, 3 deteline sa 7 listova i 1 detelina sa 9 listova); aluminijumska prizma 0,86x0,86x0,70 m, staklo, paus-papir, lampa

Polje sreće sadrži preko pet stotina presovanih detelina sa četiri i više listova. Intimistički karakter rada je prisutan zbog činjenice da su te deteline sakupljane u vremenskom rasponu od oko dvadeset godina. Inverzija: lično (privatno), koje izlaganjem postaje javno, ovom radu daje kritičku dimenziju. Odluka da u jednom određenom trenutku izložim deo svoje emotivne memorije je način preispitivanja vlastitog identiteta u jednoj egzistencijalno teškoj situaciji. To je čin unutrašnjeg razotkrivanja, nulta tačka emotivnog stanja.

Field of Luck1996, object / ambient; clovers (756 4-leaf clovers, 174 5-leaf clovers, 12 6-leaf clovers, 3 7-leaf clovers, and 1 9-leaf clover); aluminum prism, 0.86 x 0.86 x 0.70 m, glass, tracing paper, lamp

Field of Luck contains over five hundred pressed four- and more leaved clovers. The intimate character of the work is consisted in the fact that the clovers were collected in the time period of about twenty years. Inversion: personal (private) becoming public through an exhibition gives this work a critical dimension. The decision to expose a part of my emotional memory to the public represents the way to question my own identity in an existentially difficult situation. It is an act of internal revealing, ground zero of my emotional state.

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Lični pečat1996, 25 pečata, 25 kutija za pečate od balze 5x5x9 cm, aluminijumska prizma 0,86x0,86x0,70 m, staklo

Pečati su stilizovane kopije najkarakterističnijih primeraka detelina iz rada Polje sreće. Prvih pet pečata u radu imaju natpis „lični pečat“ i inicijale umetnice, dok je ostalih 20 pečata neoznačeno. „Lični pečat“ je interaktivni rad, događaj (happening). Publici je ponuđeno da bira i otiskuje deteline po koži kao tatoo ili po drugim za njih značajnim predmetima. To je krajnji stepen izloženosti vlastite emotivne strukture, koja postaje upotrebni predmet koji se može multiplicirati. Pečat može svako prisvojiti, kupiti, kao „označitelja“ vlastitog identiteta, vlastitih emocija i nada.

Personal Seal1996, 25 stamps/seals, 25 stamp boxes made of balsa wood 5 x 5 x 9 cm, aluminum prism 0.86 x 0.86 x 0.70m, glass

Stamps represent stylized copies of the most typical clover specimens from “Field of Luck” artwork. The first five stamps bear the title “Personal Seal” and the inital of the artist, while the other 20 are unmarked. “Personal Seal” is an interactive work, event (happening). The audience may choose and use stamps to make prints, either on their skin as a tattoo, or on some other, for them significant objects. This represents a final degree of exposure of the emotional structure, which becomes a utilization object with a multiplication potential. A stamp can be appropriated or bought by anyone, as a “marker” of their own identity, emotions, and hopes.

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Kroz-oko1995, instalacija, fotografije

Ambijentalna postavka koja se bazira na mišljenju da arhitektura može da kodira i usmerava percepciju. Razapinjanjem crne trake u galerijskom prostoru – prostor se menjao kretanjem iz prve trake, posle koje je na bliskom rastojanju sledila druga traka sa fotografijama, a zatim naredna traka… sve do kruga u koji se ulazilo da bi se videle fotografije fiksirane iznutra. Sve to je zahtevalo pravolinijsko i kružno kretanje posmatračâ. Rad je tako trebalo posmatrati dvojako, unutar njega (kao seriju fotografija) i kao ambijent posmatran izvan njega, koji su oblikovali posetioci iznuđenim kretanjem.

Through-Eye1995, installation, photographs;

This work represents an ambient installation based on the belief that architecture can code and steer perception. By stretching a black tape throughout gallery space, it transforms tit through the movement of the first tape, followed by the second, with photographs, and then the next one, and so on, until a circle is reached in order to view photographs which are fixed inside. This required a straight-line, as well as circular movement on the part of the audience. The work needed to be veiwed in a twofold manner: inside (as a series of photographs), as well as an environment outside the work itself, shaped by visitors’ movement.

