Katarina 2012

Dragan Ilić Di Vogo painted Katarina, though I'm unsure exactly when. The handling of the paint is smooth, almost like it’s been airbrushed. I can’t see any brushstrokes, it's like he wants to remove the artist’s hand entirely. Look at the curious combination of classical portraiture with surrealist elements. There’s something odd about the colour palette, muted yet lurid, especially the yellow. It feels like it’s not quite of this world. The woman’s headwear is bizarre; some kind of organic, flowing form. And what is that statue doing in the background? It’s a strange scene, a collision of different styles and eras, where you can tell what things are but not what they mean. Di Vogo seems to be having a conversation with the Old Masters, and artists like Dali. But he’s also adding something new, something uniquely his own. What does it mean? I have no idea. But I can't help but stare.