Miodrag Ristić

Que s’est-il passé avec la peinture ? Cette question sémantique qui ouvre un nouveau chapitre dans  la  perception  de  l’art  est  représentée  dans  l’œuvre  de  Miodrag  Ristic  d’une  façon exceptionnelle. Elle nous convainc qu’il faut la traiter comme phénomène   et phénoménologie. L’œuvre d’art s’y ancre et s’ouvre à son essence. En posant cette question elle nous mène vers d’autres : Que s’est-il passé avec la surface et le niveau de représentation et en même temps la compréhension  d’une  œuvre  d’art ?  La  peinture  n’est  donc  plus  qu’une  entité  picturale  qui présente  une  simple  dimension,  comme  elle  n’est    plus  une  illusion  de  l’espace.  L’œuvre subsiste comme un objet réel, mais aussi comme une dimension réelle. De ce fait, la peinture devient la matérialisation même de la dimension. Cela nous mène à conclure que l’espace est un  fait.  Cela  dit,  la  voie  qui  mène  aux  « Espaces  imagés »  (terme  appartenant  à  l’artiste M.Ristic)  est  ouverte.  Cette façon  d’expliquer  le  chemin qu’il  avait  suivi  pour  en  aboutir  à  ce terme particulier n’a pas été présent du tout début mais il est tout de même codifié dans l’œuvre de l’artiste.

Les  premières  cassures  de  surfaces  se  sont  produites  sur  du  papier  froissé  et  collé  sur  de l’aluminium.  Le  dessin  a donc  apparu  comme  libéré  de  la  surface,  la  ligne  s’est  détachée  et s’est mise à « vivre » dans un espace réel en menant l’œuvre vers une position « objet ». En parlant  de ce procédé on ne considère pas uniquement  les dimensions de l’œuvre qui a été crée de cette façon mais aussi la dimension du procédé de l’artiste du début de sa création et de son concept jusqu’à nos jours. Les paramètres qui se tournent vers cette complexité tout au cours de sa vie d’artiste, démontrent sa grandeur, la suite dans sa perception et la causalité. Pendant des décennies, Miodrag Ristic soigne l’espace qui contourne son œuvre tout comme sa création, d’où vient la présentation artistique qui dure jusqu’aujourd’hui. Tenant compte de cela, tout stade suivant d’une de ses œuvres est la suite de celle qui lui précède. Par analogie, il est facile de constater une causalité tout au long de son travail. La relation permanente entre la ligne et la surface, « le fil » et  l’espace, détermine la langue artistique en raison de la surface qui  se  met  à  vibrer.  Le  dessin  devient  de  plus  en  plus  complexe  pendant  que  l’aluminium demeure pour ses bonnes capacités d’emploi. Pendant les années ‘ 90 ce matériau prendra des formes ondulées et il démontrera une bonne stabilité, qui après flexion, fera surgir une certaine

« action »  dans  le  centre  de  la  composition.  La  surface  continuera  à  vibrer  d’une  façon  pas seulement  physique  mais  optique,  pendant  que  le  « thème  central »  évoluera  en  noyau.  La peinture serait le reflet de la pensée de la surface. Cette interaction nous mènerait au tableau objet. En changeant la surface dès le début, il se passe un changement dans l’espace et ce changement que produit la sculpture par exemple, cet espace donc, sera pris et occupé. Les facettes de l’aluminium cassées, en allant vers des formes sculpturales, changeront de formes en vibrant vers le centre, tout en créant de la place où sera interposé le fil. Le fil conducteur de l’art créatif de Miodrag Ristic vu de cette façon démontre que sa perception analytique, quand à la relation imagé-espace, a débuté très tôt, en montrant indéniablement l’intégrité de toute son œuvre d’artiste.

