Ivana Bjelica je umetnica višestrukih interesovanja. Njena stvaralačka aktivnost se manifestovala na najrazličitije načine – izuzetno bogat likovni talenat joj je omogućio da se potvrdi kao crtač, slikar, grafičar, čak kao fotograf izuzetnog senzibiliteta... Njeno slikarstvo koje se odlikuje kontinuiranim i skladnim razvojem, predstavlja jednu jasno definisanu plastičku misao, bogatu sadržinskim, metaforičkim i poetskim potencijalima. Uz to umetnica je uspela da celokupnom svom opusu da jedan sasvim osoben, prepoznatljiv, personalni karakter. Do ovakvih rezultata Ivana Bjelica je dospela zahvaljujući odista solidnim „temeljima“ stečenim tokom školovanja na novosadskoj Akademiji umetnosti, gde je diplomirala u klasi uglednog profesora i slikara Milana Blanuše, jednog od naših najznačajnijih umetnika. Veoma brzo potom primljena je u članstvo Saveza udruženja likovnih umetnika Vojvodine, te Likovnog kruga (Udruženja likovnih umetnika Petrovaradinske tvrđave). Ivana Bjelica je izuzetno aktivan izlagač: do sada je priredila ukupno 20 samostalnih izložbi u Srbiji, Crnoj Gori, Grčkoj i Kanadi, te izlagala na preko sto grupnih izložbi u zemlji i inostranstvu (Crna Gora, Hrvatska, Makedonija, Grčka, Rumunija, Španija, Velika Britanija, Francuska, Holandija, Argentina, Meksiko, Kanada, Japan, Indija). Dobitnik je nagrade za slikarstvo na drugom Bijenalu pejzaža, Novi Sad, 2000 godine; kao i nagrade na međunarodnoj izložbi akvarela i crteža, Kulturni centar Sremski Karlovci, 1998 godine. Učestvovala je u radu mnogih likovnih kolonija. Na svim tim nastupima ova slikarka se afirmisala kao autorka jasno definisane umetničke koncepcije, prepoznatljivog pikturalnog stava i sasvim osobene ekspresije. Njene slike nalaze se u brojnim privatnim, galerijskim i muzejskim kolekcijama u Srbiji i svetu.

 

Ivana Bjelica - slikarstvo

 

Svoju slikarsku stvaralačku avanturu Ivana Bjelica je započela neposredno posle okončanja studija na Akademiji umetnosti. Pojavila se sa crno-belim crtežima uzbudljivih odnosa svetlosti i senke. Radilo se, ponajviše o asocijativnim prizorima, o crtežima-slikama u kojima je umetnica minimalnim sredstvima, redukovanom prizornošću i znakovnim naznakama ostvarila jedan senzibilan i likovno bogat izraz. Ciklusi naslova „Kavezi“, „Terra“, „Lunarne senke“, „Svetlopisi“ upućuju posmatračevu pozornost na mogući sadržaj, ali još više na jedan specifični likovno-poetski stav, na jedan asocijativan  odnos prema svetu... Svedena igra svetlosti i senke, ovoj umetnici služi da ostvari sliku intimne atmosfere, da tim kontrastnim odnosima izrazi nekakvu diskretnu ekspresiju – kojom je oplemenjena skoro čitava njena dosadašnja umetnost.  Kada Ivana Bjelica, tokom svog kontinuiranog stvaralaštva „konkretizuje“ asocijativne naznake u svojim slikama, ona se najčešće bavi temom pejzaža karakterističnog lirsko-poetskog naboja. Sve je u tim slikama definisano jednom zanosnom i potentnom likovnošću. Ta likovnost je sasvim tiha, boje su sniženog intenziteta, a svaka slika je bogata valerskim dragocenostima. Veoma često, u formiranju krajnjeg utiska važnu ulogu ima i format slike – ravnica je u slikarstvu Bjelice najčešće reprezentovana na horizontalno izduženim slikama koje samo prate logiku predela; baš kao što se u seriji posvećenoj planinskim prizorima umetnica opredeljuje za izdužene vertikalne formate platna. No, ne radi se samo o vizelnom, formalnom geografskom specifikumu, nego i o prezentaciji genius loci karakterističnosti, a što već ukazuje na pitanje senzibiliteta, specifičnosti atmosfere, na prepoznavanje duha naslikanih pejzaža, ali i (nenaslikanih) ljudi koji u tim pejzažima bivstvuju... Ovo slikarstvo se kako u pejzažima tako i u drugim prizorima (stari gradovi, mrtve prirode, aktovi) odlikuje diskretnim eskpresionizmom, spontanom gestualnošću ali i racionalnim definisanjem pikturalne celine.

