THE REAL POWER IS WITHIN OURSELVES

Marija Tanasković Papadopoulos, a painter and sculptor from Serbia, who lives in Chicago, set out on a path that leads to the top of the international reputation in culture and art. She actually wants the seal of her art to be a symbol of Serbian art on the international art and sculpture scene. 

The world public has already positioned her as a prominent artist who was found in Despina Thunberg's book "International Contemporary Masters of Art", as well as in the book "Important Artists of the World" on the cover of which one of her works, "The Bridge", which is today in Museum of Contemporary Art in Las Vegas. 

Tell us, to begin with, how did you find yourself at the center of global artistic greats? Where did you start from?

I started first with the idea of how to present myself to the world as an artist. At that time, the Internet was the easiest way to reach the audience. That's why I learned to create a site on the Internet myself, because I really needed that knowledge to be able to show my works to people who were interested. I actually left my message in a bottle that was going down the river, which I believed would reach those people who would experience me as a talented creator. All this happened through the silent recognition of my works by professional people who went in search of artists whose paintings and sculptures sounded complete to them. I think the most important thing is to have quality, show it in a professional way and have no doubt that someone who recognizes quality will come. What is an integral part of the very quality of a work of art today is the way it is presented, not only in galleries, but also on the Internet itself. Of course, you should also protect your rights with a lawyer, however, a great protection is also to get recognition. Then your work becomes yours in the best possible way. 

Apart from artistic gift, education and self-belief, what else does an artist need to have in order to reach the center of the world as a high-ranking artist?

Nothing more than that, you listed everything. The only thing I would add is the determination to show his works in a professional manner in accordance with the rhythm of the times in which the artist lives.

There is no doubt that behind most artists are their associations, clans, patrons... what is the situation with you, did anyone open impassable paths to fame and recognition for you?

It is true that many artists function in associations, and that is positive. It's nice to find people who think differently in one place. Of course, those associations should be better organized so that they can help most artists, because it has always been difficult for artist to make connections.

However, in order to realize the great reaches of artists in real life, there was never a need for political positions or clans. Real power cannot be found in other people, nor in a magic wand, nor in a position as many people think. Real power is established by itself, it is never oriented towards objects and people, it is found within ourselves. So it actually depends on the intelligence, strength of the personality and its determination to persevere, and not on the importance of the chair on which the personality sits. My case is the best indicator for that. Very often I was unwanted in those clans, because I am not a clansman, but I established power by the simple rational force of my part, which is what it is, and therefore indisputably and obviously belongs where it is. It is an understatement to say that I believed, there is anxiety there. I knew it, because it was visible to me. The awards I received are there, because I have a very large number of works that are rated highly by critics. It is important to repeat and show that you can produce your painting, photograph, illustration or sculpture always in high artistic quality. Having only one or two good works is not enough. 

Did you experience the international award Marco Polo - ambassador of art, which is awarded to the most important people in the world of art and culture, as a certain acknowledgment of the Serbian culture in which you grew up?

Yes, that's right. I really like the message that the award carries. Not only the name of the famous Marco Polo, but also the name "ambassador of art". As a Serbian woman, I am very proud to be an ambassador of our art in the world because, which is very important for me, I graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Belgrade, attended study classes full of socializing at the same time, and took all these things with me in my emotional cloak. I wrapped myself in it when I created, I was wrapped in it when I extended my hand to everyone at my exhibitions. I am an artist from Serbia, not only because of my origin, but my decision to become an artist and to do so was made in Serbia with the intention of continuing to be an artist in that country. At that time, I didn't even think seriously about going out into the world. 

From this time distance, and with the insights you have into the painting and sculpture of the world, how do you evaluate the reach of these arts in our country?

In our country, there are many great artists whose works I saw in central Serbia. I met many through the art colonies, in this way they make exhibitions that I am very glad to have seen. As far as I have noticed, they follow a kind of neoclassicism and poetic realism mixed into one composition.

In Belgrade, there is still a style that is more oriented towards the thought structure of the work and less towards its aesthetic structure. It is another form of communication between the artwork and the audience. Since it is a different approach, many people are confused, sometimes me too. I think that these works lean more towards contemporary performance and artist need to look for their own specific gallery, although that is also good because each work has its own audience. 

Judging by your successes, you got a good foundation in your studies in Serbia, what else did you have to do to turn that knowledge into the top art you have reached, judging by your success in the world?

As I said at the very beginning, it is very important to produce good works, but it is equally important to present them well. It is not only presented at an exhibition in one space, i.e. a gallery, today it is transferred to a larger plan, specifically I mean internet presentations. 

Idea and form are what your creation is based on. What kind of transformation does your spirituality have to go through in order to get its visual equivalent in an artifact as a final product?

