Dušan Rodić
‘‘‘En Garde’’’
Takes place at various locations
13 April – 12 May 2012

Image: En Garde, George Brecht, Nam June Paik, Ben Vautier, laughing in a social context, (50 x  85 cm) silkscreen print 

 

Born and raised in Belgrade, Serbia, belonging to the 90’s generation, I witnessed a cultural meltdown in my Country. The Rich Art scene of 70’s and 80’s Yugoslavia disappeared in just a few years, being replaced with populist nationalistic values, which for a decade, my generation had to deal with. 
Now living in Amsterdam, Netherlands, I am once again facing a similar scenario of economic crisis, xenophobia, politics of fear and isolation… Is it possible for Netherlands to fall into a similar trap?
The Project En Garde attempts to raise awareness of specific events concerning funding cutbacks in the cultural field currently taking place here in the Netherlands. 
Two editions of silkscreen prints each depicting avant-garde artists laughing in a social context, point out the need for art to interfere within the social realm.
Printed with silver and gold ink, the prints are highly reflective, giving an impression of the artist’s faces vanishing. The Title ‘En Garde’ refers to urgency and immediacy, as a call to action.
Prints stamped with a glowing iron and sealed with wax will be delivered to a number of art institutions throughout the Netherlands.
Participating in the project “three artists walk into the bar” by de Apple curatorial program, the first 8 prints have been delivered to:
 
Director of Rijksakademie van beeldende kunsten, Els van Odijk
Director of De Ateliers, Dominic van den Boogerd
Director of SKOR, Fulya Erdemci
Director of Smart Project Space, Thomas Peutz
Director of De Appel, Ann Demeester
Director of NIMK, Olof van Winden
Director of W139, Tim Voss
Director of Mediamatic, Willem Velthoven

Images, En Garde, 2012, photos by Cassander Eeftinck Schattenkerk

More about DUšAN RODIć

Dušan Rodić's art practice deals with essential primary human needs, such as food production, shelter, water supply and alternative energy sources. The main ambition for his work is to enforce autonomous, coherent and constructive art communities and institutions. In times of crisis it is important to promote strong artistic, intellectual critique to protect freedom of expression. Currently art communities are at the mercy of national budgets, Rodić is interested in alternative ways for maintaining this important element in modern society and at the same time questioning why it is important. His recent work deals with providing shelter and financial autonomy for artists and art workers; in this way a Permaculture Garden can be seen as an art installation and a solar panel roof can be seen as a sculpture.

Dušan Rodić (1975, Serbia) lives and works in Amsterdam. He is a current resident at Rijksakademie van beeldende kunsten. He graduated from Gerrit Rietveld Academie in Amsterdam, The Netherlands (2010). Recent exhibitions include Book of Changes, AWA gallery, Amsterdam (2011) and Book of Changes, KC Grad, Belgrade, Serbia (2011).

www.dusanrodic.com