By Josip Bogovic
Peter Freeman, Inc. presented the first solo exhibition of Osijek born, modern abstract/neo-avant-garde artist Julije Knifer. The exhibition took place in the 100th year of the anniversary of his birth (1924) and 20 years since his passing. His only child/daughter Ana, husband, and three sons, Teo, Izidor and Dan were present for the exhibit opening. Many Croatians, including Martina Bienenfeld, CEO of Zagreb Tourist Board, and American lovers of modern art were at hand to greet/experience the works of Julije Knifer.
Widely considered one of the most important and influential Croatian painters of the 20th century, Julije Knifer helped found the neo-avant-garde Gorgona group, an influential Zagreb-based collective active from 1959 to 1966 whose main ambition was the search for artistic and intellectual freedom. He dedicated majority of his artistic career, from 1959 until his death in 2004, to the exploration of a geometric and rhythmic form known as the meander in pursuit of an “anti-image” that eschewed all expressive content. Appropriating this historic motif transformed Knifer’s approach to art into an ascetic exercise of endless variation and reiteration in which time and evolution became relative, a journey he described as “without progression of regression”.
The message/aesthetic feeling art gives you varies from individual to individual. The work of Julije Knifer is simple in geometric shape, motif repetitive and use of color, black and white. Since the expressive idea is simple, it does have a unique quality. I imagined where his art would be most appropriately placed, and I visualized for it to be in a modern architectural home (e.g. square shaped exterior interrupted by glass doors and windows) with the resident to be a lover of minimalism, open spaces free of clutter. A complicated/colorful image holds the observers mind for longer periods of time whereas Knifer’s work, flows through you, uninterrupted. His art varies in dimension, some can occupy an entire wall in a home, museum etc.
Prior to his entrance into neo-avant-garde, he drew/sketched/painted a self-portrait and houses of a village showing his classical painting skills which were more than competent. Thus, one wonders how did such a switch happen and continued for such a long period of time? When one no longer paints images of humans and the familiar surroundings but can, it makes one wonder how the disconnect may have happened. A brief conversation with daughter Ana allowed me to peer into such possibilities. “My father had life threatening illnesses as a young man, he was very shinny because of that. Then World War II came, and he was swept up by the army. My dad was now a soldier and a witness/participant in the brutality that is war. This state/experience went against his nature.” Had Julije Knifer lost at least some faith in humanity and thus through art rebelled against some particular norms?
Julije Knifer’s work has been exhibited in various countries: 2004 Paris France, 2020 Neue Gallerie, Graz Austria, 2018 MAMCO, Geneva, Spain, Netherlands etc. His work has been mounted at the Museum of Contemporary art, Zagreb Croatia.
The exhibition of Julije Knifer will be on display in Manhattan, New York for you to visit and enjoy until November 9, 2024 (location: 140 Grand Street, New York, Tel. of Gallery (212 966-5154).
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