About Atelier and Exposition Room of Tezak ART (March – July 2003)
In the serious work it is necessary to invest time and devotion. In our work until today the biggest problem was too much planning and not enough persistency until the end, whether it was the deficiency of time or the organization on unsatisfactory level. At the beginning of the 2003, we have made decision to find the rooms for the purposes of serious work. Until then, the preparation for our actions we did in the rooms of our Faculty, whenever it is possible, and the preparations for the action ‘Blockade’ we did in the big hall of ‘The Faculty for Sciences and mathematics’. There is a need to be located on one place, and not to waste our time on going here and there.
With having own rooms, i.e. having the Atelier we will realize the original idea of founding the circle of people around the idea of spontaneous common social events, which would be applied no matter of method, having in mind cultural activity.
After some time that we have spent on looking for the rooms, we have finally found optimal solution.
The rooms in the street of Steve Zarica 6, earlier used for stocking place of ‘Tora’ – company for weapon trading. The rooms were near the army barracks. We thought it would be interesting, because of our radical approach to the artwork, to have a rooms just here. The space is having three rooms with own entrance, the kitchen in the central part, and little cellar. The cellar was often overflowed during the summer’s rains, pile of boxes, and different wooden stuff and it is the ideal space for expositing our work or our friends. Maybe it is not appropriate word ‘ideal’, but in that moment we thought so, for the room in height exactly one meter ninety five centimeters and in total 10 square meters in very bad condition, with dumpy ruined walls and as we already said – often overflow.
In one room there was a sink, and we decided that room would be for a work. The rest was for living, for our colleague, Dragan Djurdjevic with his wife in the central room, in which there was a kitchen. So, we had 24 hours presence in the space.
The Tezak Art Atelier begun its live.
Now, in the new and our space we realized that we had enormous need for work. We brought materials, such as everything we bought or we were able to take from the street, like cardboard boxes, different kind of waste that are useful in the artistic work… and one doll – mannequin, taken from container near some tailor’s atelier.
The first days were followed with expressions of our ecstasy, enthusiasm, and newly acquired freedom.
We started to work as the man, who stayed for to long in fast and expectation.The works we did at these first day were oil on canvas, the pictures made by combining the materials and different techniques. We have bought varnishes and we started to combine it with oil color and other materials.Backgrounds such as different kind of cardboards, as the only available, we replaced with newly founded plasterboards, taken from one site, and with steel plates. In situation like this, everybody of us had an opportunity to work on own ideas, to develop own sensibility, and everything for what we did not have an opportunity to work on Academy.
We were present in the Atelier day and night, with occasional leaving home to have a lunch or to sleep or on lectures; all this have made new reality for us, permeated with work and social life.
The serials of posters named ‘We had drawn the frontline!’ symbolically marked our aspiration for radical move toward earlier period, as well as our heroic relationship toward our work. We put the posters on the wall of Atelier. On the Atelier’s sidewise wall we had big photo, i.e. wallpaper over the whole wall. We have found it when we came here, and it represents the landscape with the lake and hills.This made the room open and as with the magic expanded to endless. Besides, the wallpaper were ideal for drawing the figure in the open space, and the doll - mannequin in front of the wall as the illusion of spelled space – living doll in the setting.
Our friends we often meet on the street started to visit us, and mostly we were spending our time in the Atelier, to we started to have around us the circle of people we dreamt for the beginning of our story. People who did nothing special were coming here, but they had aspirations toward art and creativeness or those people were coming who already were engaged in certain kind of creativity, whether music, poetry or painting. We did not even notice the change from the cold winter to new spring. Additional stimulus brought by hot weather and flourishing life has made that idea of Gallery as real outline. The cellar was clean and miserable condition in the walls were totally demoralized us. We worked on recovery – transformation of the cellar into Gallery very slowly, as our finances allowed to us. The circle in the Atelier of Tezak Art is having everyday regime.