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Ostrva / Islands1995, arhitektonski projekti, 17 fotokopija crteža u pesku 80x115cm i 60x80cm, maketa

Prihvatajući različite medije kao činjenice života i kao podatne mogućnosti za svoj rad, Nataša Teofilović pronalazi referentna stanja i tamo gde se ne suočava sa bilo kakvim materijalnim datostima. Ona uočava istorijske, nevidljive naslage u prirodi, oseća prostor, vraća se u suštinu arhitektonskog diskursa, upijajući revalorizovanje značenja kroz novi dijalog. Tako ona spaja svoj imaginativni svet sa vrlo konkretnim radom, povezuje stari smisao i nove medije, čisti od efemernosti svoje prizore, bazirane upravo na efemernim datostima, jednom rečju – u kontrapunktu suprotnosti ona vidi izrastanje svojih ideja. Pri tome harmoničnost celine i ona skrivena ozarenost trenutka zaposedaju njene radove i privrženo se spajaju s memorijom vremena na koju Nataša računa.

Irina Subotić, maj 1995.

Islands1995, architectural projects, 17 photocopies of drawings in sand, 80 x 115 cm and 60 x 80 cm, model

Accepting different media as facts of life but also as possibilities for her work, Nataša Teofilović finds referential states even in places where she is not confronted with any kind of material givens. She perceives historical, invisible layers in nature, she feels the space, she goes back to the essence of the architectural discourse, soaking the revalorization of meaning though new dialogue. In this way, she merges her imaginative world with very concrete work, connects old sense and new media, cleans her views from ephemeral quality, based precisely on the same ephemeral givens – in a word, in the contrapunct of oppositions, she sees the growth of her ideas. At the same time, the harmony of the whole and that hidden brightness of the moment dominate her works and loyally merge themselves with the memory of time Nataša is counting on.

Irina Subotić, May 1995

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grafit i so2003, crtež grafitom i so, na ručno rađenom japanskom papiru dimenzija 106x66 cm, 5 kom.

graphite and salt 2003, graphite drawing and salt, on hand-made Japanese paper, 106 x 66 cm, 5 pieces

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gar i drvo1999, slike 90x110 cm u kombinovanoj tehnici: piljevina (vrba, bukva i hrast), so, gar, ulje na platnu (crna podloga) i dva reljefa u bukovom drvetu

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soot and wood1999, paintings 90 x 110 cm in combined technique: sawdust (osier, beech, and oak), salt, soot, oil on canvas (black base) and two reliefs in beech wood

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We are contemporaries of the age of the digital culture, which brought with it both positive and negative conotations, largely changing our perception of reality (and we are often unaware of it). It also unsettled our understanding of the real world and its manifestations, confronting us with the virtual world and its laws, introducing mistrust of the existing, conventional, and accepted. Truth and lie, honesty and deception, reality and illusion, are abutting and often overlapping. Artists’ exceeding sensibilities make them feel these changes more acutely than others. For them, they represent a possibility for new explorations and possibilities, and they approach them with curiosness, enthusiasm, but also always ready critical stance.

„A familial relationship with illusionism does not only define the format of virtual reality; through calculations in real time, interaction and evolution, a viewer/spectator acquires the power to form a picture history has never seen before. At the same time, the viewer is under the influence of painting’s suggestive potential, which is today greater than ever – they are now dynamic, interactive, evolutive, and they „live“ in comprehensive picture-spaces“ 1

Nataša Teofilović belongs to this curageous and curious family, recognized in our cultural public as a representative of the digital arts, especially the digital animation area. Her artistic discourse has insisted on intersecting the arts with scineces and technology, their overlapping, and abstracting – all in the interdisciplinary alliance of the exchange of knowledge and support.

Interdisciplinary research of this artist requires understanding of different areas of arts, sciences, and technology, such as: painting,

1 Oliver Grau, Virtual Arts, Clio, Belgrade,

2008, pg. 340

Svetlana Mladenov

D I S TA N C E

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2 Nevena Đukić, Humanoids Will Be More Real Than People, interview with Nataša Teofilović, ArhArt, Belgrade, 2011.

3 (Gerfried Stocker – Ars Electronica Festival, Linz)

sculpting, graphic design, film, anatomy, psychology, laws of physics, computer programming, software design, etc. The artist uses all these skills in her research process, which most frequently takes place in the multimedial area and always serves and is subjected to personal, artistic discourse. Nataša Teofilović has mastered the necessary skills from various areas of science, technology, and arts in order to present her personal and artistic concept in a better and more competent manner. In her method, the end result depends mostly upon the work process, which carries an important role, as well as control and manipulation of each individual segment of this course.

