C24 Gallery in New York is hosting “Split Archives,” the first solo exhibition by Yugoslavian artist Viktor Popović. This exhibition showcases over 30 works of the artist exploring the modernist culture of the erstwhile Yugoslavia in the 1960s, created in the last three years. Popović has conducted extensive research on history and the collective social memory on the subject using method of appropriation and archival research technique, which is reflected in this recent series.In post-war Yugoslavia, there was a tremendous demand for architectural development and expansion. In “Split Archives,” Popović showcases the city archive of Split, his hometown in Croatia, which showed an exponential development in urban planning and architectural development during this time. The artist has used found objects and industrial raw materials like fluorescent light tubes and color correction filters to create his hybrid light installation that explores the relationship between utility and creativity. There are also “Untitled Archive ST3” and “Untitled Archive ST3: Military Hospital,” which show enlarged photographs of architectural model and interior decoration inside a military hospital. The most prominent piece of the exhibition is an installation made of used hospital beds made of iron, which represents the simplicity and straightforwardness of modern architecture. The beds also contain traces of use, which associates them with memory.Viktor Popović is professor of art at the University of Split, Croatia. He was awarded an MFA graduate of Academy of Fine Arts, Zagreb, Croatia, and a number of distinguished grants and awards including the Art Omi Residency Program at Omi International Arts Center, Ghent, New York, USA (2017).His work has been collected by major public institutions throughout Croatia, including the Museum of Contemporary Art in Zagreb, Museum of Contemporary Art in Split and showcased in numerous solo exhibitions including at the Museum of Fine Arts, Split, Croatia; Museum of Contemporary Art, Zagreb, Croatia; Lauba – People and Art House, Zagreb, Croatia; Gallery of Fine Arts – Civic Museum Zadar, Zadar, Croatia; and Portland Art Center, Portland, Oregon, USA (2006), among others.“Split Archives” will run through April 21, 2018, at C24 Gallery, New York, 560 West 24th Street, New York, NY 10001, USA.For details, visit: http://www.blouinartinfo.com/galleryguide/c24-gallery/overviewClick on the slideshow to have a sneak peek of the artist’s work.
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