Winter Stories 2

Following on from last year's exhibition, the second edition of "Winter Stories" offers an insight into the research approaches of 11 artists of authentic expression who, during the previous period, stood out among the authors of the younger and middle generation. During the selection process, the curatorial team of the DOTS Gallery gave priority to conceptually rounded works whose autonomy is not violated in the dialogue with other works, but on the contrary contributes to the creation of new layers and meanings in the gallery space. Their individual artistic practices united in "Winter Stories 2" depict the range of techniques, media and thematic spheres within which contemporary art manifests itself on the current art scene.

ARTISTS' BIOGRAPHIES

Nemanja Golijanin graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts in Belgrade, Department of Painting. As a result of his achievements in the research of figuration in drawing, he held a scholarship of the Faculty of Fine Arts at the International School of Painting, Drawing and Sculpture in Italy. After completing his studies, he continued to exhibit in the country and abroad. Co-author on art projects in the Cluster art Platform. He lives and works in Belgrade.

Nikica Jurković graduated in Visual Communication Design at the School of Design at the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Zagreb (2012) and afterwards at the Graphic Arts Department at the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb (2018), with the highest honor of Summa Cum Laude. As part of the Erasmus+ program, he completed the Bellas Artes undergraduate course at the Complutense University in Madrid (2017). He exhibited at several solo and numerous group exhibitions. He participated in the Hafenkombinat residency in Leipzig, Germany (2019 and 2024). He has received the praise of the 34th Young Artists Salon and the Radoslav Putar Award in 2024. He is a member of the Croatian Freelance Artists Association (HZSU) and the Croatian Association of Artists (HDLU).

Predrag Kešelj was born in 1980. He completed his undergraduate studies at the Department of Sculpture at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Belgrade in the class of Professor Mrđan Bajić in 2008 and his Doctoral studies in Art under the mentorship of Professor Radoš Antonijević in 2015. He was awarded for his studies in 2002, 2005 and 2006 and exhibited at several group and solo exhibitions. Since 2019, he has been working at the Faculty of Fine Arts as an independent professional and technical Associate. He is the winner of the Sculptor of Serbia Award in 2021 and the Golden Chisel in 2022.

Dejan Krstić graduated in 2017 at the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad, at the art department, Painting department. He also completed his master's studies at the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad, department of drawing, in 2019. So far, he has organized sixteen independent exhibitions by competition and project. He participated in several collective exhibitions in the country and abroad. He worked on several domestic and international projects, of which the selection for participation in Marina Abramović's masterclass held in Belgrade in 2019 stands out. Since 2020, he has been an active member of the Union of Associations of Visual Artists of Vojvodina (SULUV).

Marija Labudović completed undergradute studies and enrolled in doctoral academic studies at the Faculty of Applied Arts in Belgrade. Since 2021, she has been teaching at the Department of Textiles of the Faculty of Applied Arts, where she is currently an Assistant Professor. She has been actively exhibiting in the country and abroad since 2005. She has exhibited eleven times independently, of which the most recent exhibitions are in the Art Gallery of the Kolarac Endowment (2024) and the Art Salon of the Cultural Center of Novi Sad (2024). She presented her work at numerous group exhibitions in the country and abroad. She participated in international art workshops and symposiums. She exhibited at the Czong Institute for Contemporary Art (CICA Museum) in Korea in 2020, at the PH21 Contemporary Photography Gallery in Budapest in 2016, while she presented herself in Spain in 2022 at the exhibition The art of photography - Barcelona, ​​Valid World Hall Gallery. She is a member of ULUS and ULUPUDS. Since 2010, she has been collaborating with numerous institutions on cultural projects. She is the winner of the Commendation of the 26th Tapestry Biennale, the Plaque of the 54th May Exhibition and the Iva Vrinjanin Fund Award.

Anastasija Stefanovski (née Milićević) graduated from the Faculty of Arts in Niš in 2024. During his studies, he mostly deals with painting and graphics, and towards the end of his studies, his interest expands to the field of threads, fabrics and embroidery. She is the winner of the 3rd prize at the competition "Graduates 2024" of the DOTS Gallery.

Nevena Ostojić was born in 1998 in Belgrade. She completed her undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral studies at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Belgrade, specializing in painting (currently in the second year of doctoral studies). Her work explores the relationship between the individual and society through paintings, videos, and Instagram posts in the form of a diary. In her practice, she frequently investigates the intersections of club culture, contemporary art, and internet meme culture. She has exhibited her work at KC Živa, Dom omladine in Belgrade, SKC Kragujevac, the U10 art space, and the SULUJ gallery. She perceives her online profiles as a personal "white cube" from which she later derives ideas for her projects. As a DJ, she performs under the alias Baj:NO.

Nikola Pavković graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts in 2024 in the class of Oliver Parlić Karajanković, PhD. He is the winner of the Award for sculpture in material (metal) 2023, Award, "Miloš Bajić" for special creative innovation in 2024 and the winner of the 1st prize of the DOTS Gallery, "Graduates" in 2024.

Katarina Rakić completed her undergraduate studies at the Faculty of Fine Arts in the Printmaking Department in the class of Aleksandar Mladenović, the following year she completed her Master's studies in the class of Vladimir Milanović at the same faculty, and is currently in Doctoral studies at the Faculty of Fine Arts. She participated in more than 50 group exhibitions in the country and abroad, she also held several solo exhibitions. She participated in several different projects and won awards: Second Prize, Dots Gallery, Graduates (2024), Jury Commendation Award, VI Biennale of Graphics Čačak (2024), Award of the Faculty of Fine Arts for Graphics (2024), Second Redemption Award at the 53rd Salonu Pancevo, Gallery of Contemporary Art (2023), Award of the city of Pancevo for the best students, Pancevo, (2023), Award of the Faculty of Teachers in Užice, 16th International Graphic Biennale "Suva Igla" (2023), Award of the Student Drawing Biennial, Belgrade, (2023), "Boško Karanović" Graphics Award, Belgrade (2022)

Teodora Rakidžic was born in 1995 in Belgrade. She completed her BA studies in 2019 and her MA studies in 2020 at the Department of Painting at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Belgrade, in the class of professor Branko Raković. She has been attending DA studies at the same faculty since 2020. In 2019, she participated in the Summer Academy of Fine Arts in Salzburg, taking the Painting course held by professor Svenja Daininger. In 2023, she held a solo exhibition as part of her residency in Düsseldorf. From 2021 to 2024, she worked at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Belgrade as a junior researcher. Since 2024, she has been employed at the Department of Drawing at the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad, as a teaching assistant. She has organized thirteen solo exhibitions and participated in over fifty group exhibitions in Serbia and abroad.

Marija Urošević completed her basic studies in sculpture at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Belgrade in the class of professors Mrđan Bajić and Radoš Antonijević in 2017, and her master's studies in the class of the same professors in 2019. Since 2020, she has been in the status of an independent artist. She lives and works in Belgrade.