In June 2019, HEKLER organized its first research residency that took place in Užice, Serbia. For this occasion, we invited Nina Komel, a conceptual artist and researcher from Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) to be our inaugural resident. This residency was an extension of a previous collaboration between Nataša Prljević and Nina Komel that resulted in Nina’s solo exhibition, Charting Absurd, organized and curated by Prljevic in 2016 while Nina was an artist-in-residence at Residency Unlimited in New York.

For this residency in Užice, Komel and Prljević used site-specific research methods to establish correlations between artists’ hometowns, City of Užice (RS) and Municipality Brod (RS, BiH), that both reflect the failure of transitional economies during and in the post-war period. This process encompassed audiovisual mapping of the foreclosed public factories due to failed privatization and their influence on the working class community, as well as displaced historic landmarks. An important part of their research was facilitated by amazing staff of City of Užice Historical Archive (Istorijski arhiv Užice). This is an ongoing collaboration and a part of larger HEKLER project that examines the relationships between social and architectural transformations within peripheral neoliberal economies.

One result of the research was Komel’s new work Lik i djelo / Figure and Deed that examines the displacement of a public statue (Images 3 and 4) dedicated to Josip Broz Tito, President of Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (1943-1980), created by Frane Kršinić. The statute was originally placed on the Partizan Square in 1961 when the square was finalized which was also a year when Tito and the Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru established Non-Aligned Movement in Belgrade. Located in Užice center, the square was celebrated as an outstanding urbanist and architectural modernist complex in Yugoslavia designed by architect Stanko Mandić, that includes residential buildings, cultural and administrative centers. After 30 years on the upper level of the square, the statue was violently removed during local protests in 1991 with the beginning of the Civil War in Yugoslavia. Upon removal, the statue was driven through the city and left neglected behind the National Museum building.

As a response to this act, Komel designed three posters depicting the statue’s three different positions in blue, red and yellow signifying societal and ideological shifts. On the back of each poster there is a map depicting the removal route and its absurd distance of 822 steps. In Komel’s words: “Transitional economy activates and carries out transformations towards ones own cultural heritage. With this violent and absurd act of removal, society embraces and perpetuates new cultural order which normalizes the discontinuity of its historic, cultural and economic development.” This work was produced for distribution during the annual group exhibition at Reflektor Gallery run by the Association of Visual Artist Užice where artists were invited to participate. For this occasion the audience was invited to use Lik i djelo / Figure and Deed as a tourist and ideological map to find the statue and position themselves.

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Images:

1, 2. Memorial Complex Kadinjača located 14km from Užice, commemorates Partisan antifascist Worker's Battalion that died protecting the town against German forces and enabling Tito’s escape on November 29, 1941. The battle was the conclusion of the first liberated territory within occupied Europe in WWII, the Republic of Užice. Built in 1952, the architectural museum form was expanded by sculptor Miodrag Živković and architect Aleksandar Đokić. The entire memorial complex was officially open by the President Josip Broz Tito on 23 September 1979.

3, 4. Statue of Josip Broz Tito behind the National Museum building.

5. Foreclosed textile factory Cveta Dabić located on the city’s river bank.

6. Demolition site of the foreclosed factory FASAU, to be replaced by a shopping center.

7. Underground tunnels of Partizan worker’s weapons and munition factory operational during WWII; the image marks the place of explosion in which 120 workers lost their lives.

8, 9. City of Užice Historical Archive (Istorijski arhiv Užice), research through archival photographs. Photograph of a hero mother soldier and her good bye letter to her child she wrote before her execution.

10. HEKLER residency studio generously provided by the Alliance of Visual Artists Užice. Located in the former military complex and historic building.