One friend from Academy, Marko Davidovic were coming often because he lived very near. He was in the phase of intensive work, painted with us with passion, as crazy, and he had a will, so we thought he could be the first who will exposed his work in new space.The plan was: except the work from Atelier, our individual work within the frames of Tezak Art, it will be present here the work of our friends in the Exposition room of Tezak Art, as we named that room, with the possible our expositions, when we have enough material for it or when it will be necessary. In the arrangement of the cellar the main, hot problem was how to stop erosion of the walls, how prevent humidity and how we can make the wall steady and flat as much as possible. The solution we have found in ‘ecobitulit’ mass, which were excellent as sealant of the humidity. Over the mass we painted the wall with the white color. Finally we had life and playful surface, which brought to this claustrophobic and small space impression of large space and freshness. One light, placed on the wall near door, was not enough to lighten the space, so it was necessary to add two sources of light on the opposite wall from the light. Serviceman made holes somehow on the whitewashed and plastered surface for the base of platforms with the wire around them, on which we will hang the pictures and away from the wall some five centimeters. This procedure was made in order to prevent damaging the pictures because of humidity. We have to do something with the floors, and connected with it we borrowed from the Academy some 3 to 4 liter of ‘bitulit’, which were used to for paining the surface on the distance of 40 centimeters from the wall and with it, it makes the cube non colored just concrete in the middle of the room.
During the arrangement of the Exposition room we stopped being occupied with our works, because this arrangement was our common project.
Finally, for the second half of May we placed the date for the exhibition of Marko Davidovic and opening ceremony of the Exposition room of Tezak Art.
On May 20th in 9.00pm the Exposition room of Tezak Art was opened. Working time of the Exposition room is from 10.00am to 10.00pm. The exposition was opened from May 20th to June 10th. Marko decided to expose paintings, graphics and drawings, and some drawings, which we put on the cardboard. The works it was possible to see in the part of photo segment of They presentation and usually expressing tendency toward abstract forms and rationalistic relationship of the colors, mostly oil on canvas.
The exposition was opened with the presence of our friends, and the posters ‘invited’ some unknown people. In the intimate atmosphere of yard in bloom, the flowers and roses were protected with tapes that left from ‘Blockade’ action – this is the connection with the previous work. Marko had a short speech and the exposition was officially opened with it. After that, it was ‘sightseeing’ of the pictures and social life with music and chatting. In the certain moment the electric guitar is found and slowly group of musicians started to play music… It was the culmination of the evening and it looks like all present people are feeling fine, and for the moment they have forgot the their daily routine and the rest of the world. In these moments, in five minutes to midnight unexpectedly appear the landlord of the space, and we he officially said that we have to leave the space.
It was the end of the Tezak Art Atelier and the end of Exposition room of Tezak Art. However, we stayed in the space two-three weeks after that, and the Exposition room were opened during that period.
Of course, it was not the end of Tezak Art!
text from They presentation 2004.
Atelier and Exposition Room of Tezak ART (March – July 2003)
Atelier and Exposition Room of Tezak ART (March – July 2003)
Atelier and Exposition Room of Tezak ART (March – July 2003)
Atelier and Exposition Room of Tezak ART (March – July 2003)
Marko Davidovic
Marko Davidovic
Poster: We pulled the front line! by Mateja Berbakov
Poster: We pulled the front line! by Mateja Berbakov
Poster: We pulled the front line! by Mateja Berbakov
by Mateja Berbakov
by Mateja Berbakov
by Luka Tadic
by Luka Tadic
Tezak font by Luka Tadic
Tezak font 2 by Luka Tadic
Detail by Mateja Berbakov