In these borderline areas of science-arts-technology, there are numerous individual experiments, new forms and substances are grasped, but they are frequently not artistic. What separates Nataša Teofilović from this corpus of „media researchers“ is precisely this subordination to the artistic concept, which she personally carries through from a notion to the final realization, with the respect for high aesthetic demands. Her primary area of operation is the arts.

To best explain her personal poetics, the artist herself paraphrases Gerfried Stocker: „Working in media arts always requires a research in the current state of our high-tech society and exploration of the work mechanisms within it. The point is not to explain the technical-cultural trasnformational processes through arts, but to create pictures, narratives, and symbols, necessary for our mutual cultural and social understanding, for our adaptation and re-positioning within the dramatic changes caused by the so-called digital revolution.“ 2 3

The development of the digital culture (influenced by artists, scientists, and researchers) is preceded, defined, and determined by the development of new ideas and discourses within cybernetics, information theories, general system theories, structuralism, and aritificial intelligence. It was not before the second half of the 1960s that artists began to use technical devices (television), and only in the last part of the decade that they started to explore the possibilities of video-cameras and computers. John Cage, in particular, opened up a new space for the development of ideas on interactivity and multimedia and has directly influenced the Fluxus art movement, which delved into media and telecommunications.

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Some forty years has passed since the first experiments in the area of digital animation (which took place in the mid-1960s in New York and Stutgart). Apparently, it took a long time for digital animation to receive its proper place in the arts as one of its disciplines within media arts. The number of artists engaging in this mobile media, though much larger then in the beginning of the digital animation development history, is still rather modest. Nevertheless, the number of newcomers, mostly younger generation artists, increases daily. In Serbia, the number of artists at the turn of the century was neglible, only to start a steady increase in the first decade of the 21st century up until the present day. Artists-pioneers, like Nataša Teofilović, were often alone and insufficiently appreciated, not only on the part of the wider public, but often by the critics and curators, who had pre-conceived notions about this type of art production. It took some time to educate and introduce them to the new media art, before they could include it into their own field of interest. Attempting to point to the new up-and-coming artistic trend, opening up additional possibilities for new experiments and research, certain projects and festivals have greatly contributed to the development of digital arts and multimedia culture in general, especially in Serbia: VideoMedeia, 1996-2015; Open Sensibility 1997-2002 (project author: Svetlana Mladenov), Effacement, 2003-2006, (project author: Marica Radojčić); Soft control, 2012-2015, (curator: Ivan Stanić), Festival S.U.T.R.A. 2009- 20015, (director: Ivan Stanić), Play Cultures – The World of Digital Games, 2007, (curator: Kristijan Lukić); Space for New Dialogue, 2008, (curator: Sanja Kojić Mladenov); Crossing Science and Arts, 2013, (project author: Svetlana Mladenov), Wonder Lab, 2015, (project author: Sanja Kojić Mladenov). The oldest and most famous European festivals promoting digital arts include Ars Electronica Festival in Linz (Austria), founded in 1979, and Festival Animated Films in Stutgart (Germany), founded in 1982.

Nataša Teofilović herself also greatly contributed to promoting and understanding the subject of the digital arts, especially 3D animation, particularly through her publication The Art of Movement in the Void Space – Technology and Practice of Digital Characters, issued in 2011, and based on her PhD thesis from 2010 – the first one of its kind

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(dealing with the topic of digital animation) in Serbia.

Artistic concepts of Nataša Teofilović, especially her digital animations, clearly exhibit her personal artistic handwriting, in the harmonious unity of the emotional and rational. By intertwining ratio and emotions, she constructs a new reality in which both figuration and abstraction have an equal standing. Both her figures (characters) and abstract shapes share the same movement in the undefined void. Their existence in the virtual world, as well as seeming dissociation from the real world, only accentuate their isolation and loneliness, but also the desire for communication. Through their movements and actions, Nataša’s figures define the virtual space in which they maneuver, walk, run, exercise, dance, hover, etc., they give it meaning and sensibility (s.h.e. / one-for-tango / 1:1 / white, and others). And no matter how much the screen separates them from the outside world, they continue to absorb specific elements from that world, subordinating them to the need for search of their own identity, which exists on the border between the real and the virtual.

