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Impalpable Air Watching Ivana's paintings we are surprized by the amount of originality created about the familiar elements...everything on them is familiar and intimate and yet quite different, unique and special, starting from the techniques and poetics to the painter's handwriting. The whole micro world it is, where figures float and balanse between dream and awakeness, reality and fairytale, exsistentialism and metaphysics. This world opens to us, created in wax on wood technique allowing her to simultaneously paint ,model and construct, getting out unique threedimensional paintings. Those paintings are inhabited by tiny beings hiding and protecting themselves by umbrellas. They are exposed to various temptations, balancing at the wire, jumping over the middspace, getting away from each other. They have difficulty in finding the way, needing metaphoric crossover to get to the other side, they get away from each other but yet find each other, and then, crouching under the umbrella defend themselves against the world. Problems of estrangement, rush, feelings that rule us consciousy and subconsciously, tread Ivana's imaginary landscapes and if giving in, we can easily plunge ourselves in them and acknowledge them as ours. The title Impalpable air associates the unspoken and undefined, what remains in the air and prevents us to realize contacts and dialogues. Nevertheless the sights are not disturbing....the figures remind us of the cartoon and video game heroes. Little Prince appears at some of them reminding us that the simplest human virtues enable exit from most of the bad situations, and the rainfall of multicoloured threads which connect and separate, give paintings some sort of cheerful, positive vibration. Ivana's paintings have attractiveness, disclosing indisputable metier, have full topics well expressed, and yet, they pose questions and steer to reflecting. Ivana questions in them her own doubts and feelings, but in this intimate element we find universal philosophic questions. All this gives Ivana's painting characteristics of pure art which is ever more difficult to be reached and is getting lost. But it never looses its value and actuality. Nira Burmas Domančić Music box In the synthesis of games and meditation Ivana Puljić devises her art opus by re-enactment of everyday life and imagination, and gives metaphysical overtones to artistic transformation and banal clips. She integrates poetic note in relatively exact character of painter tissue, with figurative details as holders of motifs and contrasts to geometric surface structure. In the objectification of intimate and infinite space of image, stratified and thickened by many facets, structured by parallel i.e. opposing lines is presence of atmosphere of lyrical connotation, eventually thematically segmented to the state of drama. Space, itself, is a content of the painting as interlaced and straight flow of lines are perceived as state of labyrinth temptations, and are read with its steady raster of order and rhythm as a sign, almost a symbol of ideal measure of space, with the unveiling of an exciting vitality of the frame where an unforeseen metaphorical architecture integrates internal and external prospects. Surely, construction of painting with its autonomy of painting field is echo of sort of abstraction, but it is open to dialogue with figurative weft; it is Ivana’s art sooth with characteristics of conciliation of different. Charming, discreet story components are of a kind of imaginary landscapes, happenings by the protective masonry, whose actors are permanent "residents" of Ivana's scenery or bystanders. Daydreams and seduction at the mysterious addresses, with muted rhythm of life form make links of entanglement with choruses and with puzzled character. Dimensions of figures are small, but their meaning is important, they are humanity against apparent "monumentalism" and are not blunted by alienation but, instead, carry a trace of cheerfulness. Waterfalls of line with the shading of colours intensity in nurturing light shades of relaxed figures, walkers and dancers, provide new sparks of joy and determinants of movement close to the whole painting surfaces. It is way to the unique energy of the image, although oasis of figurative preserves gentleness of speciality. Participants of occasions exist near or below the "cloud", hole in the sky with planes designed by emphasised density of lines. They float with their umbrellas between the real and the unreal, but, also, remain on the ground. But it gives a feeling of at least light boom because strict immobility of scene would disturb Ivana's artistic concept. But, also the gravitational attraction. For example, two poles (not too distant) of her art confirm that. Forms created by removing layers of wax, slender "scratches" on the membrane, and debrises of supplementary material on the surface, create "islands" of indented silhouettes and tactility, with premonition of artistic pulsations in the contours form. Ivana Puljić has chosen encaustic for her technique of expression. Although, not by strict rules as followed by ancient artists, in Egypt and Rome. However, the wax in its values of soft palette is the basis for her, too; its changeable "aggregation", potential transparencies are abilities that Ivana, thanks to her specific art education, utilises excellently. Not only as a quip but more logical and necessary component in the completeness of the idea of peace of art. The