U svim tim crtežima i slikama Ivana Bjelica ostvaruje jednu sasvim ličnu viziju. Svaka slika poseduje zasebni štimung koji proističe – koliko iz konstitucije samog motiva, toliko i iz unutarnje strukture slike. Sve je u tom slikarstvu formirano autentičnim jezikom lirskog ekspresionizma, ali i načinom jedne odista retke i osobene likovne elegancije. No, ono iz čega proizilazi suštinska vrednost likovnog izraza Ivane Bjelice jeste istinska proživljenost svakog naslikanog motiva. Posmatrač je sugestivno uveren da je u svakom prizoru, u svakoj slici ova umetnica izrekla svoje najintimnije raspoloženje, svoju osećajnost, svoju poetičnost, svoje shvatanje sveta, ali i svoje poimanje slike i njenog smisla.

 

Ivana Bjelica – dizajn enterijera

 

Slikarka Ivana Bjelica se već duže vreme kontinuirano bavi dizajnom enterijera, uređenjem prostora različite namene umetničkim radovima. Njenom biografijom je obuhvaćeno nekoliko izuzetno značajnih hotelsko-turističkih objekata koje je opremila svojim likovnim ostvarenjima. Svaki put je autorka nastojala da svoje delo (sliku, crtež, grafiku, fotografiju) usaglasi sa karakterom  i duhom mesta. Tako je u velelepnom i luksuznom hotelu Splendid u Crnoj Gori, iskoristivši specifičnosti arhitektonskog rešenja, uklopila svoje monumentalne fotografije načinivši izuzetno efektan spoj hotelskog hodničkog prostora sa eksterijernim ambijentom. Pri tome je hotelski »tlocrt« bio osnova za komponovanje  motivskih celina te je u holovima i drugim prostornim celinama, efektnim fotografijama detalja urbanih prizora – dokumentarno i estetski – unela u enterijer atmosferu nekoliko karakterističnih starih crnogorskih gradova (Budva, Kotor, Bar, Ulcinj, Sveti Stefan) kao specifičnih kulturnih i životnih celina. Celokupni utisak je zaokružen sa šest slika velikog formata primerenih monumentalnom ambijentalnom izgledu centralne recepcije... Na sličan način je, sa mnogo prefinjenosti, uređen recepcijski prostor novosadskog Hotela Park, Ivana Bjelica postavlja svoje poliptihe pejzažne slike karakterističnih vojvođanskih i novosadskih motiva, te i u ovom slučaju njena akcija nije tek ornamentalnog karaktera nego ima i svojevrsnu  »utilitarnu«  vrednost i značaj... Sasvim drugačiji pristup opremi prostora je primenjen u  enterijerima Hotela Leopold 1 na Petrovaradinskoj tvrđavi – neobaroknoj arhitekturi su „prilagođene“ slike mrtvih priroda i pejzaža u kojima se namerno insistira na tzv. „muzejskom tonu“, na elegičnom duhu prošlih vremena kojim odiše ovaj hotelski kompleks (recepcija, hodnici, sobe, apartmani). Na jedan sasvim diskretan način ova slikarka je svojim slikama opremila nekoliko manjih ugostiteljskih, stambenih te drugih poslovnih prostora, a izuzetnu usklađenost  je ostvarila u modernom ambijentu advokatske kancelarije „Kovačević & partners“ u Novom Sadu (izbor slika, motiva, opreme, dimenzije)... U svakom slučaju u ovakvim svojim nastojanjima slikarka Ivana Bjelica se prvenstveno rukovodi svojim specifičnim likovno-vizuelnim senzibilitetom, ali i brojnim karakteristikama odabranog prostora koji joj je najčešće delotvorna inspiracija za njenu stvaralačku akciju...