Virtual picture created by the artist is entirely different from the traditional picture and its materiality, but in the dialogue of the real and imaginary, this picture represents the truth, like any other artwork. However, it consists of the visible (picture) and the abstract (numbers, codes), and does not discriminate between the original and the copy (computer protects its structure from any intentional and unintentional change). Digital pictures are always experienced with more than one sense - not only by sight, but by other sensory organs, which increases their suggestive capacity.

All the characters moving and living in Nataša’s void spaces were designed after her own body and mind, her own typical movements and permanent actions. This fact makes the artist’s connection to these characters even stronger and more genuine. Their life depends on the artist and her will to keep them, change them, or shut them down. The atmosphere of intimacy envelops them, and through their movement, color or „sfumato,“ shadings, and dissolving, they introduce a note of lyrical and poetical into the entire compositional scheme of the movable picture. This kind of Nataša Teofilović’s figuration can be traced to the figurations from the beginning of the 1990s in paintings,

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4 SvSvetlana Mladenov, Figure

– Trends in the Figuration of the 1990s, Contemporary Gallery

for Culture Pančevo, Pančevo, 1993. pg. 3-5

5 Nataša Teofilović, Umetnost pokreta u prostoru praznine – tehnologija i praksa

virtuelnih karaktera, Arhitektonski fakultet

Univerziteta u Beogradu, Beograd,

2011, str. 105.

comic strip, drawing, and sculpture, regardless of the difference in the media and their capacities. At the time, I wrote about this: … „the present figuration is composed, indifferent, depressed. … The feeling of one’s own existential vulnerability makes the connection between the artist and the artwork much closer - the artist identifies his/her own destiny with their work, looking for the confirmation of identity. … Similar feelings and atmosphere connect these works, i.e. alienation, loneliness, isolation, melancholy, non-communicativeness, indifference, resignation, sometimes mild irony, or just a hint of humor.“ 4 I called it the art of distancing. A part of the above said could also refer to the figurations of Nataša Teofilović, to her lonely, unobtrusive characters, who address us discreetly. But, unlike those older, static figures, Nataša’s characters are more dynamic, communicative, and in constant attempt to make us like them, sometimes even through open seduction. The knocking from the other side of the screen means they are calling to us and reminding us to their own existence and readiness for a dialogue.

In her abstract works the main part is given to the line (knot / 7001 and others), which moves, intertwines, and weaves, thus constructing a composition from simple to complex. In certain animations, it divides and comminutes, and as such it circles, changing the speed of its movement, dividing and re-grouping, thus establishing a characteristic, dynamic drawing, in constant movement, whose structure remains permanently variable.

Artist describes her digital animations in the following manner: „It is typical that all these art projects have evolved through a deconstructing process, cleaning of elements through reduction and re-assembly of structures, while making the participant a building element. The principal motive of such, often painstaking and long work process is the processuality itself, the process of research during artwork creation, the process which trasforms both the work and the person making it.“ 5

Her understanding of the architecture (she graduated from the Faculty of Architecture at the Unversity of Belgrade) were valuable in spatial plastic concepts and ambiental installations, which she has applied in numerous works starting from the mid-1990s until today. In her earlier works, relying on architecture was much more pronounced and direct, especially visible in installations, videos, and art actions. Later

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on, her works (digital animations and graphics) show this relationship becoming more discreet, hinted upon in the construction of virtual space and its definition.

Creating new, virtual space of a particular sensibility, she has remained emotionally connected to the material world, particularly nature (landscape), and its various manifestations, elements, changes, and sounds – all finding a subject in her artistic research (i.e. Field of Luck, Personal Seal, I Travel Awake, Tree@codec, land.scape, Islands, Through-Eye, Personal Collection, etc.).

In these works, nature and the results of its changes are viewed and represented through personal experience and understanding, emotional and intimate involvement. Resting upon the intimate-public relation, those works represent her private, authentic notes and confessions.

The entire opus of Nataša Teofilović, regardless of the media type, or their intertwining, can be linked to the intimate-public relationship. The artist identified and built in her own life into her artistic concept, thus bringing it to the fore from the most secret corners of intimacy, completely unafraid of too much disclosure, misuse, or manipulation. Elements from personal surroundings, such as her work space, computer, her house and a glass door, personal archives and collections, often receive a principal role in her art designs. In this risky area, she has boldly constructed her recognizable discourse, imposing itself to professional and wider public though its honesty and distinctly articulated emotionality.

