U L O V / C A T C H
OGNJEN RAĐEN
Ciklus ULOV, 12 radova, dimenzije: 32,3 x 59 x 10,2 cm, kombinirane tehnike na drvu (akril, glinamol, gips, pronađeni predmeti, epoksi smola), 2021.
CATCH series, 12 pieces, dimenssions: 32,3 x 59 x 10,2 cm, mixed media on wood (acrylic paint, modeling clay, plaster, found objects, epoxy resin), 2021.
ULOV je kompleksan likovni ciklus izveden u nizu kombiniranih tehnika, sačinjen od dvanaest kašeta za ribu koje su poslužile kao prenosivi okvir, podloga, neka vrsta „platna“ za specifičan prikaz metamorfoze ljudskog svijeta u riblji i ribljeg u ljudski. Riječ je ujedno i o radovima kojima je Ognjen Rađen magistrirao slikarstvo na Šoli za risanje in slikanje u Ljubljani 2022.
O nastanku ovih djela Ognjen kaže:
„U čestim šetnjama kamenitom obalom Ližnjana, naročito nakon nekoliko dana bure, moja supruga Natalija, sin Ljubomir i ja redovito smo nalazili razbacane kašete koje su u more pale s ribarskih brodova što se nalaze na vezu u luci Puntice.
Svojim oblikom kašete pozivaju na organizaciju, one su prostor u koji se može pospremiti bilo što, mnoštvo sitnih stvari. U nasumičnost, pa čak i neku vrstu kaosa, one mogu uvesti red. Kad smo ih u nekoliko navrata sakupljali po obali i nosili kući, upravo sam o tome razmišljao, kako bih u njih mogao nešto posložiti, kako bi mi one mogle pomoći da uvedem red među različite stvari koje posjedujem. Sama činjenica da mi je iznenada ponuđena prilika da nešto što je do maloprije bilo rasuto, razbacano, pa čak i zagubljeno, konačno posložim, stavim na pravo mjesto, izazivala je kod mene sasvim iracionalno uzbuđenje…"
Kao što ribar svako jutro srdele stavlja u kašete i nosi na tržnicu kako bi prehranio svoju obitelj, tako umjetnik puni kašete svojim ulovom i predstavlja tržištu; hoće li se zaraditi dovoljno za današnji objed? Otima li ribar moru ili samo posuđuje od božanske snage prirode? Može li se umjetnost prodati i kupiti? Gdje završava želudac, a počinje duša? Ribar u kašete meće led da srdele ostanu svježe, umjetnik izljeva smolu da održi kompaktnost i svježinu svojih radova.
CATCH is a complex visual series performed in a number of techniques and media, based on twelve fish crates that serve as a portable frame, a surface, a sort of a canvas for a peculiar presentation of a metamorphosis of a human world into a fish world, and a fish world into a human world. At the same time these works by Ognjen Rađen were a project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Fine Art in Painting at the Arthouse - Šola za risanje in slikanje in Ljubljana, Slovenia in 2022.
Regarding their origin Ognjen explains:
"In frequent walks along the stony coast of Ližnjan, especially after a few days of bura (a strong northeastern wind) we, Natalija, my wife, Ljubomir, our son, and myself, often encountered fish crates blown off the decks of fishing boats coming and going into the Puntice Port.
With their very shape these crates invite to organization, delineate a space into which anything can be stored. They have the power to introduce order into randomness, or even chaos. This is exactly what occurred to me on occasions when we picked them up and took them home with us. I could put something in them, they could help me organize many different things I own. The very idea that I was given a chance to put something scattered, even lost in order, to put it in the right place, filled me with irrational excitement..."
Same as the fisherman every morning fills his crates with sardines to get them to the market to feed his family, so does the artist fill the same crates with his catch to offer it for sale: will he make enough for today's meal? Is the fisherman robbing the sea or is he merely borrowing from the divine nature's strength? Can art really be bought and sold? Where does the stomach end and soul begin? The fishermen fills his crates with ice to keep the fish fresh, the artist pours clear resin into crates to keep his work safe and pristine.
