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 Multiple Choice 

 

“MULTIPLE CHOICES”

Sonja Abadzieva

 

The four participants in the “Multiple Choice“ exhibition although coming from different geographic, political, social

and cultural milieus (Macedonia, Russia, Germany and USA), presently live and work together in Berlin. Their common interest, as opposed to the generational, national and artistic diversities, is focused on the everyday and current surrounding. The uniting line is the engaged, often ironical individual attitude in relation to the interpreted contents, the postmodernist proce­dure, the expansion ofthe notion ofpainting, sculpture, etc.

 

..Jovan Balov is preoccupied with the issue of eagles and their symbolic interpretation throughout the world. lnvestigating the connection between the heraldry of the eagle as state symbol and the nation that has committed itself to this, he engages himself in the field of anthropology...

 

 

"MULTIPLE CHOICE"

The Autors : Bernhard Garbert, David Reed und Jovan Balov

 

  The discussion about contemporary iconology among the four artists living in Berlin - Jovan Balov / Macedonia; Bernhard Garbert / Germany; Viktor Nikolaev / Russia; David Reed / USA - has lead to a joint exhibition called “Multiple Choice“. Actually, the different artistic positions do not present their cultural origin, but their finding of the picture whereby they start from an expression that in the process of discussion has the roots of a time behind it.

Berlin, being the crossroad of migrations, not by chance is an exchange forum among the artists from where this project originated.

 

The four artistic positions in this undertaking are not subjected to some imposed program calculations. The title “Multiple Choice“ stands behind the intention to have the artistic positions of the participants act as fundamental construction material. All four artists in their work are connected by the manner of approaching the contradiction - the juxtaposition.

 

..Jovan Balov collects 27 current coat-or-arms containing eagles, as symbols of ruling in the countries which represent them and draws these huge heraldic formats on fabrics with patterns. The different pattern of fabrics usually sold per meter - white dots, toys for children, flower motifs, etc. - in syntax manner relates to the graphics of the coat-of-arms, but does not come to the foreground: the viewer is able to realize the ironical and sarcastic subtext of the “ready-made cbothing“ only after having stopped its passages, so that this situation could be seen ~ioser. The multiform arrangement of the pattern of the fabric produces an ambiance of a shop in the Museum and causes ademonization of the terrifying heraldic symbolism...

 

The combinatorial element of the contrasting plays on words, as principle of exhibited project generally, can stand a multiple application of the individual artistic potentials relating to place and time.