How does one discover more about oneself? For me, art has always been the answer.
For a long time, I struggled with one question – why did I feel the need to destroy the feminine within myself? It was never about the rejection of femininity in the world, but about fighting it within me. I believed it made me weak, something that I needed to suppress. But the struggle became so intense that I didn’t even know who I was anymore.
The feminine did not remain quiet – it fought back, attacking my masculine side. The war inside me left me forlorn, unable to recognize either side of myself. I thought I had to win, but I realized that the way out was not in victory or defeat – it was in understanding.
I am both.
This exhibition is a reflection of that journey. Every photograph is a selfportrait – a visual representation of that internal struggle and of the moment of acceptance.
On a larger scale, this struggle mirrors what society often imposes. Toxic masculinity exists because we are taught to suffocate our feminine side. We are raised to reject softness, emotions, and vulnerability. But strength is not about picking sides – it’s about embracing the balance we all carry within us.
@vukasin_cvetkovic
pon/Mon – sub/Sat 14 – 20h
VUKAŠIN CVETKOVIĆ
Ja sam oba/I am Both
Kako otkriti sebe? Za mene, umetnost je uvek bila odgovor.
Dugo me je mučilo jedno pitanje: zašto osećam potrebu da uništim ono ženstveno u sebi? Nikada nije bilo reči o odbacivanju ženstvenosti u svetu, već o borbi protiv nje unutar sebe. Verovao sam da me čini slabim, nešto što moram da potisnem. Ali ta borba je postala toliko intenzivna da više nisam znao ko sam.
Ženstvenost nije ostala tiha, uzvratila je udarac, napadajući i moj muški identitet. Rat u meni ostavio me je izgubljenim, nesposobnim da prepoznam bilo koji deo sebe. Mislio sam da moram da pobedim, ali shvatio sam da izlaz nije u pobedi ili porazuveć u razumevanju.
Ja sam i jedno i drugo.
Ova izložba odražava taj put. Svaka fotografija je autoportret, vizuelna priča o toj unutrašnjoj borbi i trenutku prihvatanja.
Na širem nivou, ova borba odražava ono što društvo često nameće. Toksična muževnost postoji jer smo naučeni da gušimo svoju ženstvenu stranu. Od malih nogu učimo da odbacimo nežnost, emocije i ranjivost. Ali snaga ne leži u odabiru jedne strane, već u prihvatanju ravnoteže koju svi nosimo u sebi.
@vukasin_cvetkovic
pon/Mon – sub/Sat 14 – 20h
The exhibition presents books by authors published under the curatorship of the Book[e]lab platform. Book[e]lab works at the intersection of contemporary art and photobook design, focusing on limited-edition artist’s books. Each project combines visual narrative with material form, where content and design come together to create a cohesive artistic statement. The platform encourages experimentation, exploring the connection between image, structure, and tactility, and challenging traditional ideas of what a book can be. By collaborating with artists, photographers, designers, as well as paper manufacturers and printing technologists, it creates an environment for dialogue and innovation.
This exhibition features a selection of artist’s books where the concept is not just presented but physically embodied in the book’s structure and design. Each book acts as an independent piece, where content and form are closely integrated into a unified artistic expression.
Alongside the exhibition, a series of workshops and discussions will offer a space for dialogue, bringing together everyone involved in the photobook creation process. The goal is to encourage an exchange of ideas, exploring the book as both an artistic medium and a tangible expression of the author’s vision.
Artists: Sveta Kaverina, Gulshat Gubaidullina, Anya Belka, Elina Gusarova, Alexey Belov, Veronika Trubnikova, Katerina Kouzmitcheva, Valeria Kruglova, Natalia Ershova, Anastasia Saut, Sophie Pankevich, Marta Ladokhina, Lena Weinstein, Dmitry Pechurin, Irina Kravchina, Liza Tolstyakova, Vlad Iakubovski,
Dmitry Pyatnitsky, Sasha Fedulova and others.
bookelab.com • @bookelab
Thu – Sun 16 – 22h
FOTO KNJIGE / PHOTO BOOKS
Laboratorija knjižne telesnosti / The Book Embodiment Laboratory
Kustos / Curated by Olga Matveeva
Izložba predstavlja knjige autora objavljenih pod kustoskom platformom Book[e]lab. Book[e]lab deluje na preseku savremene umetnosti i dizajna foto-knjiga, fokusirajući se na umetničke knjige u ograničenim izdanjima. Svaki projekat spaja vizuelni narativ i materijalnu formu, gde se sadržaj i dizajn prepliću u koherentnu umetničku izjavu. Platforma podstiče eksperimentisanje, istražujući vezu između slike, strukture i taktilnosti, izazivajući tradicionalne predstave o tome šta knjiga može biti.