VIDEOIZLOŽBA / VIDEO-EXHIBITION
Kako bismo snimili videoizložbu, utrpali smo kašete u naš auto i odvezli se do mora. Vodili smo računa da dobro izoliramo kašete jedne od drugih kako se ne bi oštetile. U tu smo svrhu iskoristili komade stiropora i stare velike kušine. Vozili smo polako. Jako polako. U Ližnjanu su ceste pune zakrpa, a jednom kada se na Marleri siđe s asfalta, predstoji nam kilometar divljeg puta ispresijecanog vododerinama . Sve do mora. Bili smo u posvemašnjem grču dok nismo konačno parkirali na samoj obali. Sunce se presijavalo na modrini vode. Vjetrića je bilo taman da nas škaklja po obrazima. Valovi su milovali škrape. Slani zrak širi pluća. Dan je bio idealan za pothvat poput našeg.
Subota je ujutro, na obali nema nikoga, samo galebovi što šire krila u beskraj. Horizont je slobodan. Vadimo kašete iz pretrpanog prtljažnika. Jednu po jednu. Oprezno. Polako. Vraćamo ih kamenju, golim stijenama, vraćamo ih slanom dodiru joda. Baš kao što smo ih prije nekoliko godina sakupili na kamenitoj obali. Trstike šume na vjetru. Hodamo gegajući se jer nam cipele zapinju o kamenje. Od naših nesigurnih koraka oblutci kao da zvone.
Na bijelim škrapama odjednom vrisne šarenilo boja. Praelemenati se susreću s ljudskom stvaralačkom snagom. Izboj mogućnosti. Voda, zemlja, zrak i vatra stvaranja. Vrckavi smijeh šarenih skulptura. Humor, ironija, igra. More nam dobrodušno namiguje. Valja se prema kašetama, htjelo bi ih dodirnuti svojim mokrim prstima. Ali ne damo! Ljudi se vežu, za ljude, za stvari, za kopno. Donijeli smo ti ih, more, da ih vidiš, da ih blagosloviš, ali nosimo ih natrag, uzet ćemo ih. Bile su tvoje, sad su naše. Da, istina je, ljudi se previše vežu za stvari, za kopno, za ljude. More zapljuskuje crvenu zemlju. Moru je svejedno. Uvijek je dobre volje. U kameru pohranjujemo trenutke da ih možemo sačuvati, da ih možemo podijeliti s drugima, gledateljima, tragateljima. More smo zarobili u leću fotoaparata i nosimo ga zajedno s kašetama kući.
Kući dolazimo dobro raspoloženi, sa suncem u očima. Kašete se nisu oštetile. Slažemo ih natrag u atelijer. Sve je dobro. More je u leći fotoaparata. More je na ekranu. Nismo ga ukrali. Darovalo nam se. Posudilo nam se. Dok se pred našim očima vrte slike na ekranu, shvaćamo kako se trenutak preobražava u nešto novo, drugačije, sveobuhvatnije.
In order to record our video exhibition, we loaded the crates into our car and drove to the sea. We took care to insulate the crates well from each other so that they would not be damaged. For this purpose, we used pieces of styrofoam and old pillows. We drove slowly. Very slowly. In Ližnjan, the roads are full of patches, and once you get off the asphalt at Marlera, you have a kilometre of dirt road intersected by ruts and ditches. All the way to the sea. We were completely frozen until we finally parked right on the shore. The sun glimmered on the blue of the water. The breeze was just tickling our cheeks. The waves caressed the rocks. Salty air expands the lungs. The day was ideal for a venture like ours.
It's Saturday morning, there's no one at the beach, only seagulls spreading their wings into infinity. The horizon is free. We take the crates out of the crowded trunk. One by one. Carefully. Slowly. We return them to the rocks, to the bare rocks, we return them to the salty touch of iodine. Just like we collected them a few years ago on the rocky shore. Reed rustles in the wind. We trip on the rocks. The pebbles sing under our feet.