Identity issues represent a familiar subject and a basis of her artistic research, which she tried to resolve by way of processuality, as well as in the final realization of her artistic procedure. Through this work, she also constructed her own identity, which made the artist-artwork relation even stronger.

Nataša Teofilović entered the new millenium experimenting and exploring the area of digital arts, manifested through creating her 2D and 3D animation, digital graphics, and photography. This field remained her main interest up until the present day, if not the only one. Moving freely through expanded art area, since the mid-1990s, she addressed various media, frequently combining them. She explored

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the field of performance, art actions, video, documentary video, installation, ambientalizations, posters, photography, paintings-objects, procesual work, and work in situ. She often combined performance and art action with video or installation, which is a result of her constant need to think about space and dialogue between different elements constructing that space, about space within certain newly-established ambient and the one outside it. The public presentation of her works, whether it is a video, performance, photograph, or any other medium, is very significant to her, and she creates it as an intallation or ambient, in which audience always plays a special part, becoming not only an observer, but active participant. In this particular interactive environment, her artwork acquires new connotations and additional content and formal capacities. Her works, such as Through-Eye, realized in the SKC Gallery in Belgrade in 1995, In My Soul, realized in the SKC Gallery in Belgrade in 1998, I Travel Awake, realized in Gallery Dvorište in Pančevo at the solo exhibition with Biljana Klarić Klara in 2000, II001, realized at the happening Open Sensibility as part of the Belef Festival in Barutana in Belgrade in 2001, One Question One Dinar One Answer, and RGB, at the Biennale of Visual Arts „Ukrštanja“ („Crossings“) in Pančevo in 2002, to mention only a few, perhaps best demonstrate this.

Her initial art explorations as a young artist took place in a rather hostile environment of the 1990s, the time of deep existential crisis in the Serbian society, followed by the civil war, international isolation, poverty, major disturbances in the overall value system, NATO bombing, a revolution at the beginning of the 21st century, dissolved hopes and illusions, disappointment, and long transitional process. This was the context which shaped her early artistic practice, and it could not but leave a specific trace, both on her and her work. The need to express her views on this could have been seen in several of her works. It was discreet, often hidden or just hinted upon through ambient and interaction, and less frequently through content itself. These works could be rightfully labeled as engaged art of the time (e.g. Door Town Peć Kosovo Yugoslavia 1996, 1999, I Travel Awake, 1999, CUT, 2000, Unification Becomes Strength, 2001, II001, 2001, Old Fair Grounds 1937-2002, 2002).

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6 Charlie Gere, Digital Culture, Belgrade, 2011, pg. 210

Gender issues are also very important for Nataša Teofilović. She approaches the „female question,“ the role and position of the woman in contemporary Serbian society with particular sentiment and sensibility, and from the position of both participant and accomplice. Dealing with this question is today very important and timely, imposing on the artist a certain responsibility, primarily because she is a contemporary of a society still burdened by a patriarchal way of thinking, various localisms, and previously adopted stereotypes. A case in point would represent her work Ampoule Production Line, recorded in the Pančevo glass factory, employing only women, and which originated as part of the international workshop Glass, 2002. In addition, performances realized with her colleagues (In My Soul, with Mima Orlović, 1998, Live Coal, with Biljana Klarić Klara, 1999, Perfect Choice, with Ana Vilenica and Jelena Balać, 2002, Play, with Ana Vilenica, 2002), and which explored the limits of female body and mind, its endurance, sensitivity to pain, potential to concentate, and mutual trust.

On a relativist and flexible position of art, Nataša Teofilović constructs her own personal strategy in which the initial idea and the work process itself have a decisive role. Moving in the expanded field of art, she constructed her discourse on mutual relationship between art, science, and technology, public-private, and regional-universal, dealing with issues of identity, gender, alienation, loneliness, friendship, personal freedom, ethnoarcheology, geopolitics, memory, space, virtual and illusionist paradigms, etc.