 

Galerijsko menadžerska aktivnost

 

Umetnička biografija slikarke Ivane Bjelice obuhvata i aktivnosti u galerijskoj delatnosti – više godina je bila uspešni urednik likovnog programa u novosadskom Malom likovnom salonu Kulturnog centra Novog Sada, galeriji sa dugom i bogatom tradicijom (kojom je tokom osamdesetih i devedesetih godina rukovodila njena majka Ljiljana Bjelica, takođe akademski umetnik). Realizovala je velik broj izložbi, komunicirajući sa brojnim našim i inostranim umetnicima, organizujući izložbe, kolonije, sajamske umetničke manifestacije, baveći se i grafičkim dizajnom. Svoja iskustva iz tog kustosko-galerijskog delovanja u Malom likovnom salonu, pretočila je i u delatnost njenog Art studia i galerije pozicioniranih u Novom Sadu i Budvi. Tako, pored permanentnog autorskog rada, Ivana Bjelica organizuje i brojne likovne programe, razvijajući često i međunarodnu kulturno-umetničku saradnju... U tom smislu nikako nije naodmet primetiti da je ova umetnica uspela da, u svom ukupnom umetničkom angažmanu, uspostavi i realizuje onaj „sistem umetnosti“ (umetnik – delo - galerija – kritičar - mediji – menadžer) o kojem je govorio jedan od najznačajnijih teoretičara Akilo Bonito Oliva, a u kojem se potvrđuje delotvornost i funkcionalnost umetničkog dela.

 

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Na kraju je moguće zaključiti da je Ivana Bjelica umetnik sasvim jasno definisanog pikturalnog koncepta. Do aktuelnih nastojanja, u svom zrelom stvaralačkom periodu, ova umetnica nudi rezultate zavidnih dometa. Prvenstveno slikarskim opusom, a potom i drugim umetničkim, pa čak i menadžerskim aktivnostima, Bjelica je sebi obezbedila izuzetno zapaženu poziciju u svetu umetnosti. Tihim senzibilitetom i „sočnom“ likovnošću ona uspeva da, u brojnim oblastima likovnosti, izrazi vlastiti umetnički karakter te da se afirmiše kao zapaženi kreator brojnih naših privatno-intimnih i javnih prostora, kao autor dela koja nude izuzetne likovne, sadržinske i poetske domete.

 

Sava Stepanov

 

 

 

IVANA BJELICA

Ivana Bjelica is the artist with a wide range of interests. Her creative activity is manifested in various ways – extremely productive artistic talent enabled her to be confirmed as a draftswoman, painter, printmaker, even as a photographer with utmost sensitivity... Her painting, characterized by continuous and harmonious development, represents a clear plastic thought, fruitful in metaphorical and poetic potential. In addition, the artist has succeeded in embracing her entire work with a very peculiar, distinctive, personal character.

These resulted thanks to Ivana's really solid "foundation" acquired during her studies at the Art Academy in Novi Sad, where she graduated in the class of renowned professor and artist Milan Blanuša, one of our most prominent artists. Soon afterwards she became a member of the Union of Artists of Vojvodina, and the Fine Arts Circle (Association of Artists of the Petrovaradin fortress). Ivana Bjelica is a very active exhibitor: so far she has organized a total of 20 individual exhibitions in Serbia, Montenegro, Greece and Canada and exhibited in over one hundred group exhibitions at home and abroad (Montenegro, Croatia, Macedonia, Greece, Romania, Spain, United Kingdom, France, Netherlands, Argentina, Mexico, Canada Japan, India). Ivana was a recipient of the award for painting at the second Biennale of Landscapes in Novi Sad in 2000. Ivana also received the award from the international exhibition of aquarelles and drawings at the Cultural Centre Sremski Karlovci in 1998. She participated in the work of many artists' colonies. In all these performances, this artist is affirmed as the author with clearly defined artistic concept, the distinctive pictorial attitude and quite unique aesthetic. Her paintings are in numerous private gallery and museum collections both in Serbia and abroad.

 

Ivana Bjelica – Painting

 

After the end of her studies at the Art Academy, Ivana Bjelica has immediately started her creative artistic adventure. She started with black-and-white drawings, which consist of exciting relationship between light and shadow. Above all, it was about associative scenes, drawings and paintings in which the artist with minimal assets, reduced scenery and sign hints created a sensual and rich artistic expression. Cycles entitled "Cages", "Thera", "Lunar Shadows", "IIluminations" point an observer's attention to the possible content, but even more so to one specific visual-poetic manner, in an associative relationship to the world. The artist used reduced play of light and shadow to make an intimate atmosphere and by using contrasts she shows some kind of discrete expression – which is enriched in nearly all her previous art. When Ivana Bjelica, during her ongoing creation, "makes concrete" associative clues in her paintings, she often deals with the theme of landscape of the characteristic lyrical and poetic charge. Everything in these paintings is defined by ravishing and potent art. The visuality is very quiet and the intensity of colours is enriched and each painting has colourful tone shades. Very often, for the final impression, format plays an important role and – plain in Bjelica's paintings is mainly represented on horizontally elongated images that just follow the logic of the landscape; just as in a series on mountain scenes where the artist chooses the elongated vertical format canvas. But it's not just about visual, formal geographical specifics, but also about the presentation of the characteristics and the genius loci presentation, which already points to the issue of sensitivity, peculiar atmosphere, the spirit of recognition and painted landscapes, but also of (unpainted) people that dwell in those landscapes... This painting both in landscapes and in other scenes (the old town, still lifes, nudes) is characterized by discrete expressionism, spontaneous gesture and rational definition of pictorial wholeness.