11. Lik i djelo / Figure and Deed, Reflektor Gallery, Užice

12. One of many nights with the family and neighbors at the balcony - eating homemade pies. :)

U junu 2019. HEKLER je organizovao svoju prvu istraživačku rezidenciju koja se održala u Užicu, u Srbiji. Ovom prilikom pozvali smo Ninu Komel, konceptualnu umetnicu i istraživačicu iz Bosne i Hercegovine (BiH) kao prvu rezidentkinju. Ova rezidencija je produžetak saradnje Nataše Prljević i Nine Komel koja je rezultirala Nininom samostalnom izložbom, Mapiranje apsurda, koju je Prljević organizovala i kustosirala 2016. godine u toku Nininog rezidencijalnog boravka Residency Unlimited u Njujorku.

Za ovu rezidenciju u Užicu, Komel i Prljević su koristili site-specific metode istraživanja kako bi uspostavile korelacije između svojih rodnih gradova, Užica (RS) i opštine Brod (RS, BiH), koje odražavaju neuspeh tranzicionih ekonomija tokom ratnog i posleratnog perioda. Ovaj proces je obuhvatio audiovizuelno mapiranje zatvorenih javnih fabrika zbog neuspele privatizacije i njihovog uticaja na zajednicu radničke klase, kao i raseljenih istorijskih znamenitosti. Važan deo njihovog istraživanja omogućili su sjajni radnici i radnice Istorijskog arhiva Užice. Ovo je stalna saradnja i deo većeg HEKLER projekta koji ispituje odnose između društvenih i arhitektonskih transformacija u perifernim neoliberalnim ekonomijama.

Jedan od rezultata istraživanja bio je Ninin novi rad Lik i djelo koje istražuje pomeranje javne statue (Slike 3 i 4) posvećene Josipu Brozu Titu, predsedniku Socijalističke Federativne Republike Jugoslavije (1943-1980), autora Frane Kršinića. Statut je prvobitno postavljen na Trgu Partizana 1961. godine kada je trg završen, što je bila i godina kada su Tito i indijski premier Džavaharlal Nehru osnovali Pokret nesvrstanih u Beogradu. Smešten u centru Užica, trg je slavljen kao izuzetan urbanistički i arhitektonski modernistički kompleks u Jugoslaviji po projektu arhitekte Stanka Mandića, koji obuhvata stambene objekte, kulturne i administrativne centre. Nakon 30 godina na gornjem nivou trga, statua je nasilno uklonjena tokom lokalnih protesta 1991. godine sa početkom građanskog rata u Jugoslaviji. Po uklanjanju, statua je provozana kroz grad i ostavljena zapuštena iza zgrade Narodnog muzeja.

Kao odgovor na ovaj čin, Komel je dizajnirala tri postera koji prikazuju tri različite pozicije statue u plavoj, crvenoj i žutoj, što označava društvene i ideološke promene. Na poleđini svakog postera nalazi se mapa koja prikazuje put uklanjanja i njegovu apsurdnu udaljenost od 822 koraka. Komelovim rečima: „Tranziciona ekonomija aktivira i sprovodi transformacije ka sopstvenom kulturnom nasleđu. Ovim nasilnim i apsurdnim činom uklanjanja, društvo prihvata i održava novi kulturni poredak koji normalizuje diskontinuitet njegovog istorijskog, kulturnog i ekonomskog razvoja.” Ovaj rad je proizveden za distribuciju tokom godišnje grupne izložbe u Galeriji Reflektor koju vodi Udruženje likovnih umetnika Užice na kojoj su umetnici i umetnice pozvani da učestvuju. Za ovu priliku publika je pozvana da iskoristi Lik i djelo kao turističku i ideološku mapu kako bi pronašla statuu i pozicionirala sebe.

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Slike:

1, 2. Spomen-kompleks Kadinjača na 14 km od Užica, u znak sećanja na Partizanski antifašistički radnički bataljon koji je poginuo štiteći grad od nemačkih snaga i omogućio Titov bekstvo 29. novembra 1941. Bitka je bila završetak prve oslobođene teritorije u okupiranoj Evropi u Drugom svetskom ratu, Užičke Republike. Izgrađen 1952. godine, formu arhitektonskog muzeja proširili su vajar Miodrag Živković i arhitekta Aleksandar Đokić. Ceo memorijalni kompleks svečano je otvorio predsednik Josip Broz Tito 23. septembra 1979. godine.