second pole weaved with lines of space corridor suggests by painting liras, heavenly vibrancy, or, al least, flickers from our immediate environment. Or in ourselves. The movement on the visual and contest level does not destroy attained state of meditation, because Ivana, with contemplative thread is looking for, and finds, the truth accompanied with beauty, by which is, in the act of painting, sense adjoined. And it can be in the music. In the works of subtle atmosphere. Overwhelmed with melody and in literal quotations of musical notation (mainly applied by patchwork straps) and in some forms of fluidity that runs as music pleasing to ear. Softness, mere sensuality, of building material of the image expresses tonalities, rhythms and riffs, equalize the orchestration of music with visual composition, where even sounds of silence have their place. We're back in the space weaved by line network and clips, whose vision origins lie outside the of physical definition of image, series of lines and correlation rich with semantic of layer, real iconographic events, corporality hidden in purity of line, state fully comprehensible only by poetizing raised by emotional breadth of views. And of course with Ivana's talent, sensibility and artistic self-awareness. Stanko Špoljarić In the Interspace Encountering Ivana Puljić paintings hardly leaves anyone indifferent. Long time ago she formed her artistic poetry and follows that path today experimenting, transforming and playing with painter’s material. The scenery and pallets change, urban themes give way to those somewhat surreal, eternal, colours are calming down, emotions, however, remain the same. The mise-en-scene in which Ivana sets her characters is minimized; city views and historic buildings are lost. Now, her characters are living in a timeless interspace where they float, meet, hurry up, but also love each other. The emphasis is not, any more, on some urban scenes; some more intimate stories are told and painted. The heart, and not the eye, leads the hand. In a kind of yearning tone lovers are touching, communicating through music or simply feeling each other. The softness and transparency of wax assists Ivana in describing that yearning. Despite the fact that on her latest paintings the narrator is predominantly black colour, what, perhaps, reflects our reality; ultimately her rain is in colours of a rainbow and her paintings radiate colourful, cheerful and playful world. An ancient technique, which she discovered and accepted during her study in Rome, she adjusts to her own artistic expression. She masterfully deepens the wax and pours the soul into her characters, by inlay in wax she hangs the underwear, paints the umbrellas. Her attention is devoted to some seemingly marginal, but to her important things, visual elements are rationalized, but not at the expense of freedom of spirit. By incorporating multi-colour images she paints rain, as well as the chaos in our heads. She introspects herself and each one of us. By her directness, simplicity and playfulness she penetrates deepest and the most sincere. That's why I am not surprised that I wanted to live in her painting from the very first time I saw them. Elizabeta Rogović Interaction in space Starting a journey always carries with it uncertainty and risks. Deciding to walk the rope is especially dangerous. The possibility of falling on one side, or the other, is present with every step. The balance of forces is crucial. Building a painting by combining a geometric abstraction and illustrative figuration always is a task that is not easy to overcome if one needs to preserve the necessary balance, equilibrium. Combine relief materials (rope, wax) and painters’ definition of a surface is also uncertain challenge. Paintings, relieves, objects (however defined – each definition is correct) of Ivana Puljić these seemingly incompatible contrasts align with lyrical ease. Rain created by geometric lines of rope is not bleak and menacing to the characters with an umbrella in hand. They are, anyway, protected by a kind of, almost invisible, wax capsule. Or rather his/her own cloud where there is one, lone actor, or a couple whose clouds merged into one. Sometimes, that cloud is a soft border where the rain disappears and does not reach figures and sometimes, the characters with an umbrella in their hands are above the rain. And an umbrella no longer serves to protect, but becomes an instrument for levitation, like Mary Poppins. We found out the destination of that floating. It is the same planet Little Prince reached. There is no more rough geometry, everything is soft and organic, and instead of an umbrella, there is a saxophone in the hand. The journey is over and we are, only expected to play our own tune of life. To get there we still need to cross the valleys of our internal roughness and sharp edges, to tear berths on our legs and to get over the loneliness of the empty, abandoned chairs where nobody sits. Ivana named her exhibition "Spatial Interaction". That is the broad definition, i.e the task of all of us, walking through our internal spaces, skipping over the cracks, and connecting again what we often think is within us incompatible - dilemma "either-or" which becomes the motto "and - and". Often, it is the aforementioned walking on a rope. Falls are inevitable. But the courage and the decision to move are the only and the most important tasks that we should demand from ourselves. Ivan Mesek Rain I'm listening and watching the rain rain unites