Belgrade » Beograd | 79 58T H OCTOB E R SA LON “ T HE DR EAME RS ” Belgrade haunts artistic imagination Among the many foreign authors, we are singling out Than Hussein Clark, a 40-year-old artist from London who’s known for blending genres, often even beyond the realm of fine arts. EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE IN TODAY’S WORLD, EVENFOR Belgrade’smost important event in the field of visual arts, the October Salon, to be held in June, July and August. The reason for rescheduling the festivities isn’t some calendar magic, but rather the collective anguish that’s known globally and that we won’t even mention by name. That’s because we wouldn’t want to disrupt the joy of all those who’ve been eagerly awaiting announcements of the opening date of this international exhibition - 25th June. That’s when all art lovers will flock to the Museum of the City of Belgrade, at 40b Resavska Street, as well as to the gallery and the Hall of the Cultural Centre of Belgrade, the park of the Museum of Yugoslavia, but also numerous public locations in the Serbian capital, where more than 140 works by artists from all over the world will be presented. And all of them are “The Dreamers”, as the title of the 58th October Salon suggests. “The timeless and universal space of dreams can overcome barriers of culture, gender, religion, language and others, and plays a fundamental role in defining the human spirit,” say October Salon curators Ilaria Marotta and Andrea Bacin, adding even more intrigue. Among the many foreign authors, we are singling out Than Hussein Clark, a 40-year-old artist from London who’s known for blending genres, often even beyond the realm of fine arts. To him, the material can be from literature, the theatre and all other accomplishments of the intellect that he synthesises conceptually. “The central focus of my work is exploring history and theatricality, and distorting the meaning of both,” says Clark enigmatically. Is it sometimes enough for a work to be visually interesting in order to intrigue the observer? “Works of art must engage the observer in multiple ways. Beauty is often actually in the content, while the aesthetics are politics.” What kind of artwork are you preparing for the October Salon? “I will present a radio drama comprising 16 episodes, created in cooperation with Radio Belgrade and local theatre directors, as well as a series of posters. This work is inspired by Susan Sontag’s first novel, The Benefactor, and explores what happens to the psyche when dreams and reality collide.” What does exhibiting in Belgrade mean to you? “I’m at my happiest when projects offer me the possibility to explore a new context and new narratives and histories. Thus, the presentation in Belgrade enabled me to approach topics with which I’d previously had no contact.” Have you ever been to Belgrade? “I was fortunate enough to visit Belgrade just before the pandemic, in December 2019. Under different circumstances, I would spend much more time there in preparation for exhibiting at the October Salon, which would actually be an extended act of imagining the geography, topography and history of Belgrade. I’m excited to be returning to your city in June, for the opening of my work, when I will revisit the places and people that have haunted my imagination.” Why did you choose to live in London? “London is extremely diverse - it’s a map of the world, and I learned how to be part of London’s creative community.” Tekst/Words: Dragana Nikoletić Fotografije/Photography: Mark Blower
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