3, 4. Statua Josipa Broza Tita iza zgrade Narodnog muzeja.

5. Zatvorena fabrika tekstila Cveta Dabić koja se nalazi na gradskoj rečnoj obali.

6. Mesto rušenja zatvorene fabrike FASAU, koja će biti zamenjena tržnim centrom.

7. Podzemni tuneli Fabrike naoružanja i municije radnika Partizana u funkciji tokom Drugog svetskog rata; slika označava mesto eksplozije u kojoj je život izgubilo 120 radnika i radnica.

8, 9. Istorijski arhiv grada Užica, istraživanje arhivske građe. Fotografija vojnikinje majke heroine i njenog oproštajnog pisma svom detetu koje je napisala pre pogubljenja.

10. Rezidencijalni studio HEKLER velikodušno obezbeđen od strane Udruženja likovnih umetnika Užice. Nalazi se u nekadašnjem vojnom kompleksu i istorijskoj zgradi.

11. Lik i djelo / Slika i delo, Galerija Reflektor, Užice

12. Jedna od mnogih noći sa porodicom i komšijama na balkonu - jedenje domaće pite. :)

Lik i djelo, Nina Komel

Jedan od najvećih spomenika lika Josipa Broza Tita je (remek) delo vajara Frana Kršinića. Bronzana skulptura, visoka 4,75 m i teška nekoliko tona, 1961. godine je postavljena na Trg Partizana u Užicu, menjajući prvobitni plan arhitekte Stanka Madića. Skulptura je naknadno dodana kako bi upotpunila vizuelni doživljaj trga i bila u skladu sa vladajućom estetikom toga vremena. Posmatran  kao “završena cjelina, likovno obuhvaćena i u svemu prihvaćena od struke i građana” kojima je bila i namijenjena, trg Partizana proglašen je za jedno od tri najbolja urbanistička rješenja gradskog trga u bivšoj Jugoslaviji. 

Raspadom Jugoslavije promjenom društveno-ekonomskih odnosa i mjenjanjem ideologije,  1991. godine skulptura Josipa Broza Tita, kao simbol ideologije koja njeguje potpuno suprotne vrijednosti, se uklanja i time se narušava vizuelno arhitektonski doživljaj trga. Bronzana skulptura pomjerana je tri dana, a besmislenost njene tranzicije vidi se u relaciji i smještanju sklupture iza Narodnog muzeja u Užicu. Dužina puta  je 855m ili 1122 koraka. Iako skulptura pripada Narodnom muzeju, njena pozicija je naglašeno marginalizovana u odnosu na druge skulpture u tom prostoru. Ovakav način ophođenja prema umjetničkom predmetu, bez obzira na ideologiju, politiku i vrijeme u kojem se nalazimo govori i o podložnosti i neodgovornosti društva, kao i pravu vladajuće ideologije da oblikuje kolektivno sjećanje.

Uklapajući se u istorijski kontinuitet ova pojava tumači se kao Damnatio memoriae, izraz koji na latinskom jeziku označava zabranu sjećanja. Smisao ove rimske posthumne kazne bio je da izbriše svaki trag sjećanja ili postojanja osobe protiv koje je ova kazna izrečena. Na primeru spomenika J.B. Tita u Užicu možemo vidjeti kako se u toku tranzicije paralelno menjaju fizički i ideoloski pejzaž, privredni i kulturni prostor, status javnog i privatnog, važnog i nevažnog pomoću kojeg se formiranju nova pravila i novi identiteti.

U toku transformacije privrede transformisali su se i odnosi prema sopstvenoj kulturi i istorijskom nasleđu. Na ovaj način, u estetskom smislu, skoro vandalskim činom oblikuje se jedno novo društvo i usađuje kulturni obrazac koji će ga pripremiti da bez promišljanja prekida tokove svog istorijskog, kulturnog i ekonomskog razvoja.

Vizuelno rešenje,  urađeno u sklopu Hekler rezidecije, je u obliku štampanog materijala (3 situacije spomenika i mapom Uzica koja vodi do djela Frana Kršinića) koji predstavlja putokaz  ili poziv do jedne, u danasnje vreme potpuno strane ideje, do monumentalnog spomenika koji simboliše vreme drugačijih odnosa društva prema pojedincu, radniku i obrnuto kao i odnosa  prema kulturi i estetici.

Figure and Deed, Nina Komel

One of the biggest statues dedicated to Josip Broz Tito, is a (master)piece by sculptor Frano Kršinić. This monumental sculpture cast in bronze, 4,75m high weighting several tons, was placed on Užice’s Partizan Square in 1961 changing the original urbanist plan by architect Stanko Mandić. Its addition was conceived to fulfill a visual experience of the square aligned with the contemporary aesthetics. Its perception as “a completed whole, visually encompassing and in its entirety accepted by the experts and citizens” to whom it was dedicated, made it considered as one of the three most successful and innovative urbanist solutions for a city square in former Yugoslavia.

With a dissolution of Yugoslavia and a transition of socio-economic relationships and ideology in 1991, Josip Broz Tito’s sculpture was violently removed as a symbol of opposing value system, affecting the visual and architectural layout of the city square. The process of its removal lasted for three days, and the absurdity of this transition is embodied in its chosen new location - a lot behind the building of the National Museum in Užice. The length of its removal route is 855m or 1122 steps. Even though the statue belongs to the National Museum, its position is evidently marginalized in comparison with other artefacts. This way of treating the art object, regardless of the ideological and political context tells us about societal susceptibility and irresponsibility, as well as the right of ruling ideology to shape collective memory. 

This act fits into a historic continuity of Damnatio memoriae, the term in latin that stands for condemnation of memory. The purpose of this Roman posthumous punishment was to erase the person from official accounts. On the example of Josip Broz Tito’s statue destiny we can see that transitions parallely change physical and ideological landscape, economical and cultural space, status of public and private, deciding what is significant and insignificant to preserve, thanks to which new rules and identities are formed. 

Transformation of the economy affected the way we relate to our own culture and historic heritage. This, from an aesthetic lense, almost vandalistic act reshapes the society introducing new cultural framework that will perpetuate without reflection a discontinuation of historic, cultural, and economic development.

Here presented visual solution developed during HEKLER residency was realized in a form of printed take-away material (3 situations/positions of the statue with a map of Užice that takes you to the statue by Frano Kršinić) representing a direction or invitation to visit one idea, opposite to the current state of affairs, a monumental statue that symbolizes different societal dynamics and its appreciation towards the individual, worker and vice versa, as well as different relationship towards culture and aesthetics.

Nina Komel

http://www.ninakomel.com/

Nina Komel is a conceptual artist from Brod, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Komel’s work is based on documenting and emphasizing the absurd state of everyday interactions and value systems in Bosnia and Herzegovina that occupy both personal and public experience. Focusing on the state of isolation, Komel works in a range of media, from text to immersive interactive installations that use visual and non-visual language. Komel recognizes the power of irony to transform the accumulation of contradictions in the current state of the culture and the pressure it imposes on the artist and the citizen. She lives and works in Novi Sad, Serbia.

Nina Komel

http://www.ninakomel.com/

Nina Komel je konceptualna umjetnica iz Broda, Bosna i Hercegovina. Komelin rad se zasniva na dokumentovanju i isticanju apsurdnog stanja svakodnevnih interakcija i sistema vrijednosti u Bosni i Hercegovini koji zauzimaju i lično i javno iskustvo. Fokusirajući se na stanje izolacije, Komel radi u nizu medija, od teksta do imersivnih interaktivnih instalacija koje koriste vizuelni i nevizuelni jezik. Komel prepoznaje moć ironije da transformiše akumulaciju protivrečnosti u sadašnjem stanju kulture i pritisak koji nameće umetniku/ci i građaninu/ki. Živi i radi u Novom Sadu u Srbiji.