us rain saves our intimacy rain - the source of God foundation of rot rain takes us back to the beginning While large irregular bits of sky are falling on our streets and squares in a common emptiness echoing common thunders Rain brings us together we will overwrite everything and we will say - eh, now we will really through the cracks of heavens manna dissipates holy colours and holy light rain brings back my distant daughter my distracted hope my love for brothers A war above our heads (rain) that will not touch anything earthly (rain) from which we will run out seduced by the blind alley but only that is worth is the first breath of freedom the air is already warming up and wet suits evaporate in the central tram Arsen Dedić Back to Nature Coloristic richness and airiness of light are constants of the scenery, attractive to artists for artistic transformation independently of the selection of their poetics. Ivana Puljić recognizes the essence of the beauty of a particular landscape, as well as in the view of its attractive points and created by the atmosphere of dear sceneries. It is on adopted clips of the nature suitable for her fine balance between descriptiveness and reduction. Ivana encourages compositional solutions of prevailing verticality lightweight ascent of space, suggesting the concrete touch of imaginary. Ivana starts from the picturesqueness of her own environment, luminosity of south, but she, also, reflects the fields and hills of other geographical areas. By organizing scenes, views and squaring, Ivana gives to reality dimension of somewhat imaginary, potentiated by playfulness in interpreting details. Extremely important for the experience of her paintings is the structure of the surface, i.e. applied technique. Ivana Puljić paints with the wax, ancient encaustic, although modified in some aspects of the application. In any case, the structure of the surface, its sensuality caused by colour and imprinted light, gives vibrancy and constant materiality to the landscape. The material itself even in scrunched relief retains, in the character of the surface, initial feeling of fluidity and the heat accumulated in the energy and luminosity of Ivana's palette. The joy and play, with well-kept talent, led to the realization in the subtle material which in its content layer always carries a spark of a wonder. Ordinary crowded with fairy tale. The landscapes are not the only motifs that Ivana enriched with imagination. City views (often with quoted monuments) are also staged in the dialogue with dreams, in relation of representative buildings and threads close to the purity of views. Ivana’s boats sail between the coast of imagination and the banks of open sea, without the risks of strong wind since Ivana protected them with the veil of painter’s credibility. Present in variations of the theme, of related and different paintings, a kind of diptych that carries their uniqueness in shift of accent. Visible in an interesting arrangement of artistic components. Ivana very luckily and reasonably balances the clusters of coloured wax, the density of lines (whether summing parallel lines or by their free flow) and segments of unpainted canvas (very artistically active in the fabric of the whole). Paintings under such combinations are weft for artistic formation in which the motif unpretentiousness is a link to the primeval beauty of the Mediterranean and its historicity. The paintings breathe and exude an atmosphere of serenity, gently tremble in every corner. On this track, Ivana Puljić in her poetry includes the values of tradition transformed by modern visual language and a sincere freshness of expression in the atmosphere of serenity. Confirmed by colour when she paints, landscapes, cityscapes, blue sea or sympathetic situation in which there are participants of her story. Creates honestly and artistically impressive. Stanko Špoljarić Fragments of stopped time Creative plays, imaginative solutions and intriguing scenes are all characteristics of Ivana Puljić’s painting approach. Landscapes, vedute, figurative compositions and the determining motifs of different opuses have been brought about with a required amount of descriptiveness and stylisation of characters and of that which is external. Space organisation reflects the verticality of construction, adding the elements of the content, a correlation between the real and imaginary space. The formed clusters of the factual are contrasted against the whiteness of the surface, an active and neutral sheet, where the story tellers are attractive coloured forms. The stories are funny and they fascinate the observer with their simplicity, and therefore with the plentiful of different and exciting landscapes and city landmarks, marked by the brilliance of their beauty, as realised through the atmosphere of a given scene, the brightness, which is close to Ivana’s own temperament. Mediterranean playfulness has also been woven into her works of art, by using light and the colours of the palette which can be seen in details and the whole scene, the specific atmosphere of the south whose temperature is constantly being raised by the author. Ivana transmits experience into a happening, imagination into a constant of appearance, with a paradox in the impression – stopped time and a constant change of events. Ivana Puljić can feel the moment wonderfully; she remembers the states of the time gone by, at the same time striving for a picture of both calmness and mild pulsation. She used to observe and she does