Ma de – Ivana Mikulić Sarić

Eugen Varzić’s series of works includes selected portraits created over the past four years. The world of figuration has been his permanent preoccupation through the motif of portraits. This multimedia artist remains faithful to his artistic sensibility, entering the realms of the surreal in this cycle.

The challenges of the time, such as the era of complete lockdown, forced the author to get out of his comfort zone.

 The ability to adapt to the challenges of time such as the era of complete lockdown, forced the author to exit the comfort zone. By portraying people familiar and close to him, he creates a kind of intimate records. The works are created in an atelier where the author feels safe, uninhibited, where the process of constant learning, questioning, and analyzing takes place, but also where more complex emotions come to the surface, such as facing one’s own fears, the question of existence, religion, life, and death.

Intuitively choosing models, the author creates powerful visual narratives, where identity and social status do not matter, but the emotional connection and energy inherent in a new role. The time of creation of the work depends on the story he wants to tell, the complexity of the composition, and the interaction with the model. The drawing is the basis on which he further builds the image step by step, taking photos of the entire process, skillfully using social networks and other platforms.

The portrayed models become actors in filtering their own states, by drawing the observer into the world of layered parts of the human psyche. Most of the works are hommage to his own mother, and her strong influence on his professional path and self-determination. Motherhood, as a universal and emotionally powerful theme, is presented through different contexts.

The role of the mother is glorified with emphasized divine attributes in the work Mother, Is There a God? Floral motifs in paintings (Opium Mother, Mother East,) often symbolize fragility, transience, and beauty of life, but also growth, renewal, and natural cycles. Motifs of the forest, fairies depicted as ethereal, mystical beings introduce elements of magic and the surreal, and symbolize innocence and spiritual connection with nature (Mother, Eye of a Mother, Substitute Mother). In his work, the author often explores the complex relationship between man and nature, which has been a constant inspiration, a place of deep reflection and contemplation.

His portraits exude authenticity, displaying the entire spectrum of different emotions and soul turmoil from sadness, rage, despair, fear, apathy, to excitement, self-confidence, rapture, and happiness. With their facial expressions and gestures, (over)accentuated makeup, symbols that often have universal connotations, they invite the observer to introspection.

The author skillfully and technically almost perfectly depicts the tiniest parts of the face, subtly emphasizing grimaces that help convey character and current states.

He approaches miniatures as studiously as large formats, remaining faithful to traditional techniques i.e., oil paints as an ideal medium for achieving fine details and textures.

Known for his distinctive approach to colorism, he skillfully uses contrast between light and dark tones to create dynamism and the appearance of three-dimensionality. At the same time, he establishes harmonious color combinations that contribute to aesthetic balance.

In a time of constant hustle and bustle, when the world changes in a second, the author manages to remain current, balancing between classical frameworks and contemporary influences.

Visual impressions that evoke some new worlds, often bordering on theatrical, evoke positive reactions in the audience. They are most often identified with the lives of ordinary people, who perfectly exist in a new environment. Each portrait becomes a unique separate story, defined by different personalities, preferences, aspirations, and possibilities, but also a basis for some future challenges.

Ivana Mikulić Sarić