#1 Cvetanka Jovanova is author – typographer and painter who behind herself has solid art opus. This exhibition presents rounding of one creative period of about thirteen years dedicated to the old Macedonian architecture.
#2 Central motive in her works is the old Macedonian house with its characteristic elements: windows, gates, oriels. In the cycle Jovanova chooses per one house from several cities in Macedonia (Ohrid, Krusevo, Novo Selo – Strumica region, Kratovo, Debar, Kumanovo, Veles and Stip) and at the same time from them she creates compositions with personal experience with mark of the author and artistic approach consistent to one new transposition of the motive into massage. They are shaped in one especially expressive painting manner so at the same time they present to us the specifics of the old Macedonian architecture in complete. The houses are condensed, scattered, narrow and/or high, depending of which part of Macedonia they belong to, at the same time creating ambiences of something past, but this time, through the dynamic compositions they speak for their present presence, inspirational possibilities and more noble approach.
#3 Why the house as a topic? The house almost always is connected to the memories of the childhood, youth, the countenance of the home, but also, the fear through its destruction, abandoning, forgetting not to be forgotten and past. With the act of painting of the old run-down houses, Jovanova tends to preserve them. Through her picture she gives personal contribution within the frames of memorizing of what was our history.
#4 The presentation is composed of three segments. The first is composed of eight canvas worked in oil technique. The selection of large format (160×240 cm.) enables Jovanova to feel free in the expression. The white space of the canvas she “attacks” with pain structuring the memorized landscapes that she wants to mark on it. With the spatula as main tool she deposits the certain, strong and pre composed gestures. The colors of her paintings proclaim one connection with the colorfulness of the painted landscapes. The coloring in numerous shades is moving from strong yellow, orange and red up to blue. Working at the same time on more canvas in front conception are set the houses and with them the composed imagined settlements, while with the passing of the color in the back conception and partial passing of separate composition elements is achieved connection of the presentations on the paintings in one long horizontal row. Although the paintings function each separately, yet they achieve their real sense in their frieze connection, their melting, transfer from one to another. #8 As additional connecting element, Jovanova uses also dynamically extracted short moves, sort of inscribing, deposited on almost entire surface of the composition. But they are not over the basic motive – the houses with which is gained their suitable emphasizing.
#5 The second segment of the presentation is graphics in silk print in which is treated the same topic. The preparation of the works in two different techniques presents need for Jovanova to present their, as mush connection, also that much difference. As typographer who at the same time successfully governs the painting technique, in the graphics she allocates the paining elements and in the paintings the graphics. With such manner of presentation of the works, she enables us different experiencing of the same motive.
#6 Also the third segment of the presentation presents digital print for which are used the graphics presentations of the painted works. In it, the motive is repeated alternatively: the end of the row continues with new row of motives, this time lined in “mirror”, reverse order. This exceptionally long frieze (40 m) again presents one “circle” that symbolizes the starting intention of Jovanova – closing of the cycle and with that, its completion.
#7 The realization of this project is rounding of the longer period of analysis, processing, clarification of the topic “house” as home and dwelling, as place where we feel safe, protected. On the other side, these old buildings that present our building culture and history, our cultural heritage, as basic motive in this cycle, carry the massage of the author that we need and we must preserve them.
the art is inside