L’œuvre de  Miodrag  Ristic démontre des caractéristiques d’art gestuel, de dédoublement,  de trait et d’action.  En utilisant  un coloris dynamique à petites touches,  les surfaces  donnent  un aspect d’illusionniste en bougeant presque devant nos yeux. Cela se produit réellement car le

spectacle est  bien celui d’une peinture optique. Les recherches visuelles,  celles qu’il a crées dans son dernier cycle, se tournent vers   le   minimalisme, vers la réduction et vers les formes abstraites, pendant que le contenu s’enrichit par des idées mentales. C’est pourquoi, cet œuvre devient une méta-structure.

Si le terme « espace imagé » correspondait à ses premières œuvres, le syntagme nominal « La configuration de l’espace centré et concave » 2. (Jovan Despotovic, Miodrag Ristic catalogue de l’exposition dans la galerie Zvono) seraient en parfait accord avec les formes ondulées des années ’90. Ensuite, suivant ce parcours, les dernières interventions sur aluminium seraient des dessins-objets.  Il  s’agit  d’une  série  apparentée  à  une  envergure  artistique  qui  mènerait  à  un concept très avancé. La surface est devenue active au point de se diversifier en noyau. L’accès au dessin s’approfondit, les formes deviennent pures, l’énergie de l’artiste se concentre sur la création d’une surface concave, sur le modelage de l’espace vide. L’énergie focalisée de cette manière, sur le noyau du dessin-objet, entraine encore une question tournée vers le travail de l’artiste – le moment contemplatif. L’espace concave devient le point essentiel, la topographie de  communication  intensifiée  et  le  vide  crée  avec  l’intention  de  le  remplir.  C’est  bien  là  que l’énergie circule tout comme le sens en démontrant la sensibilité de l’artiste. Combler ce vide c’est partir à la recherche du sens et finalement à l’essence même. Il faut ajouter que ce vide n’est  pas  perçu  tout  de  suite,  et  cela  surprend.  Il  nous  force  à  regarder  de  plus  près,  avec attention, d’y mettre un autre regard. Nombreux ouvrages ont été crées sur la relation  dessin – objet. Ils restent ancrés dans notre mémoire par la subtilité dont la surface  arrive à se mouvoir dans la troisième dimension, par la délicatesse et la plénitude du noyau, par la sensibilité du concept et de la création tout aussi. La ligne a été multipliée et organisée en atteignant un effet d’illusionniste. Dans l’espace, le fil remplacera la ligne. Plus le fil est fin plus la trame devient dense et la qualité de la toile d’araignée intangible pourra être saisie. La profondeur du dessin diminue  vers  les  contours,  ce  qui  permet  à  l’artiste  d’articuler  et  créer  une  impression  de gouffre. Cette descente verticale vers la profondeur est bien la pénétration dans l’essence de l’œuvre tout aussi comme la question auto suggestive que se pose l’artiste sur l’art, l’acte créatif et  les  questions  de  la  créativité  et  la  raison  de  notre  existence.  La  contemplation  est  liée étroitement à cette sensation de gouffre. Le dessin prend sa forme dans l’espace mental et se transforme pour devenir une méta – structure. La prise artistique devient bien plus profonde, les aspirations  de  l’artiste  plus  exigeantes  et  le  dessin  demeure  comme  un  espace  mental  et contemplatif.  « L’engouffrement »,  nommé  d’après  la  tonalité  bleue  d’une  des  peintures, démontre  d’une  manière  persuasive  que  nous  sommes  bien  dans  le  domaine  du  méta  – espace.  Le  bleu  et  le  vert  sont  de  provenance  organique,  tout  comme  le  coloris  d’un  temps révolu  ou  du  temps  de  la  création.  Ici  aussi,  l’espace  articulé  nous  mène  à  sa  structure fondamentale  en  nous  ramenant  aux  bases  phénoménologique.  Un  prénom  nous  est  très important car il nous aide à atteindre la « clé » de l’espace, celui de Gaston Bachelard. L’aura qui enveloppe l’art nous mène à la question essentielle – que s’est-il passé avec la peinture ? Le dessin continue à exister sur un autre plan en nous conseillant de l’interpréter d’une autre manière.  La  création  se  comprend  comme  une  activité  permanente  de  l’esprit  humain.  Elle demeure une nécessité constante qu’éprouve l’artiste à créer et de ne jamais cesser de le faire. Ce  besoin  amène  l’artiste  à  devenir  et  à  rester  le  représentant  du  sens  et  de  la  force  à  se rechercher en plongeant dans son essence pour y trouver le moyen de transmettre.

