Serbia

My take on the Kafana. Coming to Belgrade I was very impressed with Serbia’s marriage of food and live music at the Kafana – something that I have never seen on such a large scale. He is spinning a plate of cevapi instead of a record and adjusting some pickles with his other hand – all while enjoying a bite! 

For me, Belgrade is like Cinderella trapped in the attic. She is oppressed by her evil stepmother (in the case of Serbia, the government). However, she is a beautiful woman who is dreaming of a glass slipper and showing her true beauty to the world. When I return to the US I will share my stories of Serbia with my friends, etc. I want them to know that this is an incredible place filled with wonderful people – but that life here is not fair for many and that anything that can be done to help should be. 

How could I come to Serbia and not paint Nikola Tesla? The two eyes represent two Tesla Coils, and his blue eyes show us that this portrait is of his later years 😊. The electricity of the Tesla Coils reminds me of the electricity and energy of the Serbian people – an energy that has drawn me in and is going to make it very difficult to leave. I really have enjoyed my time here. 

The Genex Tower is a work of art for me. I love Brutalist architecture and was so taken by it’s space-age feel. To me, the tower looks like something that was designed for a future full of robots, like Science Fiction. This inspired me to make it into a robot, complete with a control panel and bubble exhaust. 

I later learned that the abbreviation for UFO in Serbian is NLO – so this is an NLO. This, for me, is a reminder that we are not alone. I do not mean “not alone” in the sense that there are aliens, I mean “not alone” in the sense that if you need help or some love then it is just a phone call away – if you choose to make that call…

Serbian Strong Man, if you are #1 in Serbia then you are #1 in the world. This is a nod to Serbia’s reputation as warriors of Europe and how that has translated into a number of world-class athletes of Serbian descent in modern times. 

Strolling around the pedestrian streets of Belgrade I saw so many couples holding hands, kissing, etc. Beautiful couples. However, every so often I would see a pissed off lady and a guy who looked like he was in a lot of trouble hahaha! This piece captures one of those moments. 

This piece is a comment on my life in NYC. Coming here and leaving the US for the first time in two years made me realize that I am often walking around NYC with “resting bitch face” dissatisfied over something meaningless. Here I was able to see that it is entirely within my control to be happy – I just have to choose to be. 

I saw and felt a lot of love in Serbia. I cannot remember a time when I went to a place that was so warm and welcoming. Going to Kalemegdan I saw a lot of people braving the cold to sit and be with one another – just to be present. This is something that is missing in America. I wanted to capture that moment of presence between two lovers. 

This piece is a comment on Abusive Robot’s personal struggles with alcohol and substances. Many believe that being high is the key to releasing creativity – but for this artist it shut him down. No energy or will to create, just confusion and anxiety with a 30,000-foot view.

Walking around Belgrade I saw so many men with beards – handsome men with really good beards – that I had to paint one of my own. 

For me Serbia has been a place of play and exploration – and I don’t think I could have found a better place to do it. Here I felt free to just chill out and live life – similarly to a lot of the Serbians that I met. While there is stress and trauma, by and large the people that I encountered here were resilient and happy to let go and enjoy the moment. Maybe NYC can learn from Serbia?

Like most Serbians (from my perspective) he is tall and he is in a club – a nod to Belgrade’s party reputation.