observe life around her, abolishes anxiousness, and on the pedestal of the main lines of colour she elevates the joy of everyday living. Her Dalmatia, with the blue sea and sky accepts other chromatic accents, larger or smaller painting epicentres which to a certain lateralisation of the image give, besides the repertoire and the dialogue of the shape, a touch of humour. With love, Ivana reveals and transforms situations and themes of the picturesque south, developing them in the frames of her own poesy, and in accordance with that the style of lyrical translucency, with humour in the thematic layer, and with spirituality when approaching the very concept of the presented beauty. In creating paintings Ivana has opted for the use an unusual method and materials, which define the character of the work itself. The suppleness of wax in “aggregate states” of fluidity and solidity is essential for a painting’s epidermis, its texture, gloss and the huskiness of fragments. Ivana has decided to use a different surface material while studying in Italy, where she followed artists and appearances she found attractive, thus reaching for an experiment on a technological level of credibility and authenticity in realisations of classical aesthetics, very much marked by contemporary sensitivity to which the door of innovation has been ajar. Furthermore, in the combinatorics of means, with painting and drawing parties, with winding, parallel, rhythmically balanced fibre threads, constructive units of certain paintings, with a collage of newspaper cuttings and, above all, depositions of wax, the material of tactile sensuality. Relief painting suggests narrow space in objectively clear architectonics of the scene. Ivana Puljić is prone to variations of a certain scene, to dialogue related by pairs of similar coordinated systems and actors occupied (play is not excluded) with the same questions, but different ones too, however, all of them coloured in emotional enthusiasm. This can be seen when she walks in the park, climbs hills, gives over to the distance of the open sea, when she talks to people. Moreover, in order to express the pulse of life and nature she uses the lightness and the immediacy of croquis (at least in segments) and a full painting finish, thus showing that the lines and surfaces of wax are a sign of movement in a painting’s vitality. The lines are like a wick to the wax, sparks of energy among possibilities of the material of light and colour. Stanko Špoljarić Imaginary world Imagery city views, monumental ambiance, are, often, inspiration to Ivana Puljić. Experience of dear places Ivana translates into a kind of artistic game, combinations of a painting and a drawing in the dialogue of diversities, combined into unity of style. On the one hand, she inclines to, almost, documentary precision in artistic transformation of architecture - a trademark of particular city, and on the other hand she concedes to free stroke imminent to the children's amazement. Ivana has preserved sketch directness visible in movement of linear and curved lines and indications of concerned in the translucency of the painting field. As a motive in a part of her opus Ivana has chosen familiar scenes, symbols of particular sights. But she, also, reveals her imaginary world of interesting stories in imaginative interlacing of dreams and presages, with content open to different possibilities of reading. Defending beauty, pure and unadulterated, is the guiding light of Ivana's painting. Sensation of fluency has been created, flicker of form, enhanced, also, by applied technique. Ivana has chosen a wax as a media, a material for moulding a surface. She still uses a drawing, various applications (wittily woven into the scene) that, due to softness and brilliance of wax, create a surface of rich structure. However, there is still a sense of layered space with a significant role of white in the development of art events, with illustration reasonable expressed with thematic layer of the art work. A little bit surreal but also daily and poetical up to state of elevation of the ground. Verticality of composition is external sign of the shift with the lyrical connotation, with slender and nice details, houses, umbrellas, fishes, balloons, walkers in the atmosphere of serenity arising from the selected palette and colour sonority saturated with light. For instance, Ivana in dominant blueness brilliantly accentuates colours of raised intensity. The density of parallel lines corresponds with noble blemish of coloured wax, with colouristic pulses spreading in staging of unusual framing. From the visual, results the atmosphere of paintings, including notes of humour. Unobtrusive linearity is congruent with the subtlety of Ivana's opus overgrown on talent, youthful enthusiasm and intriguing repertoire of forms and is truly inweaved in her creative pathway. Indisputable freshness of approach, certainly defined by south is for Ivana space of special inspiration. Stanko Špoljarić On the occasion of wax These are not words from an expert but from an admirer. Where to place Ivana’s intimity? Metaphysically, magical realism or real surrealism? Skilled and gentle is her minute hand. Her clips are swallows sited on staff. She paints in praise of secondary matters. “Cio che mi ha detto il tram” / Carlo Carra /. Her streetcar drive us through the Ilica street, weather-beaten. Her paintings are late candle light, melting on the kitchen table. We are sleeping in blue bed of Ivana’s childhood. We linger our