Saradnjom sa umetnicima, fotografima, dizajnerima, kao i proizvođačima papira i štamparskim tehnolozima, Book[e]lab stvara prostor za dijalog i inovaciju. Ova izložba donosi izbor umetničkih knjiga u kojima koncept nije samo predstavljen, već je fizički utelovljen kroz strukturu i dizajn knjige. Svaka knjiga funkcioniše kao samostalno umetničko delo, gde se sadržaj i
forma stapaju u jedinstven izražaj.
Pored izložbe, serija radionica i diskusija pružiće prostor za razmenu ideja, okupljajući sve učesnike u procesu stvaranja foto knjige. Cilj je istražiti knjigu ne samo kao umetnički medij, već i kao opipljiv izraz autorove vizije.
Umetnici: Sveta Kaverina, Gulshat Gubaidullina, Anya Belka, Elina Gusarova, Alexey Belov, Veronika Trubnikova, Katerina Kouzmitcheva, Valeria Kruglova, Natalia Ershova, Anastasia Saut, Sophie Pankevich, Marta Ladokhina, Lena Weinstein, Dmitry Pechurin, Irina Kravchina, Liza Tolstyakova, Vlad Iakubovski, Dmitry Pyatnitsky, Sasha Fedulova i drugi.
bookelab.com • @bookelab
uto/Thu – ned/Sun 16 – 22h
Night portraits on the trees – fragile crooked figures, resembling animals or creatures which used to be alive. The bodies are in a state of suspended motion in an attempt to climb the top of the tree, dissolving into synthetic light.
These images remount us to the animalistic samblance or images of Adam and Eve, being in search of the forbidden fruit.
Nudity in European culture is inseparable from the theological symbolism. Before the fall of man, people didn`t know about their nakedness, their bodies were covered with grace. Modern Adam and Eve move through the trees in search of the forbidden fruit, wanting to return to paradise, to find the lost.
Such escapism can easily be compared with the anabiosis of an animal: the slowing down of body life processes under the influence of the manifestation of aggressiveness of the external environment. This explains the similarity of nude figures with animals.
The faces of people are hidden. In modern culture there is an asymmetry between the face and the body: the face is always naked, the body is always hidden. The face is the most strong means of expression. Nude figures on trees turn the conventional framework upside down.
Despite their nakedness, the figures don`t try to seduce the viewer, they rather express the desire to defend themselves up to the manifestation of aggression, to wait out.
These images can be compared with a depressed state, an awareness of their powerlessness – the inability to influence or participate in the ongoing global processes.
pet/Fri 17 – 20h
sub/Sat – ned/Sun 15 – 18h
OLGA MATVEEVA
Anabiosis
Noćni portreti na drveću – krhke, iskrivljene figure nalik životinjama ili bićima koja su nekada bila živa. Tela su u stanju zamrznutog pokreta, u pokušaju da se popnu do vrha drveta, nestajući u sintetičkoj svetlosti.
Ove slike nas vraćaju u svet animalnih asocijacija ili prikaza Adama i Eve, večito u potrazi za zabranjenim plodom.
Nagost u evropskoj kulturi neraskidivo je povezana s teološkom
simbolikom. Pre pada, ljudi nisu bili svesni svoje nagosti, njihova tela bila su obavijena blagodaću. Savremeni Adam i Eva kreću se kroz krošnje, tragajući za zabranjenim plodom, želeći da se vrate u raj, da pronađu ono izgubljeno. Ovakav eskapizam lako se može uporediti s anabiozom kod životinja, usporavanjem životnih procesa kao reakcijom na agresivne spoljašnje uslove. To objašnjava sličnost nagih figura sa životinjama.
Lica ovih ljudi ostaju skrivena. U savremenoj kulturi postoji asimetrija između lica i tela: lice je uvek otkriveno, dok je telo gotovo uvek sakriveno. Lice je najjači izražajni medij. Međutim, nage figure na drveću preokreću ovu konvenciju naglavačke.
