2nd place winner the ‘Glory’ 3D virtual exhibition
Dragana Nuić-Vučković is born in 1965. She graduated at Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb in 1991, interdisciplinary study of Painting and History of Art. Soon later, Dragana finished her Postgraduate Studies of Painting at Academy of Fine Arts in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Tell us a little about your background?
I was born in 1965 in the former Yugoslavia, I am a painter and art teacher. My parents were highly educated and always supported me and my younger brother in everything. I work as a professor of Art history in the gymnasium and at the Academy of Fine Arts in Široki Brijeg of the University of Mostar. I am a mentor in the painting department and I really love my teaching job.
Growing up in Bosnia and Herzegovina, are you influenced by Eastern European art?
I grew up and was educated in the Republic of Croatia, and I graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb - painting and Art history at the Faculty of Philosophy. Through my early schooling, I had an excellent art education, the school system in our country was very good at that time. I can’t say that I was influenced by Eastern European art, my professors at the Academy of Fine Arts in the 80s of the last century were oriented towards Western artistic aspirations. In those years, in the former state, art was at a higher level, in education and in society in general, the art, music and drama scene. I completed my postgraduate studies in painting in 2010. at the Academy of Fine Arts in Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina, and I got my doctorate in 2015 at the academy where I am employed.
Image: I fell asleep in your clouds, digital art-print on paper.
What motivates you to create and why have you chosen your particular subject matter and medium?
My motivation is passion. I have been doing digital art for the last 7 years, I compose my old pictures electronically in Photoshop, I change them many times, I find such a process interesting, like a spontaneous game. A game in which there are no strict rules, always open to something new. The recent cycle ‘Jai guru deva‘ is an intimate pictorial diary that was created during the phase of mourning for the loss of a husband and mentor, as well as healing, spiritual searches and discovering some new moments in life that bring light and optimism.
Image: I can drink from your source, digital art-print on paper.
How do you compose your paintings and knowing when it is just ‘Right’?
I compose pictures according to the law of chance, as the process progresses the forms and space ‘come together” according to some internal law, knowledge is certainly important. It is over when you feel it intuitively, that is how it is with me, you need to know when to stop. It’s over when I love my picture, like a child.
Image: Hug, digital art-print on paper.
Do you have a network of other artists you rely on - and what do you do to support each other?
I have my favorite artists like Miro, Asger Jorn, Dubuffet and Cy Twombly. On Instagram, I follow more contemporary artists who are interesting to me. I have a private NV gallery here where I live, my husband left it to me.
Here in Bosnia and Herzegovina, there is no art market like in the West, my gallery does not trade in art, we are nonprofit organization, I do exhibitions of local and foreign artists, for the sake of a cultural event and personal satisfaction. Lately, I have had requests from foreign artists to exhibit in my gallery, but it is hard to explain to many that I have no one to sell contemporary art to, no interest in it, and no money either. I do this work out of passion. if you are an art professor like me and you need an exhibition abroad, you’re welcome. I choose who I make exhibitions for.
Image: You set me the Sun down to play with, digital art-print on paper.
What message would you like to share with young artists who are at the beginning stages of their careers?
Young artists in my country can hardly make a living from art if they are not employed in some institution. For serious artistic creation, they need, I say again, a lot of passion, work and will. They should be intrinsic, listen to the world around them, the time in which they live. I offer them the opportunity to exhibit in my gallery. Those who want to remain active in artistic work after completing the academy should join the state Association of Artists, follow domestic and foreign competitions, work, work, and study always.
Image: I'm all green and blue from the water, digital art-print on paper.
Dragana Nuić-Vučković
She is a member of Association of Fine Artist of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatian Association of Fine Artist and Association of Fine Artist 'En Face' and had 52 independent exhibitions. She has participated in numerous group selective exhibitions in homeland and abroad as well (Germany, Italy, Hungary, Turkey, Sweeden, JAR, Egypt, Hong Kong).
Dragana has recived a great number of awards for drawing and painting by art branch in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, Italy and Hong Kong. Her work is included in collection of Art Gallery of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Sarajevo.
Dragana earned a status of Doctor of Art in 2015. with work on the topic "Shape deformation and infantile regression in the function of painterly expression".Her mentor was professor Josip Alebić on Academy of Fine Arts, University of Mostar, where she works today as a professor of History of Art and painting.
Digital art work by Dragana Nuic-Vuckovic has the roots in her older paintings and is created in Adobe Photoshop. By smartly applying variety of digital tools, her original paintings undergo transformation, yet she remains committed to her core childish (infantil) style. In these paintings, Dragana expresses basic emotional state of characters in the form of child painting, in unusual circumstances and playful atmosphere, with quite unique names. A new cycle of paintings from 2021. called “Jai Guru Deva” is a painting diary of personal unrest, pain, love and spiritual healing. Picture number 14. was awarded at the group international exhibition "Kefir 22" as part of the Venice bienalle 2022.
E- mail: dragananuic@gmail.com
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