Through the screen, her animated characters send a humane message about the importance of establishing genuine closeness and friendship, today a bit lost in the global network of new technologies. As concluded wittily by Charlie Gere in his book Digital Culture: „We live in the world both increasingly connected and divided by the globalized network of information and communication technology. Perhaps we should not be surprised to see the concept of „friendship“ become more visible and important with the disappearance of the traditional forms of community and development of new types of subjectivity and associations. In the situation where „Tom“ may claim to have over 200 million friends, it is necessary to re-think the actual term of „friendship.“ 6

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Considering Nataša Teofilović’s art opus of the last twenty years (since the mid-1990s until present), its complexity and depth are immediately apparent. In order to perceive and understand this, it is necessary to get acquainted with all its aspects, both unapparent and those easily visible, as well as keep an open mind for experiments in the new media and the interdisciplinary intricacies. As a transitional paradigmatic participant, the artist builds her own art practice on a combination of art references and through the practice of multiple activities, articulating enthropic endeavors of new technological systems, attempting to construct her own world through processuality of her work, now already recognizable on the border between virtual and real, crossing personal and general, local and international.

If new avant-garde tendencies were to be sought in Serbia today, they could be detected in the digital arts, and especially in the art practice of Nataša Teofilović, who confirms it anew with her innovativeness, experimenting, her orientation towards future, revolutionary attitudes, non-narrativeness, and a specific readiness to explore new principles and potentials offered by the development of new technologies – approaching them without fear of risk, the unknown, uncertainty, and accident.

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Nataša Teofilović (1968) is an artist who explores the manifestation and identity of the feminine and sensuous in the virtual space through new media and computer art. Her artistic development has evolved from the neo-conceptual art of the early 1990s to the digital art of the new millennium which merges art, science and technology. From a technical point of view, she uses different media, from the experimental video to performance art to 3D character animations and digital ambience. Conceptually, these works share the subjects of identity in the void virtual space, perception of virtual creatures, as well as exploration of the boundaries between virtual and real space. Her digital works can be described in terms of interdisciplinary, hybrid and intra-active art.Nataša Teofilović was the first person in Serbia to earn a doctorate degree in Digital Art (Interdisciplinary Studies of the University of Arts in Belgrade, 2010). At the same university, she received a master’s degree (2007), and graduated as a valedictorian from the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Belgrade. She is the author of the first book published in Serbia that explores the theory and practice of the 3D character animation (computer animation of a humanoid) and places special emphasis on the analysis of the author’s animation through which she explores the manifestation of her own virtual female body in a computer generated space. She is an associate professor at the Faculty of Media and Communications ‘Singidunum’ in Belgrade.

Since 1995, she has had 15 individual and around 120 group exhibitions, both national and international, such as Ars Electronica (Linz, Austria, 2007), Incheon International Digital Art Festival 2009 (Incheon, Korea), DAT – Digital Art & Technology (Singapore, 2007), KIBLIX 2014 – Parallels (Maribor, Slovenia, 2014), Premonition, Blood, Hope – Art in Vojvodina and Serbia from 1994 to 2014 (Vienna, Austria, 2014), Cargo East, The Subdued Existence: Serbian Contemporary Art Scene (Taiwan – China, 2014, Banjaluka -Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosice – Slovakia, 2015).

From 1999 to 2006, she was actively engaged in the Association for Women’s Initiative (AŽIN), working in the art workshops, as well as in the branch of the Association, INDOK (information and document management system), where she produced feminist publications and videos.

P U B L I C AT I O N

Nataša Teofilović, The Art of Movement in the Void Space (technology and practice of virtual characters), Faculty of Architecture, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, 2011.

B I O G R A P H Y

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Pančevo October Salon 1999, [The Body; slide projection macro photography onto the cinema screen], [May 25, 1999, Vienna – Belgrade; installation/photographs (3 photographs of the rail tracks 30x40 cm and one of the moon 50x70 cm), sound (crickets) [group open call exhibition]; [October Salon award, jury: Lidija Merenik PhD, Ješa Dengri PhD, Marina Miljuš]; Cinema ‘Apolo’, Modern Art Gallery, Pančevo, 1999.

31st Salon Pančevo 2001, Continuity, Seal, Situation, [Perfect Choice, 2D animation], [open call exhibition; curator: Ljiljana Ćinkul]; [Salon award, jury: Zoran Erić, Svetlana Mladenov and Biljana Bralušić]; Gallery Dvorište, Modern Art Gallery, Pančevo, Yugoslavia, 2001.