The white rocks suddenly erupt with a variety of colors. Primordial elements meet human creative power. An outburst of opportunity. Water, earth, air and fire of creation. Sprightly laughter of colorful figures. Humor, irony, play. The sea benevolently winks at us. She is rolling towards the cases, would like to touch them with her wet fingers. But we do not let her! People bond, to people, to things, to the land. We brought them to you, sea, to see them, to bless them, but we carry them back, we will take them. They were yours, now they are ours. Yes, it is true, people are too attached to things, to the land, to people. The sea splashes the red earth. The sea doesn't mind. She is always in a good mood. We store these moments in the camera so that we can preserve them, so that we can share them with others, viewers, seekers. We trap the sea in the camera lens and carry it home, along with the cases.
We return home in a good mood, with sun in our eyes. The crates were not damaged. We put them back in the studio. All is well. The sea is in the lens of the camera. The sea is on the screen. We didn't steal it. It gifted itself to us. It lent itself. As the images on the screen unwind before our eyes, we realize how the moment is transformed into something new, different, all-encompassing.
Pune kašete nakon cjelonoćne plovidbe po Kvarneru, samo jedna u nizu neprospavanih noći, stalna izloženost nepredvidivosti valova i goropadnosti vjetrova, tajne hridi i glomazni teretnjaci koji se nenadano ukažu na pučini, neizvjesnost i opasnost, to je ribarev život.
Iza umjetnika su također neprospavane noći, neprestano podvrgnut hirovima divljih boja i neuhvatljivih oblika, u nemiru neprekidnih duševnih borbi – oštre su to hridi na koje se lako nasukati. Ipak, samo jedno je važno: napuniti kašete i staviti ih na stol.
Ono što je odbačeno, upotrijebit će se. Kašete koje su pale u more, koje je voda izbacila na suho, nađene su, odvojene od naplavljene plastike, od nagomilanog smeća i darovan im je novi život. Praznina je preobražena u puninu. Kašete bez sadržaja sada su ispunjene skulpturama, oslikane, preoblikovane u novo značenje. Ništa se neće baciti. Ulovljene ribe u kašeti pojest će se, dat će snagu. Ulovljena umjetnost u kašeti pojest će se, dat će snagu. Oči će gledati, ruke će opipati, uši će slušati, slike će se ispupčiti u trodimenzionalnost. Rubovi kašete postali su okvir slike. Slika je i dalje u kašeti, slika je i dalje kašeta koja sa strane ima funkcionalne utore za ruke pa ju se može i treba prenositi. Slika putuje. Nosi se kao kofer, kao kašeta. Od mora do mora. Od obale do obale.
Crates full after a whole night's sailing across the Kvarner Bay, only one of many sleepless nights, exposure to the unpredictable waves and rampant winds, hidden rocks and lumbering freighters that suddenly appear at sea, incertitude and danger, those are fisherman's life.
The artist also knows of sleepless nights, constantly subjected to whims of wild colors and elusive shapes, in the restlessness of permanent mental struggles - these are sharp rocks that are easy to get stranded on. Yet, only one thing is important: fill the crates and put them on the table.
What is discarded will be used. Crates that fell into the sea, which the water threw out to dry, were found, separated from the plastic that had washed ashore, from the rest of accumulated garbage and given new life. The emptiness is transformed into fullness. Contentless boxes are now filled with figures, painted, reshaped into a new meaning. Nothing will be thrown away. The fish from the crates will be eaten, it will give strength. The art caught in the crates will be eaten, it will give strength. The eyes will look, the hands will feel, the ears will listen, the images will bulge into multiple dimensions. The edges of the crates became the frame of the picture. The picture is still in the crate, the picture is still a crate that has functional finger slots on the sides, so it can and should be transported. The image travels. It is carried like a suitcase, like a crate. From sea to sea. From coast to coast.
Posebna zahvala profesorima i osoblju Šole za risanje in slikanje iz Ljubljane.
Special thanks to the professors of Arthouse - College of Visual Arts, Ljubljana (Slovenia).