lives behind her Mediterranean window. We are packing ourselves for leaving. Our yearning is wax on wood. Mysterious stranger who’s red umbrella protects his backbone of existence. I’m like a waxwork on Ivana’s page. Arsen Dedić Cross-over of taletelling reliefs Labelling works that escape common “categorisation” seems to be not only risky but also a witless endeavour already since the lucid – for some perhaps also cynical – Tom Wolf’s “diagnosis” on literary or interpretative rigour of contemporary art, which becoming actually a “painted word” has often been a purpose to itself. Nevertheless, it is hard to resist not naming a series of combined wax techniques on wood, that is, peculiar assemblages and taletelling bas-reliefs of Ivana Puljić, typical offspring of the idiosyncratic “cross-over” fine art. Or, particularly, a part of a tidal wave that combines various techniques which find their origin in the peculiar eclecticism and the post-modern freedom to choose forms and content(s). Basically, we are witnessing here a real process of patchworking/colagging, yet not in a sense of traditional and common assembling of pieces of paper or debris “deposited” from everyday surrounding, but as a way to make/form a composition, “picture of the whole” and painting’s surface; and all that with deep premeditation and faultless selection of material. Namely, different kinds of wax – natural, artificial and those mixed with pigments – have twofold function. They are, of course, major part of relief “configuration” of painting’s surface, its basic building element, surface on which one scratches as if it would be graphics, but as well they are translucent protective “emulsion” through which the underlying layer is visible. Moreover, wax happens to be not only a connective tissue which, in the painting’s whole, connects inserted objects and various materials – from nails, old diskette “floppy disc”, MP3 player or i-pod’s earphones, wires, cords... – but becomes a contemporary amber’s kin, in which the yellow enamel fossilised remains of departed life are eternally caught. Obviously, Ivana Puljić is authoress that insists on “facing” (juxtapositioning) formally disparate elements yet instead of leaving chaotic impression, each of her collage-reliefs is irresistibly seducing and meticulously wrought. Be it even when a painting – as a public advocacy of the idea of post-modern adoption – forms a drawing à la David Hockney, pop-artistic motives or informell’s “dramatic effects” used to form relief surface. The notion of new “fusions” of seemingly disparate elements and styles – which perhaps provokes the idea that all of the old “forms” and “classical disciplines”, and moreover the art of painting itself, are dead – is fully in tune with the main topic of Ivana’s work. As the title of this cycle suggests, the authoress is interested in parallelism of inner and outer worlds; the literal one – say, with apartment interiors and public transportations in which “time stands still” while the outer world “passes by” quickly as lightning – and, the symbolic one that speaks of questioning the connections between the inner self and outer world trapped by the translucent envelope of wax. Zlatko Gall Hidden liric impulses of the city In a relatively short period of time the paintress Ivana Puljić articulates her existential and artistic position, concentrates her personal experience of the world not being interested in a firmly fixed view, but always in the new alchemy of carefully selected materials. With the graduation on Accademia di Belle Arti in Rome (2000) this young paintress adds to her previous abstract questionings on silk, jute and cotton, a new cycle of portraits with a predominant narrative expression and alive lyric-expressive charge. In the lap of the liberal incentives of the postmodernism in Rome, with often engaged social contents and predomination of new technological media with very different bringing-about interventions, through a more freely pictorial treatment I. Puljić quickly opens herself to the visual impressions of the light magic of the big city and its countless faces. The encounter with the consequences of a depersonalization and dehumanization of the urban centers by no coincidence provokes in her a thoroughly individual artistic feeling that will guide her towards abandoning mimesis and entering in the fantastic world of symbols and metaphors. It is interesting that when selecting the material, as being obviously an obsessive dimension in her creative opus, Ivana has reached after a wax, researching its quality, plasticity and origin, but primarily color, to which she has added different pigments and hence, from a more bright and transparent across pastel tones, she has attained to a more dark gammas of blue, red, green and finally dark gray and black layers. The urban jam which can thrill in the beginning with its colorfulness and rhythms of the contemporariness has quickly satiated the painter, which prone to silences and tranquil atmospheres turns back from an expressionistic fervency to the small, but for her important things. The world, which once seemed a secret suddenly becomes reality, the most simple givens of life and spaces around us accumulate new psychological contents soaked in poetic touches and hidden music. Subtly and gently the authoress simply calls upon in purified forms certain poetic minimalism, be it street’ lights, lightened windows, ropes with flags or hanged clothes, calm city motives, but as well counterpoints of crashed