Serb-Czech Painter who brings colors to the prague scene
Pedja’s recent endeavours include monumental panels on which he recreates the history of the 20th century putting together more than 15000 vintage photographs, newspaper articles, stock certificates, documents, bank guarantees, photographs of dictators, and scenes of the colonial exploitation of Africa and Asia, as well as tragic events that caused the migration and displacement of hundreds of millions of people across the planet.
These fragments of the past became tesserae in this enormous mosaic. It is PeÄ‘a’s visual history, his 20th century, a moment in the history of humanity that resulted in two world wars, in which his Serbian people fought six wars of liberation and defence and lost almost a third of their population, a universal tragic destiny shared with many other nations forced to migrate towards the unknown.
Pedja embarked on a new project of creating installations made of vintage suitcases. Whole walls and labyrinths are made of these guardians of memory and symbols of the uncertainty of the journey towards a new future. People who flee carry with them a few personal belongings, documents and photographs as a proof that the past existed, pressed into a suitcase as big as they can physically carry. The suitcase is a symbol; it is the monolith from Kubrick’s Odyssey; the only possession desperate migrants take with them.
Pedja already expressed his deep faith and devotion in paintings such as Madonna with the Christ Child and Jesus comes to Jerusalem, as well as frescoes he did in a private chapel in Kitzbuhel, Austria in 2011 (published in the Serbian edition of his 2016 monograph Pedja, on pages 192-198).
He returned to religious motives in his distinctive style influenced by both Orthodox Byzantine art and Roman Catholic iconography with the Deposition from the Cross and the Crucifixion. The epic characters painted on the frames could each take off as separate stories. Both paintings have found their permanent home in the church of Saint Catherine in Olšová Vrata, Karlovy Vary in Czech Republic.
ROMAN DE LA ROSE
One of the literary works I have drawn the inspiration from is a lecherous poem written between 1230-1275, "The Romance of the rose". It came out from the quills of two French authors, Guillame de Lorrise and Jeana de Meune, and it gave name to this painting. The way of loving and courting is described in an allegoric form, But its raciness could nevertheless embarass even the greatest of the seducers. However, forbidden, controversial and immodest has always been exciting, so there is no wonder that this piece of work has become so popular. So far a little over 250 manuscripts belonging to the cycle have been found. Each of them is slightly different in content, but the essence remains the same.
I really adore eroticism and I truly believe that it is a great gift from our Lord. When two drops run together it is deeply erotic, but unfortunately nowadays often represented in a distorted manner. I rather perceive it as symbolic and fascinating, unlike today's interpretation of eroticism that tends to be too vulgar and demonstrative.
Acrilic on Canvas 200 x 150 cm
2020
Hercules and Nessus
The killing of Centaur Nessus at the hands of heroic Hercules is depicted in this multilayered pictorial palimpsest that comes across as a movie synopsis. Deianira was the daughter of the god Dionysus, a lovely lady who drove a chariot and practiced the art of war. She was the wife of Hercules; a son of mighty Zeus.
Centaur Nessus pretended to help the amorous couple cross the river but instead carried off Deianira intent upon violating her. We see enraged Hercules pulling back his bow, his arrow tips dipped in the venom of Hydra. Nessus is just about to share a terrible mortal secret with Deianira, that a shirt soaked in his blood would make her husband faithful forever. This gigantic eventful canvas is given a fresco quality by both the pigment technique and the longer horizontal side reminiscent of medieval “stories”, where a succession of events was painted on the walls. Hints of color announce another layer of future coming into existence as a modern touch to this epic work.
WHEN TWO BECOME ONE
“When love is not madness, it is not love.” ― Pedro Calderon de la Barca....
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I always think of the communion of souls taking place through an erotic encounter as a huge gift from our Lord. It is like landing on planet Mars and coming back,
It is the moment when all boundaries are crossed and life is getting back to the origin and the beginnings.
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This is one of eight large curtains made for the indoor garden in a stunning penthouse apartment in Prague. with its marvelous view of the city center it represents the Olympus in my mind.
Curtain, 240 x 150 cm
2020
CHARITES
Charites, or Graces in ancient Rome, were the three daughters of the highest god Zeus and Eurydom, the goddesses of charm and beauty. Aglaia was the youngest, called "splendor, brilliant, shining one". Euphrosyne was the goddess of Good Cheer, Joy and Mirth. Thalia was the goddess of feasts and festivities, called "the joyous, the abundance." All three were lovely and kind. They appear in company of other gods, especially Aphrodite, Dionysus, Apollo, and the Muses. They were protecting the festivities and feasts and were especially mindful of artistic beauty. Charites were depicted as dancing girls with the following symbolism:
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always in trio – there are three kinds of benefactions (give, accept, return)
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always holding each other’s hands – benefaction is like a chain which comes from one hand to the other
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expressing joy – pleasing the one who gives, and the otherwho accepts
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youth – the memory of benefaction should not get old
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transparent robe – benefaction is never scared of looks
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The first time I saw them was in the Louvre. The original sculpture was a 3rd/2nd century BC Greek work of art. They are also depicted in Botticelli's La Primavera and I will carry the memory of that outstanding painting in my heart forever.
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Near Dubrovnik there is a small island called Supetar, where we used to go swimming in our youth. We would get there in a small boat and I used to watch beautiful women from Dubrovnik. for some reason, god knows why, they were always in trios, and as divine beings they would come out from the sea … tall, skinny, fearless and smiling, with their stunning bodies… amazing spectacle – it made me think of Olympus, where all the goddesses live. To this day, I remember their laughter and the grace of their steps .
Acrylic on Canvas 200 x 150
2020
Andromeda was the daughter of King Cepheus and Queen Cassiopeia, the rulers of Joppa in ancient Aethiopia. Cassiopeia offended the sea nymphs by boasting that she was more beautiful than they, so angered Poseidon sent flooding, plagues and a sea monster to devastate Cepheus’ kingdom.
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An oracle told Andromeda’s father that the ills would cease if he exposed his daughter to the monster. to appease the gods, she was chained to a rock and left to be devoured. Perseus saw her as he carried the head of Medusa flying back home in his winged sandals. He initially thought Andromeda was a marble statue, but when he saw her tears and the wind in her hair, he fell in love and asked the King for his daughter's hand.
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Perseus slew the monster with the same sword with which he severed Medusa's head and thus saved Andromeda from certain death. At their marriage feast Andromeda’s uncle Phineus, to whom she had originally been promised, tried to claim her, but Perseus turned him into stone with Medusa’s head. Andromeda bore Perseus six sons and a daughter.
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Curtain, 240 x 150 cm
2020