| << Monochromes 1. 'The man who lives buried in man as a mole in the earth can no longer distinguish black from white. He does not understand the language of shapes and colors. He has never seen the gaze of the stars.' (1) 2. Miroslav Perkovic's eight monochromes (seven colors and black, in the aquatint technique, dimensions 110 x 76 cm, framed without glass) are an eight times repeated sentiment of infinity in the supremacy of colors. The title which could have been given them (if it had not already been used) is: 'Who's afraid of red, yellow and blue'.(2) Although in question are small formats the effect is identical -'abstract sublime'.(3). Each of the eight letters-signs of this alphabet is an absolute shape of expression, independent and materialized painted symbol of transcendental features. 3. Gold, silver and bronze Blue, yellow and green Red Black set like individual objects, like a separate and isolated colors-objects. The painted surface is the only plastic content, and to its reading it would be difficult to add something since the time when the text 'Concerning the Spiritual in Art' by Wassilly Kandinsky was issued. Installation of the eight monochromes in the gallery forms a composition of their different resonances -the chord of colors; and an whole-story of the beginning and the end of the world, done by different symbolic attributes of colors. Following the 'principles of the inner need',(4) the only free artist ('as child of his age'.. 'as a servant of art'..)(5) is the one who has seen the gaze of the stars. Lidija Merenik, October 1991 1. J.Arp, Apstraktna umetnost-konkretna umetnost, oko 1942, u Delo br.6-7, 1979 * 'Abstract Art, Concrete Art' - Jean Arp, ca. 1942 - From Art of This Century, ed. Peggy Guggenheim (New York, Art of This Century, n.d., ca. 1942), pp. 29-31.) 2. Who's afraid of red, yellow and blue, painting by Barnett Newman 3. A term coined by Robert Rosenblum 4. V. Kandinski, O duhovnom u umetnosti, u Izrazu br. 6,7-8,9, 1968 * On the Spiritual in Art, ed. Hilla Rebay, New York: Solomon R. Guggenheim, 1946 * Concerning the Spiritual in Art, by Wassily Kandinsky, Project Gutenberg 5. ditto Essay "Monochromes" by Lidija Merenik, from Catalogue "Instalation of Monochromes", Edited by Singidunum Gallery, Belgrade 1991 Slides, From the Show, Instalation of Monochromes of M. Perkovic, Gallery Singidunum, Belgarde 1997 |