It's interesting that with this question you almost touched on the topic of what separates talented people from those who are not. The answer is very simple. I simply saw all my works in the pre-dream phase or a few moments before I would wake up. My brain turned that spirituality into a clear image that I always tried to achieve and shape into reality. Admittedly, sometimes I see my works in my thoughts that appear to me while I'm resting and I don't think about anything, those images just come to me and I shape them, they are, in a way, given to me. Plato believed that there was a world of ideas. And I also believe in something similar. There are levels of spirituality that can reach certain holistic conclusions and thoughts that our brains translate in various ways. Sometimes into a painting, sculpture, sometimes into the melody of a new composition, sometimes into ideas for novels, stories or songs. One thing is certain, spirit is above matter.

How do you combine what is in you an expression of national identity with forms of universal meanings that are so well accepted in the world judging by the biggest awards?

Serbian national identity is full of forms with universal meanings, like Greek, it is very old. I also found a lot of inspiration in Slavic mythology, history, symbols, in Russian fairy tales as a child, as well as in Slavic patterns, which are not without reason reminiscent of Persian carpets. Also, the sound of our music can be felt in my works. What critics value most is originality and depth, but also simplicity of form. I believe that as a person who comes from Serbia, without much influence from the outside, I created my original expression.

What is it that Serbian artists as a unique quality can offer to the world in the form of a certain revelation of some knowledge about life that comes from our Slavic sensibility or Slavic mythology?

I am sure that many would fight for the original approach, because they are different from the world in the West, just like me. However, brutal adaptation to the world is a double-edged sword. I do not recommend it, because it can bother the soul. An artist should be able to juggle between two realities: his artistic world and the world that is very often inexorable, but surrounds him.

Being a woman and an artist is probably not easy, yet it is even more complicated to be a woman who paves the way in a world more favorable to men and seriously competes with them... What is your experience in this?

Are you familiar with the self-defense skill called "Ninjicu" that uses the opponent's strength to achieve success? It is, first of all, the strength that is in the mind, and even in the body. I am not a good enemy, I can, however, be a very good friend, my friends say.

However, fortunately, I am not an attacker.

I am just ready for every attack. My attackers always get as much as they wanted to hit me, no more and no less, because they hit themselves.

However, I help them wholeheartedly with a special fighting system. That system is a combination of patience, because time always works for me, determination and a desire to work and no one can take that away from me.

How often do you travel between Chicago and Belgrade, or how present are you as an artist here?

I am present in Belgrade a little more than before because of my family, whom I want to see more often. Especially because of my mother, who will never get younger. As an artist, I am as present as they want me to be. Maybe I could become intrusive. I am thinking.

Is an artist born or made, that is, is there, in your experience, a certain predisposition to engage in art before awareness of it?

They say that genetics is a very important factor. I have many artists in my family. Awareness also plays an important role because the presence of an artist who will become a role model, as well as for my little niece Milica, is also important. External circumstances are not only in the influence of other people on us, but also in our specific reactions to certain situations in life. Our reactions seek liberation and communication. This is where the artist is found as a person who is able to communicate through his work of art and resolve all his frustrations. So, the more an artist is able to communicate with the deeper layers of the human soul, the better, higher quality and more lasting his art is.

Your artistic credo?

You should never see yourself stuck in one place. Inertia is the greatest sin against oneself because it contains a lot of demagoguery, evil and laziness. However, it is not recommended to work just to forget about your problems. Whoever does that is misunderstanding the point of this story. It is best to see yourself in the movement of your mind at every moment, and see how all that we have gone through was actually a step up to new endeavors.

How did you prepare for the big exhibition in New York?

I prepared it with the desire to show my portrait in the mirror as a small story that is an extension of the first page of my website. The idea to create more photos that will have my reflection was not mine, only the first image was my idea. That's what the New York Art Expo asked me to do because they felt they hadn't seen enough photos from me as a multimedia artist. I fulfilled their wish. I made them, posted them and there were nice reactions. I like them too. It was also interesting to walk and think about it and look for myself in some reflection, looking for meaning in it. The photos would probably look different if it was my idea. Although, they look interesting. I am satisfied.

You are certainly a true ambassador of your country in the world, what is your message to young creators?

Young creators in our country should never think about money. However, they should not be naive and pay a high price. First of all, they should organize themselves from their student days and help each other. If they make exhibitions abroad, they should go together. In rare cases alone, very rare. I would never recommend it to others, because the invested funds often cannot be returned. Also, I would tell them to send their art together, in an organized manner, and advertise it to a potential audience that might be interested both here and in the world. It is necessary to clearly design a plan.

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