delights and expressive colorist charges. The investigation of the space and the occupation with formative riddles, the different wax layers on the wooden plates and the new insertions of metal scraps with prodigious visual effects are in the same time an investigation of the spaces of consciousness, of broken memories, dreams and mediations. If behind the appearance of the paintings by Ivana Puljić one can find traces of the consequences of human loneliness and anguish in the turbulences of the contemporary world, the lyric expression and inversion towards the rich sensual scale has doubtlessly discovered the freed inner impulse of one refined and elegant play. Tonći Šitin Investigating intimacy and space The newest cycle of paintings by the promissing authoress Ivana Puljić from Split, which presents herself for the first time to the Šibenik audience, although being a new share of her liric expression it does make a continuation to a previously began specific investigations and reflections, now already within an extinct gammas of dark or black tonality with blazing coloristic accents. If we remind ourselves with her graduation at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Rome (2000), the artist has added to the earlier questionings on silk, jute and cotton, a new cycle of portraits with a predominant narrative expression and alive lyric-expressive charge. In the lap of the liberal incentives of the postmodernism in Rome, with often engaged social contents and predomination of new technological media with very different bringing-about interventions, through a more freely pictorial treatment I. Puljić quickly opens herself to the visual impressions of the light magic of the big city and its countless faces. In a madly poetic imagination, curious searching, but as well purifying of the composition and aspiration for a technical perfection, an almost nomadic spirit finds anew, as it were, a safe asylum. Interestingly enough, when selecting the material, as being obviously an obsessive dimension in her creative opus, Ivana has reached after a wax, researching its quality, plasticity and origin, but primarily color, to which she has added different pigments and hence, from a more bright and transparent across pastel tones, she has attained to a more dark gammas of blue, red, green and finally dark gray and black layers. She palpably demonstrates that a persistent and systematic work on the technical-craft’s perfecting can bear fruit to perfection of the lyric experience and refer to the multilayerness of the whole sight. The urban jam which in the beginning can thrill with its colorfulness and rhythms of the contemporariness has quickly satiated the painter, which prone to silences and tranquil atmospheres turns back from an expressionistic fervency to the small, but for her important things. The spatial fascination by the vistas and city-squares, by the seethe of life in the eternal Rome, gradually enriches through the investigation of the so called inner life, of ultimately simple quotidian facts, there where a dream, memory, loneliness with abundance of metaphoric connotations dwell. Subtly and gently the authoress simply calls upon in purified forms certain poetic minimalism, be it street’ lights, lightened windows, ropes with flags, calm city motives, but as well counterpoints of crashed delights and expressive colorist charges. The investigation of the space and the occupation with métier problems, the different wax layers on the wooden plates, the new insertions of metal scraps with prodigious visual effects (e.g. Tango), are not for Ivana only a heritage of the surroundings but a personal searching, in her vision with a warmth of feelings she wants to appease worlds, with an upheaval of imagination she wants to touch human spiritual landscapes. If behind the appearance of the paintings by Ivana Puljić one can find traces of the consequences of human loneliness and anguish in the turbulences of the contemporary world, the lyric expression and inversion towards the rich sensual scale has doubtlessly discovered the freed inner impulse of one refined and elegant play. The persistent work on creating a recognizable signet, which on a conceptual level we experience very emotionally and with strong tones of lyricism, intends an in-depth observation of the world, subtly registering each alteration of it. Tonći Šitin The simple title combined technique that stands by her paintings hides a whole range of methods and materials that require patience, precision and speed in order to result with desired effect. On the wooden pad she places cloth or a net; she uses thread, clutch, paint, wax... The richness of materials and processes ultimately results in magical paintings of realism. Her paintings remind me of dreams; those dreams in which you recognize the clear outlines of objects, well-known things, situations and people that you see every day, but they are located in some unusual, somewhat nightmarish places and connected in ways possible only in dreams. Ivana Puljic introduced herself to Karlovac audience with thirty-four paintings made in combined technique that could be, in short, described as wax on wood. These paintings were made during last few years, in the period from 2006 to 2010. Few older paintings, made in 2006 and 2007, show a strong link between the artist and the material she uses – almost the entire paintings are covered with wax. In time, this relationship slowly loosens and the artist emphasises particular segments, what results in