Interview with Dejan Kaludjerović

What makes you excited about a topic?

Generally I get excited very easily and very much when I have some new idea. I could stay awake in bed till morning just thinking it through, sleep again some hours and continue working on it, trying to destroy it and re-questioning it until I am sure I want to continue working. It doesn’t last one night, I come back again, and again after some days and if the idea still works for me, I am excited again :) and seriously jumping on it, properly doing research and studio work. Of course sometimes, idea is ready to be followed immediately, and that feeling is great.
Generally in my work I am dealing with issues of responsibility and manipulation. In other words, the ways through how mass media, educational systems or family contexts influence the society.


Do you have any inspiring role model?

Well I wouldn’t think about it in that way, what gives me energy and motivation to work is everything else outside of career art world – real life, spending time with my wife, traveling, etc.

What made you want to become an artist?

I was very open and creative kid, trying different things, playing cello for a wile, acting, imitating, singing, but during puberty I became somehow shy and discovered that I am more into expressing that creativity by building and making things, starting drawing and painting. Although my grandmother was very talented, with great drawing skills, her family didn’t allow her to study art, rather to marry and stay in countryside.
I had no idea how one becomes artist. Entering the Academy in Belgrade, at that time was almost impossible, they were excepting 26 people in a year from 600 applications.. so I started preparing myself since my first year in high school :).

When was the last time that your artistic view has changed?

I never thought about it, since I am somehow always dealing with same topics. What is changing through my practice are ways and approaches to deal with them. I am constantly importing new methods and medias, for example recently working a lot with a sound narrative, but in the same time I am also always going back to my older works and practice, reenacting it and re-questioning it.

What is your favourite media?

I don’t have my favourite media. I work in a media that can help expressing my ideas in the best possible way. Although I like drawing a lot, and any other media has its own qualities and excitements to work in/with. From painting, drawing, video, site-specific installations, sound, radio commercial, even portable game… The problem today for me is that for painting I don’t have so much time, since I am traveling a lot. This is what I miss.

How do online platforms influence the way you expose your work?

I am very aware of its potential, to communicate what you do, but I like the most possibilities one’s own webpage presentation. On the other hand, the best way to show your work is in the context of the exhibitions.

What are your current fascinations?

At the moment I am super exited to work on the production and collaboration with Sazmanab Centar on my solo exhibition in Tehran. It is a mixed feeling of excitement and worries if everything will go the way it should, since I will not have enough time. Fascination with a history of that country and such a great film culture, and art scene.
Apart of this very current forthcoming experience I am always fascinated by possibilities of the future that will bring something new, and better in my work. Present is always giving me impression that I don’t know much, future brings hope :).

What are you passionate about besides your artistic work?

As I mentioned before, I love spending time with my wife, travelling with her, watching films, seeing friends and family, reading, walking is a big passion, as well as riding bike. But rowing is my current obsession, (unfortunately in the basement of my gym) heheh

What was the best advice you have ever given to others?

You must ask them.

Selected works by the artists. See more on his works.io profile under: www.works.io/dejan-kaludjerovic

Fear, 2012
Carbon paper, acrylic, graphite and colored pencils on paper, 50 x 50 cm

1st of May 1977, 2013
Frame from the slide projection, 29 slide carousel projection, sound

Klikeri/ Marbles, 2014
Installation view, 7 channel sound installation + 30777 marbles, 46’

Klassiki / Hopscotch, 2013
6 channel sound installation, Ready-made school blackboard, acrylic paint, 31’