Irena Kazazić

Irena Kazazić (born 1972) is a Serb-Slovenian visual artist,[1] based in and mainly operating from Ljubljana, with many of her works being presented abroad at international events in Croatia, Italy,[2] United States[3] and Austria. In 2017 she founded her own visual arts vehicle and brand Finer Side of Pop (stylized as Finer Side 0f Pop) – phrase coined by Serbian writer and art historian Marko Dabetić, and it became a title of subsequent monograph dedicated to Kazazić’s work, which saw release in 2020.[4] Currently very active within the artist community of Ljubljana, Kazazić also collaborates with designers (Nelizabeta, JSP Fashion), alternative music labels (such as Belgrade’s 93DOT93) and is known locally for her engagement in cultural and civic activism, including work with refugees and volunteering during 2014 Southeast Europe floods in Obrenovac, Serbia. In 2015. she curated a public exhibition of urban artists for Ulična galerija, which utilized public spaces as exhibition sites.[5] She was admitted into Ljubljana Fine Artists Society in 2021.[6]

Irena Kazazić
Irena Kazazić
Born1972 (1972) (age 49)
Belgrade, SR Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia
NationalitySerbian
Known forPainter and writer
MovementPop art
Websitewww.irenakazazic.com

Biography

Kazazić was born in 1972 in Belgrade.[7] Her first academic choice were studies of architecture – she dropped out, but as she pointed out, it was drawing classes on weekends she attended while preparing for the entrance exam that made her realize she wanted to pursue career in visual arts. It was visits to US in her youth, among other things, that additionally informed her affinity towards pop art.[8]

Career

Active from the early 1990s (first exhibition took place in 1990 in Las Vegas), Kazazić started her first studio in 1994, in Ljubljana.

She holds a degree in fine arts, which she got at Arthouse – an art school in Ljubljana, in 2003.[9]

In her student days, she shared a studio (dubbed M. I. K. S.) with fellow artist and partner at the time, Matjaž Stražar.

After her breakthrough series Shoes (Čevlji, 2001–2009), Kazazić primarily focuses on (and is mostly known by) extensive series of intimate portraits of friends (notably Portraits of Time), acquaintances, pop culture figures or even fictional characters (Pippi Longstocking being just one of them).

She mainly chooses independent ways of advancing her career as an artist, and is self-managed, relying on word of mouth and – with expansion of internet – presence on social networks rather than on any form of institutional support.

Style and influences

Kazazić mainly works in the tradition of pop art. Her style has changed over time, but since around 2010, she established her trademark use of white space and vivid colors that at times are bordering on psychedelic art. Her art is often an open celebration of eroticism.[10] Although she mainly keeps her work from being overtly political, there are often strong feminist messages present.[11]

She mainly utilizes mixed technique in her work, combining watercolor, drawing and collage.

She cited Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg and a wide variety of artists and pop culture figures as her personal influences.[12]

Exhibitions

Kazazić’s work has been on display in Slovenia, Serbia, Croatia, Austria, Italy and US.[13]


1990 – 2001
The Art Association Gallery of Las Vegas
Galerija Berač, Ljubljana
Arthouse College, Ljubljana
Galerija Vodnjan, Pula
Galerija Izložba, Ljubljana
Galerija Drama, Ljubljana

2002
Galerija KUD Studenec, Domžale

2004
Galerija KUD France Prešeren, Ljubljana

2005
Pallazzo Cappello Venexia, San’t Elena, Venice
Galerija Hest 35, Ljubljana

2006
The Art Association Gallery of La Habra Heights, California
The Arthouse Bluebird Gallery, Whittier, California
Društvo likovnih umetnikov Maribor, Maribor
Hest 35, Ljubljana
Galerija Peroz, Kamnik
Tempelj Zavest Krišne, Ljubljana
Ars Humana, Medvode

2007
MKC Medvode, Medvode
MKC Kotlovnica, Galerija Kurilnica, Kamnik
Ars Linguae, Ljubljana
Rog, Ljubljana
Likovni salon, Kočevje
Moderna galerija, Ljubljana
Knjiznica Makse Samsa, Ilirska Bistrica

