Aura 2017

Curator: What strikes me immediately is the ethereal, almost melancholic mood of this piece. The woman’s gaze is directed upward, and the colors, while vibrant, have a muted quality. Editor: Indeed. This is "Aura," an acrylic painting on canvas by Dragan Ilić Di Vogo, completed in 2017. It masterfully blends elements of realism and surrealism to create a contemporary portrait. The figure’s skin seems to absorb these playful surrealistic tattoos like its her own identity. I am interested, though, in the location where the figure seems to exist in. Curator: It seems like this figure exists on the cusp of something; I cannot say exactly what but the surreal objects create a dreamy, contemplative mood. I also like that there are some objects in her space that make you pause and look closely. The colours add so much complexity to the surface of her face and body. It definitely has a contemporary flavor but there is definitely an aura. Editor: Ilić Di Vogo is definitely using the traditions of portraiture in order to investigate something that goes far beyond representing external reality. There is that ball/planet with a marker-like spear going through it... This object gives us more social cues than this solitary portrait can offer alone. Curator: Precisely. And even the way the artist incorporates these seemingly random surreal objects makes me question traditional notions of identity formation. It feels less about a fixed self and more about the interplay of forces that shape who we are. Like our desires and traumas are written on us. How do you view its role within a public art context, given the socio-political tensions around representations of the body today? Editor: I believe this artwork subtly invites viewers to contemplate the complexities of individual experience, but as part of something much larger; The social, cultural and historic context of what shaped what they think they are feeling or are expressing. I am very interested how those small surreal details give rise to bigger narratives of the individual’s position on their world Curator: Ultimately, I feel it invites viewers to consider identity as something more fluid and multifaceted, challenging dominant cultural narratives around identity formation. Editor: Well, it is a powerful conversation-starter. I am compelled to keep studying and resituating what this composition offers us.