Sanja Ćopić, The artistic duel between Ego and Superego, Juliet Art Magazine 2019

https://www.juliet-artmagazine.com/en/sanja-copic-the-artistic-duel-between-ego-and-superego/

Sanja Ćopić. The artistic duel between Ego and Superego

Sanja Ćopić isatypicalyoungartistfromtheBalkans.Bornin1992inBelgrade,shegraduatedfromthe department of sculpture atthe Facultyof Fine Artand obtainedherMasterdegree in theclass of prof. MrđanBajić.Althoughsheisalaureateofprestigiousawards,Sanjacannotearnenoughforlivingwith herartandwasforcedtohavea‘steady’job.Thisconflictbetweenidealization(thewayweimaginelife shouldbe)andreality(thewaylifereallyis)ispresentinalltheSanja’sartworks. Inthepast,byobservingtheworldaroundthemselvesartistslearnedsomethingnewaboutthemselves aswell;Ćopićreachesforinversion,andbyexploringherselfshelearnssomethingnewabouttheworld that surrounds her and the relations that connect her to that world. Coping with her insecurities and frustrations,sheunmaskstheminfrontofusintheformofartwork.Inthecollisionofrealandideal,Ego andSuperego,theartistanalysestheconceptsofbeauty,femininity,vulnerability,strength,emotionality, sadness,frustration,ephemeralityandmortality.

https://www.juliet-artmagazine.com/en/sanja-copic-the-artistic-duel-between-ego-and-superego/

Sanja’sartispronouncedlypersonal.Theartistisinthecentre,withherbodyandsoul.Shedoesnotfocus on the environment but openly dissectsherself, herappearance, emotions, characterand expectations.

In My Fragrance series ontheoriginalpagesfrommagazineswithadvertisementsforperfumes,theartist uses a classic technique to paint her face instead of models’ and actresses’ faces. Visibility of artistic intervention testifies that the goal is its obviousness. The artist becomes the metaphor of all the ‘less perfect’womentowhomperfectionisbeingplacedasanimperative,sotheycan,atleast,enjoytheluxury andcarelessnessoftheworldofadvertisementsforperfumes.Sheincorporatedherfacewithflawsand qualities into idealized photoshopped bodies and seductive masses-en-scène by problematizing the evaluationofthenon-idealwiththequestionofwhetherimperfectioncanbebeautifuland,beingassuch, doesitdeservethesametreatment.Theartistsaysthatthisisakindofwishboard,thefantasyofmany women: “A way of making it real and enjoying one’s own imperfect, female image in an unusual, glamourizedsetting”.

In Maybe I Should Have Been an Artist SanjapaintedherselfasachildonVenetianblinds–werecognize thecontourofherlips,nose,andshapeofherear.Thishappy,strong-mindedgirlwithfringes,fulloflife and confidence looks right at us, full of anticipation. The artwork questions the value, purpose and significanceofartintoday’sworld.Byourintervention(bypullingoutVenetianblinds),thegirlbecomes barely visible or reappears. The responsibility for this painted young soul is appreciable because her survivaldependsonusandourdecisiontointervene.Theartworkspeaksabouttheidentitycrisisofall youngartists,thedisparitybetweenwishesandreality,thedilemmaofchoosinga‘steady’job,orwhat you’vebeenwantingto(andknowingyoushould)becomesincethechildhood.

SanjaĆopićdecantedherdesiretobecomeanactressintoaseriesofvideoworksnamed My movie scenes, organizedintheformofatriptych:theoriginalscenefromafilmthattheartisthadnotseenbeforeison theleftside,inthemiddleSanjainterpretstheroleofthissceneaccordingtoherpersonalinsight,andon therightistheversioncreatedafterwatchingthefilm.Allthreesoundtracksareplayedsimultaneously and create a cacophony. My movie scenes combine the original, interpretation, deconstruction and reconstruction of the selected scene in the same work, in which all the variantsof the featured female charactercoexistinspaceandtime.

Inconceptualworktitled It is important that you are aware of everything at all times,theartistcovereda tablewithalarge‘ToDo’listonwhichshewroteeverythingsheconsidersmissingfromher‘ideal’life.A vasewithflowersandabowlfullofsweetsareplacedonthetableasarewardforsuccess(orconsolation duetofailure).Sanja’slistdoesnotcontainanycommonplaces;itisverypersonalandliststhechanges andactionsthatshebelievestobringherclosertoheridealalterego.

https://www.juliet-artmagazine.com/en/sanja-copic-the-artistic-duel-between-ego-and-superego/

Anotherfocusofherworkismemoriesandre-examiningpersonalrelationstochange,ephemeralityand death.Theaccentisonemotions,thedeep-goingexperienceofeverything:crying(Crying over Lost Love), singing(Songs to Cry to),breakage,naturalselection,ageandmortality(How to Love Ugly and Sad Things). In Crying over Lost Love,wetestifytoadocumentarycryingthat,likeamusicalpiece,hasitsownoverture (reason), elaboration, culmination and ending. The feeling of distress and empathy is shifted, and the Rashomoneffectoftheobserverandtheexhibitionismoftheartistaremagnificentlybalanced. TheartofSanjaĆopićsetusaboutcommunication;itinvitesustoembrace,comfort,encourage,praise, sympathize,singandweepwithher,butalsotoreconsiderourunderstandingoftherelationbetweenthe realandtheideal,theEgoandtheSuperego.SanjaĆopićleadsustothinkaboutourownlives.Bydrawing usintoherworld,sheawakestheempathyinusandthedesiretorecognize,understandandsupportboth herandourselves.

Info: www.g12hub.com/en

https://www.juliet-artmagazine.com/en/sanja-copic-the-artistic-duel-between-ego-and-superego/

https://www.juliet-artmagazine.com/en/sanja-copic-the-artistic-duel-between-ego-and-superego/

Ćopić“MaybeIshouldhavebeenanartist”,venetianblinds,acrylic,110x200cm,2018,courtesyofthe artistandArtZoom

Ćopić“CryingoverLostLove”2016,videoframe,phcourtesyoftheartistandArtZoom

https://www.juliet-artmagazine.com/en/sanja-copic-the-artistic-duel-between-ego-and-superego/

GraduatedArthistoryattheUniversityofBelgrade,FacultyofPhilosophy.Formercuratoranda memberofinLucidaGalleryartcouncil.Oneofthefoundersanddirectoroftheassociationforthe developmentandpromotionofcontemporaryvisualartsART-ZOOM.LivesinBelgrade,Serbia.