La formation d’un centre est bien la position phénoménologique que Bachelard contemple en faisant référence à l’espace comblé et son caractère protecteur. L’espace concave est protégé car l’essence recherche toujours un lieu plutôt caché pour s’y installer. D’après Bachelard, ce lieu caché doit avoir été vécu, et, encore une fois, l’essence doit être sauvegardée. En reliant l’espace  et  l’essence,  à  l’habitat,  la  demeure,  la  topographie    qui  appartient  à  l’intimité  de l’homme,  il  dira  que  « tout  espace  habité  porte  dans  son  essence  l’idée,  le  concept  de  la maison. » 3 (Gaston Bachelard, Poétique de l’espace). L’aboutissement de tous ces efforts à percer le secret du sens serait de trouver un espace libre où il pourrait trouver sa place et nous découvrir toute sa beauté.

Katarina Radulovic

Traduction  S. Badnjevic

Miodrag Ristic – The spatial image

The whole chapter in the art of the twentieth century is determined by the well known artistic principle whereby the life of the object begins with the first stroke of the paint across the canvas, before even it takes any particular, determined form. This principle was generated during the era of Impressionism and was concinously developed into different schools, which, in their turn, evolved into the Abstract art. Nowdays, it is possible to observe in the work of some contemporary artists the manifestations of the above artistic principle coupled with the experience gained through practical, fast happenings in platics during this recent period.

For the past decade, which is the period of his introduction, as well as the involvment in the artistic world, though not particulary profilic, Miodrag Ristic has entirely dedicated himself and his art to the one single problem: how, on the one hand, to be able to define his own poetic expression while remaining true to the imperative of the authentic and specific creation of the painter’s object, and, on the other hand, to explore and question the very same principle, which had been stated at the beginning of the work. This retrospective, which selects a small number of Ristic’s work, unveils the intention to formulate a whole visual event comprising of the two, equally important components.

Using the wrinkled space of the aluminum plate instead of the flat plane of the canvas Ristic legitimized his own necessity to extricate his art from the traditional views on painting, which is limited by th’e situation of the iconic representation, towards propositions of its two dimensional framework. This uneven space Ristic acquires by the means of different techniques: wrinkling, bending, rolling, etching, bending in of the aluminum plate. In this manner the artist generates a space in relief of different depth ranging from the very low towards the very high relief which, where it not defined as relief-painting, could represent a finalized sculpture in its own right. From the very beginning of such proceedings Ristic gradually undermines the flat plane, at first descreetly and almost unintentionally only to become obvious artistic attitude, which finally reaches an acomplished level of the authorship.

The completion of the plate is followed by the layer of paint, rather the painting of this space in relief. At first Ristic was searching for the geometric solutions and for such forms which conjure up the visual aesthetics of Bauhaus. Later the changes his techniques of the colour execution in the manner which includes the repertory of various gestures: a forceful stroke of the brush, spjilling and sprinkling of the liquid paint, and finally, in the series of the most recent work rubbing in by the cloth, which, now gives a new sound, as well as more delicate and more precise and strictly controlled effect. In the later works only random organization of the amorpheous structure of his reliefs is noticable in such a manner that there appear to be rare, discreet angles and straight lines at the places where th.e aluminum plate is bent. With this circle is complete and the ring in the chain is linked with his earlier works in which the principle of organization stands above the principle of desorganization.

The basis of Ristic’s artistic concept lies in the achievement of visual effect (with well known methods registered in the history of Modern Art) in the conditions of irregular space. In this example the chosen artistic method is perfectly attuned with the need, or more precisely, the aim of this artist to question and redefine plastic, formal and stylistic conditions for creation and existence of a visual effect in the final and prefect iconic, abstract proceeding which owes its life and value to the entirely inner artistic reasons. The usage of one of already elaborated artistic concepts on an unsuitable preadapted base, as it were, clear1y states that, at present, the contemporary art is undergoing a great deal of questioning concerning its meaning, value and aims, as well as its evaluation in accord with sensouous and spiritual demands and needs of the contemporary connaisseurs and public.

