Author: Ana Klikovac
Serbian artist Vuk Ćuk, who strikes the public as the new Jean-Michel Basquiat, is the well-known face of Serbian art scene. Having gained an education at the Faculty of Applied Arts in Belgrade and the University of Applied Arts in Vienna where he studied painting, Vuk first took an interest in graffiti and street art. He cites Jeff Koons, Takashi Murakami, Frank Stella, Anselm Reyle, Aaron Curry and Erwin Wurm as some of his favorite artists from which he draws inspiration for his own pieces. Ćuk has showcased his art in Serbia, Slovenia, France and Denmark. His art is praised and known for being a clear, strong and unique visual expression drawn from the everyday life.
Vuk has concluded his solo exhibit titled "We have LA at home" in contemporary art gallery Eugster II in Belgrade, Serbia this past week. The exhibit was held from 24th until 26th of December and it featured various pieces that evoke that signature ''Californian feel" with a dash of futurism and a touch of personal critique of societal misbehavior.
"We have LA at home", inspired by the famous Internet meme, (Me: Mom, can we have L.A.? Mom: We have L.A. at home), takes the observer on a journey through the decay of the modern age, consumerism and sensationalism through the glitches found in the Hollywood sign, the deconstructed animals and scattered objects which are all residue of hyper-production, but they present the discrepancies between two cities as well, for example, Los Angeles / Belgrade.
Photocredit: Ivan Zupanc (Eugster Belgrade)
It questions the notion of what our society puts in the limelight. Los Angeles is the epitome of lavish success, the city of palm trees rising high above the clouds and dreams rising even higher; for many it is the idea of "the grass always being greener on the other side" that slowly begins to dissipate from our pantheon the deeper we dig into its gilded treasure chest.
During the "We have LA at home", visitors had the chance to walk around the sand-covered art space, observe glitchy/Vaporwave kind of pieces, tall plastic palm trees, altered animal bodies, beach towel, "Shell" logo peeking through the sand, framed gold star, top-brand sneakers hanging from the ceiling and even interact with the electrically-powered "Cybertruck", emulating the movement of a mechanical bull. Needless to say, the exhibit was one for the books!
You can follow Vuk Ćuk's work on his website.
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