increased intensity of her paintings and in wax gaining the strength and coming to the forefront. This is especially evident in the paintings made in 2009. It is hard to sort her art works by themes but motive that wriggles through the largest number of her paintings is certainly the motive of the city, of its urban part. Often, she paints Split. Vivid in every way, it is a city that she misses when she is far away, but also a city that is a bit suffocating when she is in it for a too long. In such situations, she returns to Rome, the place where her painting skills maturated; to the city that had formed her in her young, formative years when we are thirsty for knowledge and desire experience. She does not lack the inspiration there. This exhibition gives an insight into the intimate world of the artist, into paintings that at first glance appear blurred, but that invite you to pause and to gaze at them. Only then you will recognize and discover all that they display, and, maybe, find a piece of your dream on some of them. Silvija Huljina Dreaming Wax, as a painting medium, determinates all paintings exhibited by Ivana Puljić. It determinates them just as much as, for example, the metrics matrix determinates a sonnet. The painter has to take into consideration its technological and medium specificities, equally at times when wax gives her wings as well as at times when she, by her own good will, transforms its expressional limits into a welcome advantage. In the same way as the limits of a frame have become, with time, the key element of a painting. In these paintings everything is wax and everything is made of wax. However, some of them are more “waxy” than others. Those are the ones in which the painter uses a tiny cloud of wax over the already existing coat of wax in order to separate signs, symbols and even a scene, that is, the most important details on those paintings. By constructing a metaphor of the story on the basis of inequality of the more and the less important, she also composes the denotative and visual matrix of the painting. This assembly of painted material gives conciseness to expression, but reduces the possibility for creative involvement of an observer. In the other, here exhibited, paintings– those that were not painted in the above described manner, those in which the eye is not focused on only one stronghold - the spectators enjoy freedom of non-binding “open space” of the painting which is left to their imagination. Therefore, Ivana Puljić offers interactive realisation in one group of paintings, while in the other group of paintings she offers hierarchical, gradual and concise realisation. The line, guided by the hand, likes the technically precise, descriptively readable drawing that finds a well known shape interesting, but it does not object when the painter entrusts it with the role of an unsettling factor, when it becomes a servant of the rhythm. A range of denotations at the disposal of the painter manipulate with the general, most imminent knowledge that each one of us possesses, but for which we do know how we acquired it or where it came from. Probably it has been a part of us forever. It is exactly that agreeable comfort of revelation that the painter relies on when she presents this type of painting to us. Those among us who are systematically interested in visual arts know that our senses present the world of individual events in inextricably connected and mixed images. However, if we were to leave those images only to our senses we would never succeed in untangling them nor in clearly understanding their structure. Luckily, our minds possess instruments to understand generality in its clearest form. It is this talent of ours that she counts on and manipulates with. She pulls us in her spiritual game that gives us comfortable access to the world of these paintings, which we experience as being simultaneously inside and out of/above it. A good example of such narrative game can be found in the works exhibited here which bind together the landmarks of two or more cities with very different visual identities. Let me revert to one of them - the painting «Dance of the Venetian Gondolas» which 'hosts’ visual identities of the three cities (Split, Venice, Zagreb). Rialto and Peristil participate in a mix of identities whose final result is a new, self-sufficient, visual reality. These works are, in most cases, very successful – ones that the painter can be particularly proud of. One of the elements which is not the most important for this type of painting, but is obviously constantly present in its spiritual meander is the aesthetics of the comic. I shall say no more on this topic. This generalized observation results from the perception that the connection of these paintings with the comic is buried somewhere deep in our subconscious, so this perception is more of a feeling rather than a clear and elaborated argument. The painter feels good and comfortable in the liberalistic milieu of the postmodernism. However, she has not sworn fidelity to it and therefore she frequently shifts away from it and tries out other liberties, other experiences. The shift of these paintings from the postmodernist experience is perceived in the fact that these individual signs are not without reference, they are not “paintings without reality, and even less are they reality without a foundation”. Her hyper-reality bases its authenticity on objectification. That “simulacrum”, suitable only for her, leads us to perceive the painter as the one