the Sixth Belgrade Lyceum. I think it has been demolished. At his atelier, there were some of those soc-realism sculptures. I really liked
those, because they were a result of a work of a great artisan and
they appeared as pop-art to me. I knew nothing of ideology at the
time, so my perception of that art was much different. I was just
simply interested in the form.
Your first work dates to early ‘70’s of the 20th century. When did
you sell your first sculpture?
I sold my fist sculpture to Steva Pesic, the writer that was a
guru for me when I was young. I didn’t attend a regular high-school,
so Steva insisted greatly with all the literature he thought I should
read. Steva Pesic took me to the sculptor Toma Kauzlaric, so I spent
some two months learning from him at his atelier. He has a famous
and appreciated sculptor and he admitted me for Steva’s sake only.
Toma Kauzlaric revealed to me the concepts behind the modern
sculpture.
Why didn’t you attend the Academy after the Atelier?
Well, I said it already. During all of my permanence at the Atelier I thought I would attend the Academy. I changed my mind at
the very last, because I already mastered most of the artisan part of
art and I was ever more attracted by the contemporary art, the art
of the moment. One could read little about it at the time and most
of my knowledge arrived from word of mouth. There was little literature even of the between-Wars and after-War art, so I knew nothing about it. That is why I finally realised that it was better for me to
attend Art History at Faculty, but I never abandoned sculpture.
Since you didn’t pass the formal educational process, how were
you admitted to the University?
I had to pass a special exam. At those times it was very unusual and a great exception to the rule. There were only very few of
us that took the exam and I was the youngest amongst them. Being
the youngest meant that I was some twenty years younger than the
rest. I had to declare I was employed; it was the only possible option.
This test was for the people that were working already, but had
never attempted the graduate level. One of our neighbours agreed
to give me a certificate declaring I was working for her.
Object, 1976
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