Uprkos svojoj nagosti, ove figure ne pokušavaju da zavode posmatrača, pre izražavaju potrebu za odbranom, čak i do tačke agresije, čekajući povoljan trenutak. One se mogu poistovetiti sa stanjem depresije, sa osećajem nemoći, nesposobnošću da se utiče ili učestvuje u globalnim procesima koji se odvijaju oko njih.
pet/Fri 17 – 20h
sub/Sat – ned/Sun 15 – 18h
In my black and white works, I mainly work intuitively and instinctively, and images are often triggered by objects, memories and experiences, – real or imagined.
I try to explore relations in life through dreamlike re-visitations of a childhood’s play-scapes, escaping into other worlds. Known – and yet unknown.
This exhibition has been made possible with the essential support of the Embassy of Norway in Serbia.
Wed – Mon 16 – 20h
U svojim crno-belim radovima uglavnom radim intuitivno i instinktivno, a slike često pokreću objekti, sećanja i iskustva, stvarna ili zamišljena.
Pokušavam da istražim odnose u životu kroz snovita ponovna posećivanja pejzaža detinjstva, bežeći u druge svetove. Poznato, a ipak nepoznato.
Ova izložba je ostvarena uz ključnu podršku Ambasade Norveške u Srbiji.
helenpetersenfotografi.com
sre – pon 16 – 20h
Broken Shadow is a collection of silver prints exploring the interplay between shadow and light in the context of human experience. By delving into how we relate to ourselves, our past, and our environment, this work engages with the complexity and conflicts of our inner worlds. Childhood memories, hopes, fears, sexuality, and dreams form the fabric of the exploration.
Broken Shadow addresses the tension between what we confront and what we leave in the shadows. Just as in life, the work explores the contrast between darkness and light, the familiar and the unknown, embracing the challenge of unearthing what lies beneath the surface while reflecting the enduring need for light in dark times.
The series invites viewers to patiently consider the complexity of their inner worlds, offering a glimpse into how personal experiences shape our understanding of reality. In today’s world, where darkness threatens and challenges may feel overwhelming, Broken Shadow offers a sense of hope.
It is an invitation to uncover the hidden beauty within, a call to confront our blind spots, and an opportunity to practice the art of seeing beyond the surface. By bringing these fragments into the light, we can cultivate a deeper understanding —of both ourselves and the world around us.
This exhibition has been made possible with the essential support of the Embassy of Norway in Serbia.
oyvindhjelmen.com • @hjelmenoyvind
sre/Wed – pon/Mon 16 – 20h
ØYVIND HJELMEN
Broken Shadow
Broken Shadow je kolekcija srebrnih otisaka koja istražuje međusobno delovanje senke i svetla u kontekstu ljudskog iskustva. Istražujući kako se odnosimo prema sebi, svojoj prošlosti i okruženju, ovo delo se bavi složenošću i konfliktima naših unutrašnjih svetova. Sećanja iz detinjstva, nade, strahovi, seksualnost i snovi čine osnovu ove istraživačke priče.
Broken Shadow osvetljava tenziju između onoga sa čime se suočavamo i onoga što ostavljamo u senci. Kao i u životu, rad istražuje kontrast između tame i svetla, poznatog i nepoznatog, prihvatajući izazov otkrivanja onoga što leži ispod površine, dok istovremeno odražava trajnu potrebu za svetlom u mračnim vremenima.
Serija poziva posmatrače da strpljivo razmotre složenost svojih unutrašnjih svetova, pružajući uvid u to kako lična iskustva oblikuju naše razumevanje stvarnosti. U današnjem svetu, gde tama preti i izazovi deluju preplavljujuće, Broken Shadow nudi osećaj nade. To je poziv da otkrijemo skrivenu lepotu u sebi, da se suočimo sa sopstvenim slepim tačkama i prilika da vežbamo
umetnost gledanja iza površine. Donoseći ove fragmente na svetlost, možemo negovati dublje razumevanje, sebe i sveta oko nas.
Ova izložba je ostvarena uz ključnu podršku Ambasade Norveške u Srbiji.
oyvindhjelmen.com • @hjelmenoyvind
sre/Wed – pon/Mon 16 – 20h
* Galleries and exhibition spaces retain the right to change the date and time of the exhibitions and other events