The Scent of Passion
From May 14 to June 14, 2011
The word of the author
From prehistoric times up to today, erotica has occupied a special place in art. This intriguing and provocative subject matter is the eternal creative and artistic inspiration.
The notion of eroticism in art is almost a metaphysical act, where pure instinct and vital energy of the creator are being imbued with the vision of the current creative inspiration.
In the works of Konjović, erotic themes are present from the very beginning of his artistic vision development and represent a clear chronological continuity of creativity - from academic to associative artistic expression.
ARTISTIC VISION DEVELOPMENT
The first two nudes, "Lying nude" and
"Composition with four nudes", were painted in Vienna in 1921. They were made under the
influence of old Renaissance masters. According to Konjović, these paintings
have not been preserved.
Neo-classicism and cubism, being the current styles of artistic expression at that period, were also the stopping points on Konjović’s path of creativity. By accepting this stylistic challenge and being persistent in the intention to follow the analyticity and gradualism of the strict artistic vision development, Konjović created a series of very successful geometrically shaped female nudes. The way of artistic expression, strongly shaped forms and dark colours are in contrast with Konjović’s nature and temper.
THE CITY OF LIGHT
The departure to Paris
in 1924 brought a totally new creative vision to Konjović. Leaving the former
artistic experience of cubism and neo-classicism, his work fundamentally changed
due to the awakened colouring palette with dominant "blue-green"
tone, freer and more playful strokes of the brush and livelier and more animate
female nude figures.
This courageous return to himself and his artistic
temperament, inspired by the expressionist artistic sensibility, spawned the
lyrical nudes of the Parisian blue phase. After returning from Paris, he painted sensual female nudes in warm
colours, with a strong relation of complementary colors. These works were
created in Cavtat and Sombor.
CHROMATICITY OF COLOURS
After the Second World War the artist created nudes
and semi-nudes in subdued colours with plastic molded forms and moderate
expression of his brush. Mirroring the experience of the outside world,
Konjović projected melancholic mood onto his canvasses.
FORM STYLIZATION
From the fifties to the sixties of the last century, Konjović created
a whole new artistic style with his tendency towards the reduction
and liberation of paintings from excessive
details. Nudes became more monumental and stylized, outlined
with black contour and reduced to two dimensions with pure relations
of colours.
SENSUAL IMBUE
Female nudes made in the period from the sixties to the nineties of the last century present a special artistic whole.
Using the powerful and explosive strokes, Konjović
painted grotesque figures of the female body with clearly distinct attributes
of sexuality.
Stylistic change from this period, with primary stroke
and strong colours, more unconstrained than ever, created in the maelstrom of
passion, found a way which Konjović has sought for years. The works with erotic
content from this very prolific creative period in his late ages, are the confirmation
of the often mentioned "eternal spiritual youth” and vitality of the
artist.
He found his inexhaustible creative and driving energy in the love for man, the perfection of nature and the sublime beauty. The joy of creating in interaction with the powerful experience of the outside world is the basis of Konjović’s painting.
Nebojša Vasić, accademically trained painter
