Mia Maraković’s “black” and “white” paintings were presented to the public for the first time this evening at the Josip Račić Gallery. On this occasion, Rašeljka Bilić Boras, NMMA assistant director made introductory remarks, while art historian and author of the exhibition Tihana Galić spoke about the exhibition in more detail. The opening was also attended by the envoy of the Mayor of Zagreb, Filip Miloloža, from the City Office for Culture, International Relations and Civil Society.
These are the artist’s recent works, specifically, two polyptychs of monumental dimensions in mixed media, which continue on the black paintings from her previous series. The exhibition, on display until the end of August, is accompanied by a bilingual catalogue in Croatian and English with an essay by art historian and author of the exhibition Tihana Galić in which she writes: … The paintress has chosen red for the line that cuts through the monochrome, the symbolism of which is deeply connected to the secret of life. Red is a symbol of fire and blood. Blood is the source of life, but shed blood also means death. Red line is the link between white and black canvases, by which the artist tries to create a symbolic link between life and death. These are lines that delineate a world much larger than a painting canvas – a world of human psyche, human fears and human expectations. …
Translated by: Robertina Tomić
Photo: Goran Vranić and archives of the National Museum of Modern Art © National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb, 2022.