34th Pančevo October Salon 2004, Intimus, [Just Follow the Red, posters/digital press]. [open call exhibition; curator: Svetlana Mladenov]; [Salon award, jury: Sava Stepanov, Radmila Savčić and Biljana Bralušić]; Modern Art Gallery, Pančevo, Serbia and Montenegro, 2004.

35th Pančevo October Salon, [Character 0..05; work segment s.h.e. – work phase/single channel 3D animation]; [Special 35th Salon award – work production and individual exhibition; jury: Lidija Merenik, Jasmina Čubrilo and Dragan Jelenković]; Modern Art Gallery, Pančevo, Serbia and Montenegro, 2005.

Ars Electronica 2007, Goodbye Privacy, [s.h.e. 3D character animation/installation/

ambience]; [purchased for an annual exhibition in the museum Ars Electronica 2007-2008], Ars Electronica Center, Linz, Austria, 2007.

Prix Ars Electronica Collide@CERN 2011, Honorary Mention – Prix Ars Electronica Collide@CERN 2011, Geneva, Switzerland. Honorary award in the international digital art contest of the European Institute for Particle Physics – CERN, Geneva and International Festival of Digital Art Ars Electronica, Linz, 2011.

15th Japan Media Arts Festival, [1:1. 3D character animation/installation/ambience], [Jury Selection Work – 15th Japan Media Arts Festival, Art Division]; Tokyo, Japan, 2011.

FESA – Festival of European Student Animation, [s.h.e. 3D character animation/installation/ambience], [Certificate for the best work in the category of Experimental animated film; jury: József Fülöp, Karoline Riha, Rastko Ćirić]; Barutana, Belgrade, Serbia, 2012.

Behind the Border, 11th Watercolor Biennial [international biennial]; [one-for-tango; 3D character animation/installation], [selection: Svetlana Mladenov], [11th watercolor biennial grand prix, purchased for the gallery’s collection]; [jury: Sunčica Lambić-Fenjčev and Slavica Popov]; Modern Gallery Zrenjanin, Zrenjanin, Serbia, 2015.

A W A R D S – P U R C H A S E S

Izdavač I Published byMuzej savremene umetnosti VojvodineMuseum of Contemporary Art Vojvodina21000 Novi Sad, Dunavska 37office@msuv.org, www.msuv.org

Za izdavača I Executive PublisherSanja Kojić Mladenov

Autorka izložbe i urednica kataloga I Author of the Exhibition and EditorSvetlana Mladenov

Tekst I TextSvetlana Mladenov

Izjave o radovima I StatementsNataša Teofilović, Irina Subotić

Stručni saradnik na postavci I Exhibition Installation AssociateMarko Ercegović

Prevod I TranslationDarja Gogoljev

Lektura I ProofreadingPredrag Rajić

Dizajn I DesignMirjana Dušić-Lazić

Fotografije I Photographs byNataša TeofilovićGoing to CERN - Miriam van Praagh; Play i Savršen izbor – Bojana Stjepanović;Žeravica – Udo Grabow, Bogdan Tudose; u mojoj duši – Dejan Tanasković

Producent I ProducerJovan Jakšić

Štampa I PrintSlužbeni glasnik, Beograd

ISBN 978-86-6333-030-6

Pokrovitelj muzeja I Museum PatronagePokrajinski sekretarijat za kulturu i javno informisanjeProvincial Secretariat for Culture and Public Information

Nataša TeofilovićDistance [1995-2016]6 – 22. maj 2016.

CIP - Каталогизација у публикацији Библиотека Матице српске, Нови Сад

7.038.53:929 Teofilović N.(083.824)

ТЕОФИЛОВИЋ, Наташа, 1968- Nataša Teofilović : d ist an ce : 1995-2016 / [tekst Svetlana Mladenov ; prevod Darja Gogoljev ; fotografije Nataša Teofilović]. - Novi Sad : Muzej savremene umetnosti Vojvodine, 2016 (Beograd : Službeni glasnik). - 128 str. : ilustr. ; 17 x 23 cm

Uporedo srp. tekst i engl. prevod. - Biografski podaci o umetnici. - Tiraž 400.

ISBN 978-86-6333-030-6

a) Теофиловић, Наташа (1968-) - Мултимедијална уметност - Изложбени каталози COBISS.SR-ID 305320711

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