Snezana Pupovic and The Art of Emotion at the World Event Young Artists

Last September a train hurtled itself along the tracks in a sorry state from Manchester to Nottingham, it took me with it and delivered me and my frayed edges into the New Art Exchange. This venue was hosting the World Event Young Artists, a showcase of of 1000 artists from 100 nations. At that time I had a metal blue heart begging to be healed by the sublime power of art. The exhibition didn’t let me down. Its magic came in the shape of a mysterious picture. I was alone in big white gallery, then a I saw a bright blue eye peeping out from the far wall piercing me like a Knight’s lance from days of yore. I walked over as if in trance, never taking my eyes of the picture for a single second. By the time I reached this colourful hiding man my worries had gone, I was lifted, transfixed into the higher place where I felt as light and free as a bird.

On the train journey home I put out this post you are now reading:

It’s difficult to find anything about the artist of this picture. A quick google reveals that Snezana Pupovic was born in 1989 and lives and works in Podgorica, Montenegro, a country squished in-between Croatia, Serbia, Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Her homeland has a beautiful coastline onto the Adriatic Sea that gives the place its main economy – tourism – until the Yugoslav Wars in the 1990s in neighbouring countries crippled that industry. Perhaps this is why her airy colourful images belie content with a much blacker heart. Who knows? Snezana does. Get in touch please Snezana so I don’t have to keep babbling on about the place where you come from instead of what is your creative vision….

In November an email landed in my inbox:

Dear Nikki,

I just see your text about my work which you seen in Notingham on World Event Young Artist Festival. Thank you for publication so much  

Best regards, Snezana

Since then a trail of emails have kept us in contact while this talented 23-year-old graphic designer, illustrator, drawer and painter graduated last month from Faculty of Fine Arts, Podgorica, Montenegro, picking up a bagful of best student awards and scholarships on the way.

She is currently working in a publishing house where she uses a wide range of mix media materials such as gouache, ink, watercolor, pens and collage in her extensive portfolio but she says it is drawing and painting that are her first love.

Last week she took some time out of her busy schedule to answer a few questions:

What are the significant moments that have brought you to be the person you are today?

I am not sure in existence of those moments; in fact, I think that person is born as is. While the good or bad moments are those which “force” you to choose direction and they actually participate in building of a person’s character. We are all different characters, so for each of us these moments isn’t same. In fact every moments which touch us, actually influence in building us.

Tell me about your art, one thing, one picture or a story that sums up your practice?

Our emotional states, how they effect on our lives and our bodies, and the way they can lead us is the core topic of my artworks. I prefer sensible souls and their states of mind and emotions. Sensible souls are those which feel and experience much more of other souls. Works which I have created in last two years talk about very sensible souls, and how their divine emotions enlightens their souls, but in same time that strong emotion can kill their bodies.  In working and thinking process in one moment I asked myself:What would happen if these two souls met each other? How to build a relationship between them? Would they be in love and how would their souls and bodies behaved in that case? With this question I continue my work based on topic “Two Souls”, I have created a lot of works on this theme, but “Two Souls” aren’t done for me, I am still working on it…

And the man hiding in the picture can you tell me a bit more about that?

That picture is called Secret. His secret is fear of the world. The world where his body and soul existing produced deep in him a beautiful and difficult emotions…so his arms want to protect him of that strong feelings, but in same time his eye still want to feel because emotion is the only thing that makes you alive.

To find out more about Snezana Pupovic and her work please follow her Instagram or email her at snezapupovic@yahoo.com

Check out the rest of the 999 artists from around the globe selected for the cultural olympiad World Event Young Artists 2012. 

Go on holiday to Montenegro and visit the beautiful coastline kissed by the Adriatic Sea.

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