According to the present day artists, and Miodrag Ristic is one of them, the contemporary painting has become a plane in which the notion of the pure visual experience is reflected in. The sources for this altered undertakings in plastics are numerous: almost all artistic poetics, both from the recent and remote past, is sufficient encouregement to make it the basic framework for research. Nowdays the art is, again, “the art of inner necessity”, and in this specific form, its picture was born from the pure creation and consequently unadultarated impression of colour, releasing its sound towards the protagonist (the work of art) particulary researched and executed artistic performance. Once again in this example we touched upon “the absolute zero” whereby, strictly speaking, the painting itself does not exist any more, but the stubborn need of the artist to find in this new creation the iconic presentation which is both the self determined aim as well as the self evaluation of the level of the authentic creative will.

Jovan Despotovic

ULUS Gallery, Belgrade, 1990, National museum, Kragujevac, 1991

       What happened to the picture? This semantic question that opens a new chapter in the art opinion, is plentivuly represented in the works of Miodrag Ristic. We are increasingly awared that art should be seen as a phenomenon and a phenomenology. The work of art is becoming more established in its phenomenological basis as a matter of essential givens. Thus, this question will initiate a series of questions and phenomena such as: What happened to the surface?, or What happened to the level of representation?, and therefore the understanding the work. The picture is not just a pictorial entity which presents dimensions within itself, nor it is an illusion of dimensionality. It survives as a real object, but also as a real dimension. Hence, the picture becomes tangible physical performance of dimensions. From this follows that the space is a fact. This is a development path to Ristic’s „spatial images“. At the time when this term was applied to the works of this artist[1], his pictures did not look like today. Nevertheless, the term is not only functional until a suitable is found, but is permanently marked and codified in the works of the author.

       The first surface fractures were formed on the wrinkled, laminated canvas and paper glued on aluminum. Noticeable drawing liberation shows that the drawing firstly came out into the surrounding space. However, firstly liberated was the line, pushed off from the surface and beginning to scribble after more real space, leading the art object toward the position of installation. In this procedure, we do not see only dimensions of the formed work, but also dimensions of the opus, viewed as an integral organism and well harmonized concept. Parameters that clarify oeuvre primarily represent its size, consistency and causality. Through decades of exhaustive work, the artist cherishes the space around the picture, and takes care of the process of its creation. Art presentation is therefore a result of the process that has its duration. In this respect, each subsequent stage of the same picture is inherent consequence of the former. Analogically, the causality of the oeuvre is noticeable. Permanent relation between lines and surfaces, wires and space, specifies the artistic language. The surface that begins to vibrate is the cause. The drawing becomes more complex, while the aluminum, being light material suitable for plastic molding, stays adamant. Such material will during the nineties assume the wavy structure, showing the balance and, as a result of such bending, a certain movement in the central part of the performance will emerge. The surface will continue not only physically but also optically to vibrate, while the central backbone develops the core.  In this sequence, the image actually represents an opinion of the surface. Thus, the considered surface and interaction of the line and the surface are realized from the „spatial image“, through sculpture in the expanded field, up to the spatial geometry and centrally positioned recess, hence up to the position of the picture as an object. Even the first fractures of the surface seriously penetrate the space, creating the volume, that once conquered will never be abandoned. Broken alloy facets, brought to the sculptural propositions, will then soften around the curved configuration that vibrates to the center, producing the space within itself, where the wire would be inserted. This way observed the creative thread of Miodrag Ristic indicates that commitments to the detachment of the picture have been detected very early, and that the analytical manipulation on relation picture-space is a serious indicator of holistic oeuvre from the critical position.

