MOMI – Resist! What?

05. – 20. December 2014.

Opening of the exhibition on 5th of December at 7:00 pm

Karas Gallery

Praška 4, 10000 Zagreb

Working hours:

 

Tuesday to Friday 11 am – 7 pm
Saturday and Sunday 10 am – 2 pm
Monday and holidays – closed

Resist! What?

Defining the position and analyzing the meaning of the art group “MOMI” within the frames of the local Macedonian scene from which they originate, and where they are dominantly working and representing themselves, there are few facts that cannot be set aside. The relation with the inevitable gender determination of this group is in its turn in relation with its name – “MOMI” (the translation of this archaism would be “Girls”); It is composed of seven young female artists – Zorica Zafirovska, Hristina Zafirovska, Ana Ivanovska, Maja Kirovska, Tatjana Ristovska, Marija Sotirovska and Kristina Hadzieva who have been performing together in the country and the region since 2012. Being peers, most of them are part of the major art events in Macedonia which include young artists, and they have been active within the A.R.T. Institute in Skopje for some time now. The intense activity of the female artists of “MOMI”, who perform both in group and individually, as well as their influence, is based on the dominant invasion of every amenable space, whether a gallery and/or open space, institutional and/or independent/alternative presentations, and it reflects a higher awareness of their non-elitist attitude towards art and action through constant presence.

The female authors of the art group “MOMI” realize their creative and critical operation within the frames of a certain core in a broader perspective of confirmation of their positions not only within the local art scene, but also in the region. Although quite divergent in its sensibility and individual artistic interests, the joint operation of these female authors creates a homogeneous group whose interest is based predominantly on universal humanistic and critical topics of interest by touching the female principle in all spheres of creation and operation. In their works “MOMI” offer ironic and witty answers to many ethical issues that affect the individual, and which are initiated by a variety of topics from the everyday life – social pathology, economic conditions, politics, social and gender issues… Their heterogeneity requires representations to gravitate around one typically ambiguous theme which offers wide space for multiple interpretations of different aspects.

According to “MOMI”, the exhibition with the title “Resist! What?” gives another opportunity for two fold interpretation – as resistance and to resist – as in critical awareness and resistance to certain repressive social anomalies; socio-economic insecurity, gender/cultural stereotypes; daily global and social communication… but in its contrast and also as a need/necessity/desire/intention to “persist” in facing the challenges of “joyful life moments” and self-satisfaction, that is, a humanistic, hedonistic, even fun decadent “act of creation and existence.”

Kristina Hadzieva is basing her work “Landscape of my soul” on, for her, distinctive artistic colorful handwriting; here the intimacy of the act of creation as “a channel of the creative omniscient energy” is translated into rhythmic and dynamic compositions that reflect certain impression of the joy of living that could not be resisted. Ana Ivanovska in her ambient colorfully intensive installation titled “All the Colors of Autumn”, continuously pays particular attention to both the sensual and the complete contemplative experience of the irresistible simple moments that celebrate life.

Maja Kirovska in her work “Happiness (false four-leaf clover)” ironically represents the resistance towards the superficial tools/superstitions and patterns of behavior that people use to achieve desired happiness; using “false” four-leaf clover as a symbol of superficial values. “Synthesizing happiness” by Tatjana Ristovska is a result of certain compulsive meditative process of creation, symbolizes the fear and resistance to imposed models of behavior through (not) expressing “sincere” human emotions in on-line communication, which in turn directly affects behavior, reactions and acceptance of the individual in the “safe zone” in the social circles. The circle as a reflection of the eternal cyclic movement and change and the mirror as a reflection and self-analysis, are elements that are constant in many works of Marija Sotirovska; in this case the endless string of words refers to the generated and imposed personal or social model of resistance (by personal choice) in respect to some of the mentioned terms.

Combining several pop-art expression patterns, the project titled “WO-MAN” by Hristina Zafirovska offers a personal post-feminist criticism and resistance towards the growing stereotyped manipulation and exploitation of women in the marketing industry (based on physical appearance), where almost without exception, the function of a woman is defined as a synonym for reproduction and sexuality. Zorica Zafirovska cultivates highly engaged approach to serious issues of the contemporary society. Her work “Patriarchal Domination”, as well as her previous work, identifies the forms and methods of brutal discrimination of the different, and through critical analysis of any type of oppression and exploitation, violence and violation of basic human rights by the state, religion, tradition chauvinistic society in general, is openly trying to break them.

Instead of conclusion, a summary imposes itself, related to the previously established attitude of the seven ladies of “MOMI” as seven different artistic sensibilities – witty, ironic, even sarcastic, colorfully playful but also serious, sensitive and contradictory, lucid and bold analysts and critics of modernity – repeatedly and more curiously ask questions and offer their personal honest and direct answers through optimistic aesthetic interpretations of visual arts through universal life experiences, to the analysis of social problems… and persistently cultivate their curiosity for interpretation of the endless series of personal, social and timeless themes that we can imagine.

Maja Chankulovska-Mihajlovska

The exhibition is financially supported by the City Office for culture, Education and Sports Zagreb and by TheMinistry of Culture of the Republic Croatia.

Karas Gallery

Praška 4 

10000 Zagreb, Croatia 

Working hours:

Tuesday to Friday 11 am – 7 pm
Saturday and Sunday 10 am – 2 pm
Monday and holidays – closed