This week we travelled to Novi Sad, to the studio of Tadija Janičić.

This artist, although predominantly a painter, is also an equally interesting and authentic sculptor. Belgraders had the opportunity to see his exhibition “Easy Pieces” in the gallery “Prototype” last year, and recently he exhibited his work in London.

 

 

When did you decide to take up art?

I don’t think it was decision. I didn’t have any other choice, to be honest.

Who were your role models in the beginning?

The Ninja Turtles got me interested in Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello and Raphael.  But I quickly lost interest in Donatello.

What artists do you respect today?

There are a lot, alive and dead. I’ll skip naming them all.

 

 

What public sculpture would you recommend that everyone sees?

I’d recommend the famous Novi Sad sculpture “Ballerinas”, “Pupin” and other ones “planted” over the past decade.  I would take all elementary and high school pupils, as well as city and provincial ministers to see what bad sculptures look like in order to educate them.

How do you find out about current art events?

Mainly on the Internet.

The most important cultural event in Serbia is …

I don’t know. I don’t have any information about that.

 

 

What art do you like?

The one that is in my subjective opinion good.

What is the greatest quality of Serbian contemporary art?

Some individual artists and their enthusiasm.

Can you recommend a biographical film about an artist?

Takashi Kitano’s “Achilles and the tortoise”.

Do you favour any of your work?

Every last one, until the next one.

 

 

Where in Belgrade can we see your work?

Nowhere in Belgrade, but I’ll have an exhibition of four large formats at the “October Salon”.

When you go out, where do you like to go?

I rarely go out, I lead a relatively quiet life.

If you weren’t an artist, what would you be?

Well, I don’t know. I’d try to get on the board of directors though a political party. They say there’s good money there.

What do you consider to be your greatest success?

My greatest success is the fact that I can afford to spend the whole day in my studio!

 

 

 

Where was your last exhibition?

A few days ago in London with Roman Đuranović and Žolt Kovač.

What is the greatest lesson that you have learned as an independent artist?

Well, that you have to persevere at your work regardless of the circumstances.

What are you working on at the moment?

At the moment I’m working on a painting in a large format which is called “People who like to look at breasts”.

 

Translation: Grainne Boyle Orlić