Dies dimidius

Looking far back to prehistoric times, we observe the pronounced symbolic character of the number twelve. The day was measured from sunrise to sunset, with dawn marking the beginning of the first hour, noon at the end of the sixth, and sunset at the end of the twelfth, marking the end of one half of the day. A cycle consisting of twelve paintings, Damjan Kovačević has titled after the hours—twelve hours in total—which, according to certain beliefs, symbolize order in time and space. Each painting/hour is an equal participant in forming a spiritual-visual balance and depicting a certain atmosphere from sunrise to sunset. The symbolism of the number twelve is equally present in secular (12 apostles) and profane (12 months) discourses, and Kovačević skillfully balances the division of the painting into celestial and earthly zones with his artistic abilities and previous literary background. The boundary is not clearly defined, and the worlds intertwine, creating an internal system where the two zones continuously merge into each other. Like medieval zografos and manuscript illustrators, Kovačević consciously chooses familiar symbols (creation of the world, alchemy, Notre Dame, the cross, death of stars, Eucharist, epiphany, sin, plague…) from Christian iconography and medieval art, redesigns and re-signifies them, bringing them into the context of today's time. Thus, the plague can be equated with the coronavirus, and the Virgin Mary, who has fallen with Notre Dame which has burned. Around the chosen symbol, the author builds content aimed at narration rather than illusion of reality. The symbol is there to create conditions for crafting an atmosphere, which is different and distinctive in each hour of the day. Symbols are variable, but the atmosphere remains. Its role is to lead us through sensory stimuli (just as a scent can return us to a specific time or event) to the scene of events where, through the visual apparatus, we become an integral part of the environment. Although at first glance pessimistic, Damjan Kovačević’s paintings conceal a certain degree of sarcasm (necessary for survival), and also offer a vision of personal salvation through (de)personalized self-portraits, through which the author, like a Mycenaean angel, sheds his skin. Analyzing his visual language, it can be concluded that Kovačević remains faithful to "good old painting" (drapery, perspective, El Greco-like mannerism—elongated figures, strong color, supernatural…) correlating different symbols to create a personal mythology of a traditional character. Striving for simplicity and asceticism in composition, and in the spirit of Andrei Tarkovsky, Damjan Kovačević transforms his paintings into mystical portals of eternity and transience. He narrates about states between spirit and matter, between spiritual needs and existential necessity.
Ciklus koji se sastoji od dvanaest slika, Damjan Kovačević je naslovio, upravo, po satima – ukupno dvanaest sati – koji su prema određenim verovanjima simbol za red u vremenu i prostoru. Svaka slika/sat je ravnopravni učesnik u formiraju duhovno-vizuelne ravnoteže i prikaz određene atmosfere u periodu od izlaska do zalaska sunca. Simbolika broja dvanaest podjednako je zastupljena u svetovnom (12 apostola) i profanom (12 meseci) diskursu, a Kovačević svojim slikarskim sposobnostima i prethodnom literarnom bazom vešto balansira u podeli slike na nebesku i zemaljsku zonu. Sama granica nije jasno postavljena, pa se svetovi prepliću i grade unutrašnji sistem u kojem se dve zone neprestano prelivaju jedna u drugu. Poput srednjovekovnih zografa i ilustratora manuskripta, Kovačević svesno bira poznate simbole (nastanak sveta, alhemija, Notr Dam, krst, smrt zvezda, evharistija, epifanija, greh, kuga…) koje preuzima iz hrišćanske ikonografije i srednjovekovne umetnosti, redizajnira ih i preoznačava, dovodeći ih u kontekst današnjeg vremena. Tako se kuga može poistovetiti sa koronom, a Bogorodica koja je klonula sa Notr Damom koji je izgoreo. Oko izabranog simbola, autor gradi sadržaj koji ima za cilj naraciju, a ne iluziju realnosti. Simbol je tu da stvori uslove za kreiranje atmosfere, koja je u svakom satu jednog dana drugačija i osobena. Simboli su promenjivi, ali atmosfera ostaje. Njena uloga je da nas posredstvom čulnih nadražaja (kao kada nas miris vrati u određeno vreme ili događaj) odvede na mesto dešavanja gde posredstvom vizuelnog aparata postajemo sastavni deo ambijenta.
Iako na prvi pogled pesimistične, slike Damjana Kovačevića kriju u sebi određenu dozu sarkazma (neophodnu da preživimo), ali i donose viziju ličnog spasenja kroz (de)personalizovane autoportrete kojima se mikenađelovskim skidanjem kože, sam autor oslobađa. Analizirajući njegov likovni jezik, može se zaključiti da Kovačević ostaje veran „starom dobrom slikarstvu” (draperija, perspektiva, elgrekovski manirizam – izdužena figura, jak kolorit, natčulno…) dovodeći u korelaciju različite simbole pomoću kojih stvara ličnu mitologiju tradicionalnog karaktera. Težeći jednostavnosti i asketizmu u kompoziciji, a na tragu Andreja Tarkovskog, Damjan Kovačević slikarskom alhemijom pretvara svoje slike, istovremeno, u mistične portale večnosti i prolaznosti. On pripoveda o stanjima između duha i materije, između spiritualnih potreba i nužnosti egzistencijalnog.

Selena Andrić

Photographers: Vladimir Miloradović, Bojan Džodan