2008
Ilirija, Ljubljana

2009
Škuc, Ljubljana
Mala galerija, Kranj
Rog, Ljubljana
Rotunda, Nova Gorica
Bi-ko-fe, Ljubljana
Arslinguae, Ljubljana
Pilon, Ljubljana

2010
Conestoga culture bar, Ljubljana
Galerija Tukad Munga, Ljubljana
Open café, Ljubljana
Dobrobenefit, Alcatraz, Ljubljana
ZOO Ljubljana, Ljubljana
Kino Šiška, Ljubljana

2011
Galerija TukadMUNGA, Ljubljana
Bluebird Art House, Whittier, California
Boxoffice, Las Vegas
Sigmund Freud Privatuniversität, Wien

2012
Psihiatrična klinika, Begunje
Galerija Moje Tvoje, Ljubljana
Knjižnica Oton Župančič, Ljubljana

2013
Mala črna galerija, Ljubljana
Galerija Prostor, Ljubljana
Jalla Jalla, AKC Metelkova, Ljubljana
Du – Bop Caffee, Ljubljana

2014
Bizzarnica, AKC Metelkova, Ljubljana
Channel Zero Gallery, AKC Metelkova, Ljubljana
Spodobna dražba, organisation of, and participation in benefit art auction 1/III, Prešernov trg, Ljubljana
One night stand, benefit art auction 2/III, KUD France Prešeren, Ljubljana
When the music’s over, turn out the lights, benefit art auction 3/III, KUD France Prešeren, Ljubljana
AQ Galerija, Celje
Gromka, AKC Metelkova, Ljubljana

2015
Odprti atelje Vzpon, Ljubljana
Dev9t, Beograd
Otvoreni oktobarski salon, Beograd
SOT 24,5 AKC Metelkova, Ljubljana
Curator at Ulična galerija / Street Gallery Ljubljana 2015

2016
Ulična galerija Ljubljana
Meta City Symptoms, Ljubljana
Art in Motion, Kombinart: 5 group exhibitions in the rural parts of Serbia: Tabanovići, Ševarice, Lipolist, Nakučani, Šabac

2017
Du Bop, Ljubljana
Krakovc, Ljubljana

2018
Galerija Layerjeve hiše, Kranj


References
  1. http://www.irenakazazic.com/bio.html
  2. Pallazzo Cappello Venexia Ex Convento dei Servi di Maria, Venice, 2005- Irena Kazazic Portfolio Website | http://www.irenakazazic.com/venice-05.html
  3. The Arthouse Bluebird Gallery, Whittier, California, 2006- Irena Kazazic Portfolio Website | http://www.irenakazazic.com/california-2006.html
  4. Marko Dabetić, In Search of Finer Side of Pop: Art of Irena Kazazić, Ljubljana 2020, ISBN 978-961-07-0143-9
  5. Ulični katalog del za leto 2015 | https://govorise.metropolitan.si/zanimivosti/ulicni-katalog-del-za-leto-2015/
  6. http://www.dlul-drustvo.si/o-drustvu/clani/
  7. https://www.sloart.si/kazazic-irena
  8. Marko Dabetić, In Search of Finer Side of Pop: Art of Irena Kazazić, Ljubljana 2020, ISBN 978-961-07-0143-9
  9. http://www.irenakazazic.pobarva.net/about/
  10. IRENA KAZAZIĆ, KRATKE ZGODBE: RAZSTAVA (Galerija Hest 35) | https://galerijahest.si/en/events/events/past-events-and-exhibitions/irena-kazazi-kratke-zgodbe-razstava-galerija-hest-35/
  11. Z vsakim dihom me je manj – Irena Kazazić - Mestna knjižnica Ljubljana (mklj.si) | https://www.mklj.si/novice/z-vsakim-dihom-me-je-manj-irena-kazazic/
  12. Marko Dabetić, In Search of Finer Side of Pop: Art of Irena Kazazić, Ljubljana 2020, ISBN 978-961-07-0143-9
  13. https://www.kamra.si/images/mmelementi/dokumenti/katalog-irena-kazazic_20190131_183846.pdf
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