           Ristic’s work demonstrates the qualities of gestural painting, multiplication of moves and action painting. By introducing dynamic colors and small strokes, the surface shifts on illusionistic, optical mode. It will actually move and twist, while retaining the properties of optical art and dynamic scene. Visual researches in a cycle that was last created are moving towards minimalism, towards the reduction, and further towards the abstract form, while the content is being enriched by the mental flows, due to which these works of art are understood as meta-structures.

         If the term „spatial image“ would be adequate in the interpretation of early works, terminological syntagm of „centered concave spatial configuration“[2] would be suitable for the wave-designed forms, created in the nineties. Furthermore, following this path, the last intervention on aluminum are considered as images – objects. It is a series of related artistic interventions brought to a strongly developed concept. The surface has become active to such an extent that it has produced a core within itself. Entry into the picture is deepening, the forms become cleaner, and the energy of the artist concentrates on creating a proper circular recess, on modeling the void. Thus focused energy on picture’s core – object is affected by another question, and new instance in the work of the artist – is a moment of contemplation. The recess becomes essential, the topography of enhanced communication void is created with the desire to be fulfilled. This particulary articulated spot is a space of energy circulation, existence of sense, and represents a topos which best reveals the sensibility of the artist. Filling the cavity is also the search for meaning and satisfaction of need for situating the substance. Surprise factor is also activated, because such cavity is not always immediately visible. It requires a closer look, followed by reaction of tactile properties of the observer. There are many works created on relation: picture – object. However, they are remembered by the subtleties of bringing the surface into the third dimension, by a delicate and tactile fullness of core, and by sensibility of the concept, but also the craftsmanship. The line is multiplied and organized by illusionist effect. And the wire will replace the line in the real space. As the wire becomes thinner, the network becomes denser, and quality of cobweb as something untouchable is being fathomed. The picture depth weakens towards the edges, helping to create an impression of plunge. This plunge into the picture is a breakthrough into its essential appearance, but also an auto-suggestive plunge of the artist into the question of art, the creativity and the wider questioning of the creative and living doubts. The said contemplative moment is in a close relation with these chasms. The picture is created on the mental platform and becomes a meta-structure. The artistic intervention becomes physically deeper, the author’s aspirations are demanding, and the picture resides as a mental space – a place of reflection. „Plunge“ is the name of the picture, made in blue tonality, which in the most convincing way endorses the position of the image as a meta-space. Blue and green are used as organic dyes, as well as some pre-coloring or coloration of mighty nature. Central, particularly articulated place, even here appears as a space, where meaning is grounded, and can be seen as a fundamental part of the structure, which brings us back to the phenomenological grounds. An important name, that can greatly aid in the understanding of this area, is Gaston Bachelard. Aura of artistic presence spreads from the site, specified and developed into the core, leading us constantly towards the question of essentiality – What actually happened to the picture itself? The picture continues to exist on other grounds by proposing a modified method of interpretation. The creation is seen as a permanent activity of the human spirit. What remains is a constant need of the artist to continue working. This necessity makes him the presenter of sense, but also forces him to plunge into self, into his own core areas, and possibilities of their removal.

       Forming a central point is phenomenological position of researching the space, which Bachelard considers calling to the filled area, and its protective character. The recess place is a protected area, since the sense strives for a safe place to dwell in it. Bachelard considers that this space must be experienced and that the sense connotes protection. By linking the area with the substance, with house, with habitat, with topography, which belongs to the intimate being, it will tell that „every populated area carries in itself the essence of the idea of the house“[3].

      Finally, the origin of sense is to live, to dwell, to find a void where to insert and show all the beauty.

Katarina Radulovic

[1]      The term ‘spatial image’  is owed to the artist.

Miodrag Ristic, Spatial images, exhibition catalog, ULUS gallery, Belgrade, April 1990

[2]    Jovan Despotovic, Miodrag Ristic, exhibition catalog, ‘Zvono’ gallery, Belgrade, March 1999

[3]    Gaston Bachelard, The Poetics of Space, Kultura, Belgrade, 1969

            Gaston Bachelard, The New Scientific Spirit, Zoran Stojanovic Publishing, Sremski Karlovci, Novi Sad, 1991