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Overview
In his artistic practice, Matija Bobičić explores the intersections of science fiction, pop culture, and Balkan folklore, weaving together threads from the past, present, and future. The exhibited artworks bring together characters from his previous series, who emerge from three distinct points of departure:
the archetypes of Frankenstein's monster and the cyborg, the context of the early 1990s, and the challenges of the present moment.
In addition to sci-fi archetypes, the artist draws inspiration from the world of Warhammer 40k, a tabletop game and a fictional universe. The Imperium of Man, a powerful human empire in this universe, serves as a metaphor for the control and dominance of Western culture in the Balkans. Just as the archetypes of Frankenstein's monster and the cyborg spoke to fears of change in their respective eras, the characters in Warhammer reflect our anxieties about the future and the role of technology in our lives. Drawing on the mythos of Warhammer 40k, the artist depicts these characters in a new light, infusing them with the symbolic meanings of animals such as wolves in Balkan folklore. By merging the techno-futuristic world of Warhammer with the ancient symbolism of Balkan folklore, the artist aims to create a dialogue that speaks to our shared human experience.
Bobičić’s painting style, rooted in his childhood memories and influenced by artists such as Jean Dubuffet and Jean-Michel Basquiat, reflects his fascination with the unrestrained creativity of youth.The characters in his paintings are flat, outlined in bold strokes, and filled with bright, contrasting colors that evoke a sense of childlike wonder. Yet, they are also enormous, towering over the viewer with a sense of power and presence that demands attention. Through his artworks, Bobičić invites viewers to engage with these themes and to reflect on the complex interplay of history, mythology, and contemporary culture that shapes our world.
Matija Bobičić (1987, Maribor) completed his studies in art pedagogy at the Faculty of Education in Maribor under the mentorship of Ludvik Pandur and Oto Rimele. He presented himself in the local environment with solo exhibitions such as "Dematerialized” at the Rotovž Exhibition Hall (Maribor, 2013), "Nocturnal Animals" at KID Kibla (Maribor, 2014), "Paths and Collisions" at Rigo Gallery (Novigrad, 2017), "Funny How" at Ravnikar Gallery Space (Ljubljana, 2018), and "Perfect Organisms" at UGM Studio (Maribor, 2021). Lately, he has been more active abroad, where he has exhibited in the United States with five solo exhibitions: "Under the Rainbow" at Marvin Gardens (New York, 2018), "Sneakerheads" at Marvin Gardens (New York ,2021), "Middle Aged Mutants" at Breach Gallery (Miami, 2022), "Masters Of The Wilderness" at Allouche Gallery (Los Angeles, 2022), and "Folklore" at Alchemy Gallery (New York, 2023). He has also participated in numerous group exhibitions in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, and Taiwan, where he presented his work as part of the D/P/S Art Lab at the Art Taipei 2021 fair. His works were also featured at Art Miami fair with Castanier gallery. In 2023 his work was a part of a museum show “Invisible hand "at UGM (Maribor 2023) and his works also became a part of the permanent museum collection.
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Works
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Biography
SOLO EXHIBITIONS:
2023 Folklore, Alcheny Gallery, New York, USA
2022 Masters Of Wilderness, Allouche Gallery, Los Angeles USA
2022 Middle Aged Mutants, Breach, Miami, USA
2021 Sneakerheads, Marvin Gardens, New York, USA
2021 Comedians, Hunted Projects, Edinburgh, UK
2021 Perfect Organisms, UGM Studio, Maribor, Slovenia.
2020 Funny How? Ravnikar Galley Space, Ljubljana, Slovenia
2018 Under the Rainbow, Marvin Gardens, New York, USA
2017 Paths and Collisions, Galerija RIGO, Novigrad, Croatia
2014 Piss of Art, Maistrova Residency, Maribor, Slovenia
2014 Nocturnal Animals, KID KIBLA, Maribor, Slovenia
2013 Dematerialised, Salon Rotovž, Maribor, Slovenia
GROUP EXHIBITIONS:
2024XOXO, Delimbo Gallery, Seville
2023 Invisible Hand, UGM Maribor, Slovenia
2023 NOW NOW VOL. 2, Breach, Miami, USA
2023 California Dreamin, Lorin Gallery, Los Angeles, USA
2022 Playground, Breach, Miami, USA
2022 Paradiso, Breach, Miami, USA
2022 Better Go South, Better Go South, Stuttgart, Germany
2021 Strike Me a Pose, Galeria Fran Reus, Palma de Mallorca, Spain
2021 BADASS, Dopeness Art Lab, Taipei, Taiwan
2021 NOW NOW, Breach Gallery, Miami, USA
2020 Corps Primaires, Galerie C.O.A, Montreal, Canada
2020 New Raw Green, Sim Smith, London, UK
2020 GET UNDER THE CARPET 2020, online exhibition, pikazer0.com
2019 What Kind Of Spirit Is This? Sim Smith, London, UK
2018 Last Christmas I Gave You My Art, Ravnikar Gallery Space, Ljubljana, Slovenia
2018 Ghosts Of Electricity, Smoke The Moon Gallery, Los Angeles, USA
2018 AIR4, Ravnikar Gallery Space, Ljubljana, Slovenia
2018 While Supplies Last at The Georgetown Carneval, Seattle, USA
2018 GIFC Artist picks series (curated by Mike Swaney), Barcelona, Spain
2016 Made in Maribor, Dobra Vaga Gallery, Ljubljana, Slovenia
2015 Nord Art 2015, Budelsdorf, Germany
2014 Mundus Vadit Retro, KIBLA Portal, Maribor, Slovenia
2014 Deviations, Gt22, Maribor, Slovenia
2014 Družbene Jalovosti, Druga Gallery, Maribor, Slovenia
2014 Kolonija Riviera, Gallery Zuccato, Poreč, Croatia
2011 Last Chance To Evacuate Planet Earth, Hladilnica, Maribor, Slovenia
ART FAIRS:
2018 Parallel Vienna
2021 Art Taipei, Dopeness Art Lab
2023 Miami Art Fair, Castanier Galley
MUSEUM SHOWS:
2023 Invisible Hand, UGM Maribor, Slovenia
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Exhibitions
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