Bojan Mijatović: Animals and Friends |
photos, drawings & objects –
Meduza Gallery, Koper, 25.04.25-7.06.2025;
opening: Friday 25. 4. 2025 at 7 pm |
Curated by: Majda Božeglav Japelj
Bojan Mijatović (Ljubljana, 1989), a representative of the younger generation of Slovenian visual artists, graduated in 2014 with a degree in photography from the Faculty of Applied Sciences (VIST) in Ljubljana. In 2023, he completed a master's degree in painting at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design at the same institution. He has presented his work in numerous group and solo exhibitions, among which it is worth highlighting +MSUM; Der-die-das Garage / Garaža; Gallery Nighttime Display Pešak (Galerija Nočna izložba Pešak) in Ljubljana and the Creative Quarter (Kreativna četrt) in Kamnik. In this latter venue, he exhibited his popular series Animals and Friends (Živali in prijatelji), which he now presents in a completely fresh, updated version at the Meduza Gallery in Koper.
The depiction of animals is as old as painting and visual art itself. From prehistoric cave paintings in Spain’s Altamira or France’s Lascaux to the latest creations, images of animals have reflected the times, ways of life, and humanity’s view of the world. The featuring of animals in other motifs (portraits, genre scenes, landscapes…) was interesting not only as an appealing addition, but also because the animal body—wild and untamed—offered a broader range of artistic expression compared to the human form.
Animal figures often captured entirely human characteristics, which further enhanced the expressive power of the images and preserved the appeal of this approach for contemporary artists. Animal imagery often features in Bojan Mijatović’s artistic practice. For him, it serves as a source of inspiration and experimentation for new and diverse public installations.
With the umbrella title Animals and Friends, the artist already invites a reflection on different aspects of the human-animal relationship. Its starting point may be the saying that an animal is a man’s best friend—and vice versa. Undoubtedly, this is a play of multi-layered meanings and metaphors. These can be simple, when the author “paints” animal figures with straightforward clarity, or enigmatic, when placing them in temporally and spatially undefined, surreal dimensions.
Playfulness, manipulation with painting and drawing techniques, as well as methods of reproducing, cutting, and recomposing older works into new meaningful frameworks, form a refined modus operandi through which he tests and upgrades his own aesthetic and conceptual foundations. All this in the spirit of the avant-garde movements that, in recent history, crossed the boundaries of traditional art through extravagant, humorous, satirical, and free expression.
These particularities manifest in his work through certain formal similarities, the inclusion of real objects, and their vivid representation. He captivates the viewer not only with the imagery but also with simple, perhaps even banal and obvious titles. Also notable are his clever wordplays (Freedom Fighter / Borec za svobodo or Cow Experiment / Kravji eksperiment), which challenge the viewer’s ability to understand the broader context of the work.
Perhaps the artist, in the role of the omnipotent creator, wishes to encourage a different perception of the world, our environment, and all living beings within it—including humanity…
Dr. Majda Božeglav Japelj