Detail by Mateja Berbakov
Detail by Mateja Berbakov
by Mateja Berbakov
O Ateljeu i Salonu TU (mart - jul 2003)
Ozbiljan rad traži i podrazumeva vreme, posvećenost. U dotadašnjem radu najveći problem je bio da ono što bi isplanirali najčešće nismo do kraja uspevali da uradimo, da li je to bio manjak vremena, loša organizacija. Već početkom 2003 godine bili smo odlučni da za potrebe ozbiljnijeg rada sebi potražimo neki prostor. Do tada praksa je bila da pripremne radove za naše akcije radimo na fakultetu, kada je to bilo moguće, kada su pripreme za akciju Blokada bile u pitanju radili smo u velikoj Sali PMFa. I sama potreba da se skoncentrišemo na jednom mestu, da što manje vremena gubimo u trčkaranju po gradu…
Inače nalaženjem prostora odnosno ateljea ostvarili bi i prvobitnu ideju o formiranju kruga ljudi koji kroz spontano zajedničko druženje dolaze do nekih ideja koje mogu da budu primenjene na bilo koji način, ima se u vidu kulturna delatnost…
Posle određenog vremena koje smo potrošili na traženje konačno se ukazalo povoljno rešenje. Prostor u Ulici Steve Zarića broj 6, koji je pre toga služio kao skladište i poslovni prostor preduzeća za trgovinu oružjem Tora. Prostor se nalazio pored kasarne. Učinilo nam se interesantno i zbog našeg dotadašnjeg radikalnog pristupa umetničkom radu budemo baš ovde. Prostor je podrazumevao tri sobe sa sopstvenim ulazima, kuhinju koja je bila u centralnom delu i mali podrum. Ovaj podrum koji je inače često plavio, u vreme velikih letnjih kiša, i bio natrpan sanducina i raznoraznom drvenarijom bio je idealan za prostor u kome bi se izlagalo ono što uradimo, ili što urade naši prijatelji. Možda nije prava reč idealno, mada se nama u tom trenutku tako činilo, prostorija sa visinom plafona od ravno metar i devedeset pet centimetara i sve ukupno deset metara kvadratnih u prilično lošem stanju, sa zidovima propalim od vlage i kao što smo već napomenuli često plavljenje. Jedna od soba koja je imala ugrađen lavabo je određena za prostoriju za rad. Ostatak je bio za stanovanje. Naš kolega Dragan Đur|ević je sa ženom živeo u centralnoj sobi koja je obuhvatala i kuhinju… Tako je bilo zagarantovano danonoćno prisustvo u ovom prostoru…
Atelje Težak Umetnosti počeo je da živi…
Sada u novom i našem prostoru shvatili smo da imamo ogromnu potrebu za radom. Dovlačenje materijala, u vidu kupovnog i svega onog što smo bili u stanju da ponesemo sa ulice kartonske kutije, stiropori, otpatci koji su bili upotrebljivi u umetničkom radu…i jedna konfekcijska lutka izvađena iz kontejnera koja je ulepšavala atelje…
Prvi dani su uglavnom bili praćeni izrazima ushićenja, poleta, i novostečene slobode. Dali smo se u rad kao neko ko je predugo vremena proveo u postu i iščekivanju… Radovi koje smo tih prvih dana radili bili su uljane slike, slike nastale kombinovanjem materijala i tehnika… Kupili smo auto lakove i počeli da ih kombinujemo sa kolažom, uljanom bojom itd. Lepenke kao dostupna podloga uskoro su bile zamenjene novopronađenim gipsanim pločama, sa jednog gradilišta, ili gvozdenim limovima. U ovakvoj situaciji svako od nas mogao je da radi po sopstvenim zamislima, da razvija sopstveni senzibilitet i sve ono što nije bio u prilici da radi na akademiji… Danonoćno prisustvo sa povremenim odlaskom kući na ručak i spavanje ili odlaskom na akademiju, učinilo je da se konstituiše nova realnost za nas, prožetost radom i druženjem…
Serija plakata pod nazivom - Povukli smo liniju fronta! simbolično je označila našu težnju za radikalnim pomakom u odnosu na prethodni period kao i nov junački odnos prema radu. Plakati su okačeni na zid ateljea. Inače na bočnom zidu ateljea nalazila se velika fotografija bolje rečeno foto tapet. Prekrivala je ceo zid, zatekli smo je kada smo došli, a prikazivala je neki pejzaž na kome se u prvom planu naziralo jezero a nešto dalje brežuljci. Ovo je činilo da prostorija bude otvorena i kao nekom magijom produžena u beskraj. Osim toga foto tapet je bio idealna podloga za slikanje figure u otvorenom prostoru, konfekcijska lutka ispred zida koji iluzijom dočarava prostor živa-mrtva lutka u ambijentu…