In all these drawings and paintings Ivana Bjelica achieved a very personal vision. Every painting has a distinct atmosphere that results equally from the constitution of the motives, and from the internal structure of the image. Everything in this painting formed the authentic language of lyrical expressionism, but also a way of really rare and distinctive visual elegance. But the intrinsic value of artistic expression comes from going through each and every painted motifs. The observer is suggestively convinced that in every scene, every painting, the artist expressed her most intimate moods, sensibility, poetry, understanding of the world, but also her understanding of paintings and its meaning.

 

 Ivana Bjelica - Interior Design

 

Painter Ivana Bjelica has been continuously engaged in interior design and space design for different purposes. Her biography/work embraced several very important hotels and tourist facilities, which have been equipped by her artistic achievements. Every time the author tried to make her work (paintings, drawings, graphics, photography) harmonized with the character and spirit of the place. Thus, in the magnificent and luxurious hotel 'Splendid' in Montenegro, taking advantage of specific architectural design, she fits her monumental photographs making a highly effective combination of the hotel's hall space with exterior environment. The hotel's 'ground plan' was the basis for composing motive-related units in the halls, as well as in other spatial units where effective photographs of urban scenes details – documentary and aesthetic – were incorporated into the interior with the characteristic atmosphere of some old Montenegrin towns (such as Budva, Kotor, Bar, Ulcinj, Sveti Stefan) as specific cultural and living units. The overall impression is rounded off with six large formats appropriate for the monumental ambient of the central reception. Reception area of the Park Hotel in Novi Sad is furnished in a similar way, with much sophistication. Ivana Bjelica sets her polyptych paintings of characteristic landscapes of Vojvodina and Novi Sad motives, and in this case her action is not merely ornamental, but has a character and a kind of "utilitarian" value and importance... Quite a different approach has been applied in equipping the interior of the Leopold Hotel in Petrovaradin -still life paintings and landscapes are customized to neo-baroque architecture. She intentionally insists on the so-called "tone of the museum", the elegiac spirit of past times which keeps the hotel complex (reception desk, corridors, rooms, apartments). In a very discreet way the artist's paintings furnish/decorate several small restaurants, residential and office space and the high level of harmony is achieved in the modern law office setting, "Kovačević & Partners" in Novi Sad (a selection of images, patterns, equipment, dimensions)... In any case, painter Ivana Bjelica is primarily inspired by her specific artistic and visual sensibility and numerous characteristics of the selected spaces which is the most effective creative inspiration for her creative campaign.

 

Gallery-managerial activity

 

Artistic biography of painter Ivana Bjelica includes activities in the gallery business - for many years she was the successful editor of the art program in Little Art Salon of Cultural Centre of Novi Sad, gallery with a long and rich tradition (whose curator during the 1980s and 1990s was her mother Ljiljana Bjelica, also an academic artist!). She is the author of numerous exhibitions, communicating with many domestic and foreign artists, organizing exhibitions, colonies, fair art events, dealing with graphic design. Her experiences in this art gallery as a curator are transformed through the activity of her art studio and gallery, which is located in Novi Sad and Budva. Thus, in addition to author's permanent original work, Ivana Bjelica organizes numerous art programs, often developing international cultural and artistic cooperation. In this sense, it should be noted that this artist has succeeded in her overall artistic engagement to establish and implement the "art system" (artist - work - gallery - critic - media - manager), one of the most important theorists, Aquila Bonito Oliva, was talking about and which confirms the effectiveness and functionality of art.

 

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Finally, it is possible to conclude that the artist Ivana Bjelica has a clearly defined pictorial concept. Up until her current efforts, in her mature creative period, the artist offers a range of enviable results. Primarily her art work, and then the other artistic, and even management activities secure Bjelica’s exceptionally notable position in the world of art. With low sensitivity and "juicy" art she manages to express her own artistic character, and to establish herself as the creator of many notable private, intimate and public spaces, as the author of works that offer exceptional art, content and poetic achievements.

 

Sava Stepanov