On 31 December, the Tesla – Light Gallery will create a completely new ambiance of the Baroque jewel of Novi Sad, the Petrovaradin Fortress and Suburbium through the play of light and sound, interactive audio-visual art installations. The artworks will be installed in Suburbium, the tunnel, near the Clock, in the park at the Fortress and in the Planetarium.
On December 31, Novi Sad will mark a historic moment when, for the first time, the famous clock on the Petrovaradin fortress will be illuminated by artistic projections and augmented reality created for you by Dr. Monika Bilbija Ponjavić, Đorđe Popović, Miloš Martinov and Bom Solutions. In this way, the landmark of the city, which is three centuries old, will be associated with Nikola Tesla, the first honorary citizen of Novi Sad, thanks to whom Serbian Athens was one of the first illuminated cities in Europe in the past, and today it is the proud holder of the title of UNESCO creative city in the field of new media arts.
Tesla’s thoughts, habits, beliefs and life decisions that ultimately led him to become Tesla were the inspiration for this year’s Tesla Light Gallery concept. In the unusual biography of this unique man, the Prometheus of the modern age, the inventartist, as Laza Kostić once called him, his attitude towards art and his love for literature stand out.
The fact that Nikola Tesla had a photographic memory, that he implemented most of his inventions directly, without drafts, and that he knew six great works of world literature by heart became the backbone of all the works that will make up this year’s Tesla Light Gallery. These are Faust (Goethe), Gorski Vijenac (Negoš), Divine Comedy (Dante), Childe Harold (Byron), Eugene Onegin (Pushkin) and Hamlet (Shakespeare), which served not only as inspiration but also as a basis to create new works of art. The artists thanks to whom the Tesla — Light Gallery will be implemented again this year are Monika Bilbija Ponjavić, PhD, Miloš Martinov, Đorđe Popović, Dejan Stojkov, Tijana Jevrić, Ivana Janošev and Dutch artists Alex Prooper and Simone van Dam. Tesla – Light Gallery will also include students from the Academy of Arts and the Faculty of Technical Sciences from Novi Sad.
The audience will have the opportunity to participate in the creation of art with the Dutch duo AlexP. Under the starry sky, be part of the mapping. Stand in the light for the artists to “scan” you and then project your figure into a colorful work of art. Don’t forget to take a picture and capture the perfect moment at the Tesla – light gallery.
A triptych dedicated to Tesla will await you at the exit from the tunnel that connects Podgrađe and the Petrovaradin fortress. Tijana Jevrić and Milica Blešić will take you through Tesla’s mind and love for the number three and one dove.
In the video work, an homage to silent film and the progressive 19th century, Ivana Janošev presents us with the process of creating an artist, drawing a parallel between art and science.
The park represents an ambient whole dedicated to Tesla’s significant discovery – neon – and the aforementioned masterpieces of world literature. In this unusual space of contemplation, which was created and brought to life for us by Dr. Monika Bilbija Ponjavić and Miloš Martinov, you will have the opportunity to hear and see fragments of works that Tesla loved.
Certain segments of the Tesla – light gallery will be realized in the Planetarium, in cooperation with the Committee for Space Programme Development, as well as the Novi Sad Astronomical Assosiation. The Planetarium becomes a space where light and sound effects combine with literature and the universe. Contemplating under the starry sky, the audience will be able to experience Tesla’s microcosm through textual fragments of works that Tesla knew by heart, quotes, comments on works and interesting facts, in the reinterpretation of actor Jugoslav Krajinov. In this way, we will create a unique space of reflection for every visitor to the Tesla – light gallery.
Let’s get to know the artists of the Tesla – Light Gallery:
Miloš Martinov, sound designer. Born in Novi Sad, where he completed the master studies in sound design at the Academy of Arts. He has a long, worldwide career as a DJ, producer and educator, as well as numerous projects in the sphere of sound design and music composition for art projects.
Ivana Janošev, director. She was born in Novi Sad, where she graduated and mastered multimedia directing at the Academy of Arts. She directed seven theatre plays, filmed and edited several short video works. She is currently preparing her first feature film.
Tijana Jevrić, multimedia artist. She graduated in New Media Art at the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad. She implemented numerous projects, publications, solo and group exhibitions in Serbia and abroad, of which Ars Elektronika stands out.
Monika Bilbija Ponjavić, PhD, multimedia artist and stage designer. She graduated in architecture, theatrology, theory of dramatic and audio-visual arts and stage design at the universities in Banja Luka, Amsterdam, Helsinki, Belgrade and Novi Sad. She implemented numerous projects, exhibited independently and in groups, of which the Prague Quadrennial stands out in particular.
Dejan Stojkov is a young visual artist from Novi Sad who explores the world of art through the process of creation, presentation and implementation in various forms such as photography, video and animation. Creating different visual content, his work can be seen in cultural and artistic events, music festivals and videos, short films, films and various artistic manifestations.
Đorđe Popović, a graphic engineer and passionate lover of applied photography and videography, can boast of an impressive portfolio that includes over a thousand video works over the past decade. Through rich experience, he has gained a deep understanding of these disciplines, and he excels in creating hologram installations and mapped projections. His artistic vision is imbued with innovation and encompasses a broad understanding of electrical engineering, mechanics, holography and optics. Through his VJ performances, he manages to enliven the audience at major events, sharing the stage with world-famous musicians.
Alex Prooper is a digital artist who initially studied physics, but life’s journey led him into the software industry over 35 years ago. He first worked as a designer and programmer, and then increasingly focused on creating art through his own software.
Simone van Dam studied at the Academy of Visual Arts in Amsterdam and has been working with Alex for the past fifteen years. They are the AlekP duo who show their work at festivals, art exhibitions, galleries and museums. They worked for several companies such as Shell, Unilever and KPN.
Milica Blešić is a student of the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad, who has already had the opportunity to present herself to the Novi Sad audience at the Kaleidoscope of Culture in 2020. Also, Milica was part of the team that created animations for the exhibition of the City of Novi Sad Museum called The Women’s Side of Grčkoškolska Street.
Jovana Dugonjić is a fourth-year stage design student at the Faculty of Technical Sciences in Novi Sad, who actively deals with space and music, creating and reinterpreting it.