Prijatelji sa kojima smo se vi|ali na ulici ili u gradu počeli su polako da nas posećuju, sada smo uglavnom boravili u ateljeu - najviše vremena, tako da je počeo da se stvara krug ljudi o kojem smo još na početku maštali. Dolazili su ljudi koji ništa posebno nisu radili ali su imali interesovanja ili afiniteta prema umetnosti, stvaralaštvu, ili oni koji su se već bavili određenim oblikom izražavanja bilo da je to muzika, pesništvo ili slikarstvo… Gotovo neprimetno prešli smo iz hladne zime u novo proleće. Dodatni stimulans koji donosi toplo vreme i bujanje života učinili su da ideja o Galeriji počne da dobija svoje realne obrise. Podrum je razščiščen a očajno stanje zidova nije nas demoralisalo. Radovi na saniranju, transformaciji podruma u galeriju počeli su polako, koliko su naše finansijske mogućnosti dozvoljavale. Društvo okupljeno oko Ateljea Težak Umetnosti imalo je sada već svoj ustaljeni režim. Jedan od drugara sa akademije Marko Davidović navraćao bi povremeno do nas, inače stanovao je blizu. Kako je on bio u fazi intezivnog rada, slikao je dosta i to sa ludačkim ćarom i voljom učinio nam se zgodnim da bude prvi izlagač u novom prostoru…
Plan je da pored rada koji se odvija u ateljeu, naš idividualni rad u okviru kolektiva Težak umetnost, bude zastupljen rad i naših prijatelja u Salonu TU, kako je odlučeno da se novo sređeni prostor zove, sa mogućim našim izlaganjima kada se za to steknu uslovi i kada za tim bude potrebe. U sređivanju podruma glavni gorući problem bio je kako zaustaviti dalju eroziju zidova, kako zaustaviti dalje prodiranje vlage i kako učiniti zidnu površinu stabilnom i što je moguće ravnijom. Rešenje je pronađeno u ekobitulit masi koja se odlično pokazala u svojstvu zaptivača vlage. Preko crne površine bitulita premazana je bela farba. Konačno dobijena je živa razigrana površina koja je tom klaustofobično malom prostoru davala utisak širine i svežine. Jedna plafonjera koja je inače bila postavljena na zidu do ulaznih vrata nije bila dovoljna za osvetljavanje prostorije, potrebno je bilo dodati još dva izvora svetla suprotno od ove plafonjere. Majstor je na poroznoj krečnogipsanoj površini nekako izbušio i učvrstio tiplove koji su trebali da budu osnova za nosače oko kojih je obmotana žica, a na koju treba da budu zakačene slike i to tako da budu od zida odaljene nekih pet centimetara. To je naravno trebalo da spreči vlagu da ošteti radove. Ne{to je trebalo uraditi i sa podom, po tom pitanju sa akademije je pozajmljeno nešto oko 3-4 litra bitulita koji su bili upotrebljeni tako da od zida nekih 40 cm bude obojena površina koja opasuje sva četri zida i gradi kvadrat ne obojenog golog betona na sredini prostorije.
U toku radova na sre|ivanju Salona nismo se posebno bavili sopstvenim radovima, to je bio ponovo glavni zajednički projekat. Konačno druga polovina maja bila je određena za izložbu Marka Davidovića i svečano otvaranje Salona Težak Umetnosti.
Dvadesetog maja u devet sati počeo je sa radom Salon TU. Radno vreme salona predviđeno je da bude od 10-22 časa, a izložba je trebalo da bude postavljena od 20 maja do 10 juna. Marko je odlučio da izloži slike, grafike i crteže, s’tim da neki crteži budu na kartonu. Radovi koji se mogu videti u okviru fotografskog segmenta They prezentacije uglavnom pored crtačkog umeća pokazuju tendenciju ka apstraktnom i racionalističkom odnosu prema boji, na uglavom uljanim slikama.
Izložba je otvorena u prisustvu naših prijatelja, plakati kojim je izložba najavljena rezultirali su dolaskom i nekih neznanih ljudi. U prisnoj atmosferi rascvetalog dvorišta, cveće i ruže su zaštićene Ptt trakama preostalim iz akcije Blokada – što je opet trebalo da bude veza sa prethodnim radom, Marko je održao kratak govor kojim je izložba zvanično otvorena. Potom je usledilo razgledanje slika i druženje uz muziku i razgovor. U jednom trenutku našla se u masi prisutnih ljudi električna gitara, i polačalo, pa je od nekolicine muzičara spontano krenula svirka…
To je bila kulminacija večeri i činilo se da se svi prisutni dobro osećaju, na momenat zaboravljajući na svakodnevicu i ostatak sveta. U tim trenutcima a bilo je oko pet minuta do ponoći pojavio se neočekivano gazda – vlasnik prostora i svečano nam saopštio da smo dobili otkaz i da ne želi više da nas vidi tu.
To je bio kraj Ateljea TU i kraj Salona TU. Ipak mi smo se zadržali u tom prostoru još nekih dve do tri nedelje i Salon je mogao da radi to vreme…Naravno to nije bio kraj TU!
tekst preuzet iz They prezentacije 2004.
