Ivan Picelj
Naru 2, 1969
wood, metal, paint
89 x 4 x 88 cm
MG-4461
Ivan Picelj (1924–2011) studied at the Academy of Fine Arts from 1943 to 1946 and later became a founding member of the EXAT 51 group, which championed abstract art and connected Croatian art with contemporary global trends. Picelj was also instrumental in launching the New Tendencies movement, where he explored artistic perception by creating rhythmic and vibrant works that expanded the limits of visual experience.
Naru 2 follows a similar concept, consisting of one hundred concave squares arranged within a larger square, with an alternating pattern of green and orange and varying orientations for each concave square. This creates an object that questions the limits of different artistic media. Although Naru 2 takes the form of a painting to be hung on a wall, it maintains its flatness. Yet, because it is composed of smaller forms that extend into space and project towards the observer, it also invites consideration of its sculptural qualities. Beyond the static nature usually associated with visual art, Picelj’s work encourages the observer to move, causing the image to change due to the varying angles of light falling on the rhythmically arranged squares. In doing so, Picelj establishes a foundation for redefining artistic media, moving away from the rigid constraints typically imposed on them.
Text: Filip Kučeković, intern curator at the National Museum of Modern Art © National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb
Translated by: Robertina Tomić
Photo: Goran Vranić © National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb