Femininity in Geometric Abstraction: seventeen top female authors of geometric abstraction exhibiting together

In 2023, the Geometry project presented seventeen top female authors of geometric abstraction at an exhibition in the Modern Gallery Lazarevac, from November 9 to 20, 2023.

Bosiljka Zirojević Lečić

She was born in 1971 in Novi Sad. She graduated from the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad in 1994, Department of Painting. She completed her postgraduate studies, Department of Painting, at the same Academy in 2000. She is a full professor at the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad, specialized in Painting. She has been a member of ULUV (Association of Applied Arts Artists and Designers of Vojvodina) and ULUS (Association of Fine Artists of Serbia) since 1995. As part of the artistic group Multiflex, she collaborates with other artists in the realization of multimedia art projects. Since 1992, she has exhibited in over 130 group exhibitions, at home and abroad. She has had 23 solo exhibitions and has received several awards for her artistic work. She is the coordinator of several projects in the field of fine arts and education, as well as inclusive work within creative expression.

Danja Tekić

She was born in 1989 in Belgrade, completed her undergraduate studies in 2010 and master’s degree in 2012 at the Graphic Department of the Faculty of Fine Arts in Belgrade, where she also obtained her Ph.D. in 2018 with the thesis “Ars Combinatoria as a Method of Visual Speculation, the Arrangement of Mobile Graphic Structures,” under the mentorship of Dr. Mileta Prodanović. She has organized 14 solo exhibitions in Serbia and participated in a large number of group exhibitions at home and abroad (Macedonia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Romania, Italy, Poland, Germany, France, the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Portugal, Russia, Switzerland, United States, Brazil, Egypt, China). She is the recipient of the Graphic Award at the 31st October Salon in Kovin in 2017, the Marko Krsmanović Award – for an innovative approach to graphics, Faculty of Fine Arts in 2012, and the Faculty of Fine Arts Award for graphics in 2011. She is a member of the Association of Fine Artists of Serbia (ULUS) with the status of an independent artist.

Emilija Radoičić

Emilija Radojičić is a visual artist born in 1989, who currently lives and works in Belgrade. She completed her undergraduate studies at the Faculty of Applied Arts in Belgrade and her master’s degree at the University of Arts in Belgrade, in the Department of Theory of Art and Media, with the thesis: “Craft and/or Art? Theory and Practice of Weaving in the Artistic Work of Anni Albers.” Her recent works navigate between art and design, exploring the three-dimensional and tactile aspects of drawing, textiles, and sculpture through various materials and mediums. Emilija initially began her practice with drawing and painting, further exploring her inner worlds and abstraction, which today are mostly interpreted through tactile, three-dimensional works. To date, she has realized many solo and group exhibitions, audio/visual performances, collaborations, and publications with various artists, curators, institutions, galleries, and brands.

Jagoda Živadinović

Jagoda Živadinović is a Serbian artist born in 1949 in Ćuprija. She completed both her undergraduate and master’s degrees at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Belgrade, specializing in painting, under the guidance of Professor Stojan Ćelić. She furthered her studies with professional development programs in Antwerp (National Hoger Institut), Belgium, and in France (Paris, Cité des Arts). Since 1979, Jagoda Živadinović has been a member of the Association of Fine Artists of Serbia (ULUS). Her work has been recognized with several prestigious awards: in 1978/79, she received the Gallery KNU in Belgrade award for the Best Solo Exhibition of the season 1978/79; in 1992, she received the Paul Cezanne Award in France (Bourget, Prix Peinture, 35e Salon Arts Formes Couleurs); and in 1993, she was awarded the City of Bourges Prize in France (Bourget, Prix de la Ville du Bourget, Prix Peinture, 36e Salon Arts Formes Couleurs). Jagoda Živadinović has participated in many art colonies and has held solo exhibitions in Serbia (Belgrade, Zemun, Ćuprija, Sremska Mitrovica, Ruma, Pančevo), Croatia (Motovun), and France (Isi Le Mulino – near Paris, Paris, and Avignon). She lives and works in Zemun and on the Dobričevo Agricultural Estate.

Jasna Gulan Ružić

Jasna Gulan Ružić was born in 1976 in Novi Sad. She graduated in 2002 and completed her master’s degree in 2007 under the mentorship of Prof. Slobodan Knežević at the Fine Arts Department of the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad, at the Department for Printmaking. She completed her doctoral studies in the field of fine arts in 2022 at the same Academy, under the mentorship of Prof. Višnja Petrović. Since 2019, she has been employed at the Department of Drawing with the title of assistant professor. Her research fields are drawing, printmaking, psychoanalysis of art, conservation, and restoration. She has been actively exhibiting since 1999 and has participated in 20 solo and about 67 group exhibitions at home and abroad. She has received several awards for her work. She is a member of SULUV, ULUS, Graphic Collective Belgrade, Conservation Society of Serbia, International Council on Monuments and Sites - ICOMOS, and the Philosophical Center for Psychoanalysis - CERIP. From 2004 to 2019, she was employed at the Provincial Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments in Petrovaradin as a painter-conservator, where she participated in over 40 projects related to the research, conservation, and restoration of movable and immovable cultural heritage in Serbia, Croatia, Romania, and Hungary. Since 2020, she has been a member of the editorial board of the Bulletin of the Conservation Society of Serbia and a professional associate at the Institute for Philosophy and Interdisciplinary Studies, Novi Sad, where she leads the course Psychoanalysis of Art.

Korina Gubik

Korina Gubik was born in 1983 in Senta. In 2007, she graduated from the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad, at the Department of Painting, in the class of Professor Jovan Rakidžić. Korina has been a member of the Association of Fine Artists of Vojvodina since 2008, and from 2012 to 2014, she was a freelance artist. She is currently employed at the “Boljai” High School for Talented Students in Senta as a teacher of professional subjects in the fine arts department. Korina Gubik’s artistic work has been awarded multiple times: in 2006, she received the Matica Srpska Gallery Award at the “Spain - A Side View” competition; in 2007, the “Perspective 06” award from the multimedia center Art Clinic for the most promising student in the Department of Painting; in 2007, the 36th Novi Sad Salon Award; in 2017, the “FORUM 2017” annual award from the Forum publishing house for fine arts; in 2020, the “Nađapati Kukac Peter” annual award for fine arts. Since 2008, Korina Gubik has had an active exhibition activity, having presented herself in sixteen solo exhibitions in Serbia: Subotica, Senta, Vrbas, Ođaci, Bačka Topola, Bečej, Novi Sad, Kraljevo, and Vranje. In 2022, Korina Gubik’s work was acquired by the Contemporary Gallery of Subotica.

Mila Gvardiol

Mila Gvardiol was born in 1979 in Belgrade. She graduated from the Faculty of Applied Arts in Belgrade, majoring in mural painting. She completed her PhD at the Interdisciplinary Studies of the University of Arts in Belgrade, specializing in digital arts. She is a member of ULUS (The Association of Fine Artists of Serbia) and ULUPUDS (The Association of Applied Arts Artists and Designers of Serbia). She holds the position of an associate professor and dean at the Faculty for Digital Production in Sremska Kamenica. She taught at the Faculty of Applied Arts in Belgrade from 2015 to 2023. She has exhibited in 39 solo and about 300 group exhibitions. She has participated in art colonies and digital art festivals. She has been awarded several times for her artistic work.

Miljana Radenković

Dr. Miljana Radenković was born in 1989 in Niš. She completed her undergraduate and master’s academic studies at the Faculty of Arts at the University of Niš, in the Study Program - Graphic Design. She earned her doctorate at the Faculty of Applied Arts of the University of Arts in Belgrade, in the field of Applied Arts and Design. She is the author of several artistic projects and published works in the field of graphic design. She has received several awards in the field of applied arts. She has organized 28 solo exhibitions in the country and participated in more than 150 collective exhibitions at home and abroad. She is a member of ULUPUDS (The Association of Applied Arts Artists and Designers of Serbia). She works at the Faculty of Arts at the University of Niš with the title of assistant professor in the specific artistic field - Graphic Design.

Milka Žunjanin

Milka Žunjanin was born in 1994 in Kruševac. She completed her high school education in Kraljevo, graduating in 2013 with a specialization in conservation and restoration. After finishing high school, she enrolled at the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad, majoring in painting in the class of Professor Bosiljka Zirojević Lečić, under whose mentorship she also completed her master’s studies. She defended her master’s thesis titled “DEconstruction of space” in 2019. She has participated in five solo exhibitions in Belgrade, Niš, Užice, and Trstenik, and in several group exhibitions in Serbia, Montenegro, and Bulgaria.

Miona Marta Marković

Miona Marta Marković was born in 1979 in Sombor. She graduated in 2004 from the Faculty of Applied Arts in Belgrade, Department of Mural Painting, and later in 2007, she completed her master’s degree at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Naples. In 2018, she defended her doctoral thesis at the Università Sapienza in Rome in the field of contemporary art history. She has been a member of ULUS (The Association of Fine Artists of Serbia) since 2006 and gained the status of an independent artist in 2009. In 2023, she also became a member of ULUPUDS (The Association of Applied Arts Artists and Designers of Serbia). She has presented her work in twenty-nine solo exhibitions and has participated in over seventy group exhibitions primarily in Italy and Serbia. She takes part in professional congresses and international art colonies. In addition to painting, she is also engaged in theory - writing reviews and catalogues for visual artists and researching for her authorial project.

Nina Todorović

She was born in Belgrade in 1973. She graduated in 1999 from the Faculty of Fine Arts (FLU), Department of Painting, in the class of Professor Čedomir Vasić. Since 2000, she has been a member of ULUS (The Association of Fine Artists of Serbia) with the status of an independent artist. She completed her master’s degree in 2002, in the class of the same professor. She earned her doctorate in 2014 at the FLU in Belgrade under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Mileta Prodanović. She has been actively exhibiting since 1995 and to date, she has had 49 solo and over 200 group exhibitions. She has also participated in numerous art colonies, workshops, and web projects both domestically and internationally (Canada, Belgium, Hungary, North Macedonia, USA, Slovenia, Estonia, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Russia, Sweden, United Kingdom, Australia, Uruguay, Argentina, Egypt, France, Austria). She is the recipient of several domestic and international awards. Her works can be found in foreign and domestic museums and in both public and private collections.

Sanja Đorđević

Sanja Đorđević was born in Niš in 1990. She graduated from the Faculty of Arts in Niš, Department of Painting. She has participated in numerous group exhibitions in the country, including the Niš Art Foundation’s “Young 2018” exhibition. She was awarded by the faculty for the best painting in 2018 and for her achievements in master’s academic studies in 2020. Geometry, as a multi-year subject of artistic research, has given rise to a series of paintings (acrylic on canvas) titled “Archetype of Cosmic Action”, which is dedicated to the journey into the self, a path of endless transformation and the eternal elevation of the mind, body, and spirit. She is currently engaged in graphic design and commercial digital illustration. She lives and works in Niš.

Sonja Kostić

Sonja Kostić was born in 1966 in Belgrade. She graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts in Belgrade in 1994, Department of Painting, under Professor Momčilo Antonović. She also completed her master’s studies at the same faculty under the same professor in 1996. Since 1993, Sonja Kostić has been a member of ULUS (the Association of Fine Artists of Serbia). She has participated in over sixty group exhibitions at home and abroad, and has had solo exhibitions in Belgrade (Cinema REX, SKC, KCB, Belgrade City Library, Salon of the Museum of Contemporary Art Belgrade, Manak’s House (Urban Zone Project), FLU, Zvono Gallery, Blok Gallery), Negotin, Subotica, Paris, Toronto. Her works are part of collections including: the Ministry of Culture in Belgrade, Dunav Insurance, the Modern Gallery in Gornji Milanovac, Metropolis in Belgrade, and Galerie Projection Ada Brussels in Belgium. Additionally, Sonja Kostić’s works can be found in private collections in Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro, the Czech Republic, Austria, Germany, France, Belgium, the USA, Canada, etc. Sonja Kostić has collaborated on the following projects: Urban Zone with Miomir Grujić Fleka; Project INITIAVE EQUIDISTANCE, an international project organized by the Academy of Fine Arts, Vienna, Austria, MAK Vienna - traveling exhibition “Stop the violence” – selection by Zoran Erić; Gallery III Belgrade – International project Collective Dream, with the group Коллективные Действия and the group KunsOst, Austria.

Sylvia Kovjenić

Sylvia Kovjenić was born in 1976 in Newcastle, South Africa. She attended two programs at the School of Fine and Applied Arts in Belgrade (1995-1999). She graduated from the Faculty of Applied Arts and Design in Belgrade in 2004, specializing in Wall Painting, Department of Conservation-Restoration. After graduating, she spent 2004-05 as a visiting student at the Art Academy in Düsseldorf, Germany. Since 2005, she has been a member of ULUPUDS (the Association of Applied Artists and Designers of Serbia) with the status of an independent artist. She has participated in more than 90 group exhibitions at home and abroad and several art colonies, and so far, she has held 26 solo exhibitions. Her works are part of public and private collections. She has received several commendations and awards for her work. She lives and works in Belgrade.

Tamara Dragan

Tamara Dragan was born in 1990 in Bela Crkva. She enrolled in the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad in 2009 in the Department of Sculpture, in the class of Professor Gordana Kaljalović, and completed her master’s studies in 2016 in the class of Professor Tomislav Todorović. She has participated in several group exhibitions, including the Niš Art Foundation’s “Youth 2018” exhibition and the international exhibition “Banat Pavilion” in Timișoara, Romania. So far, she has had six solo exhibitions in Belgrade, Inđija, Novi Sad, and Bela Crkva. She is the recipient of the “Stanišić” Art Foundry award for the most successful artistic work in the professional art discipline of sculpture in 2013. She has been a member of SULUV (The Association of Fine Artists of Vojvodina) since 2020 and ULUS (The Association of Fine Artists of Serbia) since 2021.

Višnja Petrović

Višnja Petrović was born in 1960 in Novi Sad. In 1984, she graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts in Belgrade, in the Department of Painting. She then completed her master’s studies at the same faculty and department in 1987. Since 1993, she has been employed at the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad. She was appointed as a full professor in the subject of Drawing with Technology in 2006. Višnja Petrović is a member of ULUV (The Association of Fine Arts Teachers of Vojvodina), and her works can be found in several collections in Serbia and Switzerland. She has held eleven solo exhibitions in Novi Sad, Niš, Zrenjanin, and Belgrade. She has received several awards: in 1990, the Painting Award of the 19th Novi Sad October Salon; in 1993, the Yugoslav Biennial of Watercolor in Zrenjanin Award; in 1998, the Drawing Award of the 28th Novi Sad October Salon; and in 2018, an Accolade for Intermedia at the 14th Biennial of Miniature in Gornji Milanovac.

Vjera Damjanović

Vjera Damjanović was born in 1949 in Cetinje. She graduated in 1976 from the Faculty of Fine Arts, in the Department of Painting under Professor Stojan Ćelić, and then completed her master’s degree in 1979. She has been a member of ULUS (the Association of Fine Arts Artists of Serbia) since 1977, and in 2010 she achieved the status of a distinguished artist. Vjera has been awarded multiple times: in 1972, she received the Annual Award of the Faculty of Fine Arts for drawing; in 1975, the award from the students of the Faculty of Fine Arts for painting; in 2007, the Autumn Salon Award of the Association of Fine Artists of Serbia; in 2012, the City of Belgrade Award for fine, applied creativity, visual and extended media for the year 2011; and in 2022, she received the “Stojan Ćelić” award from the Zepter Museum. Vjera Damjanović has been actively exhibiting since 1974, participating in more than one hundred and fifty group exhibitions at home and abroad, while she has presented herself in twenty-two solo exhibitions. Her works can be found in museum collections and private collections both domestically and internationally.

From the exhibition catalog:

The exhibition ‘Femininity in Geometric Abstraction’ is, I hope, just the beginning of a new focus on the art of geometric abstraction in Serbia in general. I organized and prepared the exhibition without any institutional or financial support from the Republic of Serbia, excluding the Modern Gallery Lazarevac, which recognized its value in its concept. Abstract art shows even today, more than a hundred years since it was discovered in the form that history of art recognizes as an aesthetic and conceptual unity, the potential for infinite exploration. All the works of the artists who participated in this project testify to this. I see no reason whatsoever why my efforts in its development and promotion should end with this exhibition, and I take this opportunity to already announce the plan to develop this exhibition into a biennial event of geometric abstraction art.

In previous decades, there has been no systematic effort in our country to identify and present the contribution to this branch of abstract art specifically by female artists. This is what primarily motivated me to develop and implement such a project. I am sure that the works of the seventeen artists, presented individually but with a unified expression, testify to an extraordinary creative energy that we can recognize as a whole despite all the differences in individual sensibilities. I believe that this is sufficient motivation for future gatherings and research in the direction that this exhibition has only outlined. That is also the reason why, in this introductory consideration, I avoided all attempts at aesthetic-conceptual classifications, theoretical analysis, even superficial systematization. I believe that the participants of this project and their works are eloquent in this sense by themselves, and that the theoretical discourse of contemporary Serbian geometric abstraction will naturally evolve from further efforts in gathering and communication. I hope that I will have the opportunity to witness this development in the future.

Dr Miona Marta Marković


Contact: mionamarkovicmarta@gmail.com

Impressum
Dr Miona Marta Marković, Author
Dr Goran S. Milovanović, Production
Dr Mila Gvardiol, Design

Belgrade, Serbia, 2025.