who believes that what she advocates in the social field is only a more or less attainable Utopia. This multi-layered richness in front of you is dedicated to those who posses a deeper, more fundamental intimacy of information. The search of structure of these paintings reveals complexity which results in simplicity and readability and that is the final impression of these paintings. Andro Filipić Wax, the son of alchemy The wax, fascinating material with large expressive potential. Son of alchemy - but only figuratively speaking - wax in itself includes two complementary aspects: it can be a liquid, and it can be a solid. It occurs naturally and can be man-made. It is stretchable. It is a noble material that carries ancient stories. Ivana Puljic discovers encaustic from books while studying art history in Split and at the Academy of the fine arts in Rome. Meanwhile, she experiments with techniques to give voice to her inner world before she decides to express herself through figurative painting, mixing pigments and melted wax. Language of expression, which is her own, goes further than the painting itself; borders with sculpture; crossing varieties of graphics; and all of this is exactly true for the creation of full and empty surfaces, adding and removing. One dynamic and uterine vision in which the sensory aspect of touch is no less important than the visual appearance, a conceptual concern. Touching the surface of the painting, feeling the softness or hardness of the material leads us beyond the two-dimensionality of the painting as it is. Some speak of contamination when watching her work; work in which there is, certainly, formal solutions and content of the historical avant-garde: from fauvists to futurists, not forgetting matrix of Dadaists’ Pop Art. But, looking deeper, we see the message of Renaissance culture. The significance of placing the man in the centre of the universe. Poetics cantered on man is in fact the one of Ivana Puljic. The man is in his present, which is, also, ours, the artist’s and the viewer’s. The action takes place within the architectural - urban scenarios dominated by technology of progress, between objects and dynamics of everyday life. However, there is evident lack of the human figure, or better, its presence mainly in an indirect way. It starts with pairs: presence/absence, interior/exterior... As for the psychological components, she finds strength through chromatics. Mediterranean colours, combined with a soft form - often only emphasized by the drawing, which exude with the immediate freshness - that has leaked from domestic interiors. In the 'interiors' series artist carves gutters in the painting, more or less deep, filling them with pigment and melted wax. Where everyday objects - even those banal - such as telephone, clothes-pegs, a pair of slippers, TV or a washing machine, curtains, a carpet ... represent an oasis of security, which surrounds the individual, confronted with inevitable predictability. Darker shades - shades of grey and black – follow, above all, a vision of strict perspective from the outside, lit by sporadic red spots (lights at night) and white ropes that outline the profiles of large buildings, railway stations, overhead transmission towers, cars, pedestrian crossings, rails... In these works - many of whom have the title derived from time & hour- work process is different. At the bottom of the grey texture of the canvas we see the elements of thread-rope immobilized with metal staples. Here, casting wax, besides indicating the form, interprets the idea of movement. Two worlds, existing in parallel, in which Ivana Puljic enters on tiptoe. Manuela de Leonardis Playing with the wax In the material world that surrounds us and that we are experiencing, creative interventions in space, whatever they may be, are immanent only to humans. The man has always tried to leave his mark on our, blue planet and at the same time to, in his kind’s unique way, capture the emotions: fears, desires, doubts, intentions, comfort and discomfort; i.e., exactly the deepest, inner feelings. Initially, he did it with what he has always had with himself: his body (gestures), voice (scream), mime (grimace). Over time, he developed and mastered himself as well as the environment in which he lived, and gradually discovered new methods and new tools. Speech was born, first tools were made and in the moment when he imprinted his hand on the stone in the cave in which he lived begins his artistic expression, begins the history of art.In the world of recent artistic creations Ivana Puljic, from Split, who paints between her hometown and Rome, leaves her specific tracks in an interesting and, primarily, unusual way. Why do I say "unusual way"? Primarily because of her choice of media she uses to present us her intimate artistic vision. It was long ago when we got accustomed to the standard materials like pencils, pastels, and ink in colours, watercolours, oil and acrylic colours, but we stop of surprise in front of her paintings because Ivana expresses her poetics by - wax. Not crayons, but wax. This seamy and, apparently, deficient material in her hands becomes a kind of seductive and playful colour spectrum, just what she needs to convey her message. After perceiving the very core of this material, regardless of its natural or industrial origin, the artist, in her permanent experiment, inbreathes in it a whole new dimension making it suitable, subtle, eloquent, in a whole new way and for her needs usable, useful medium. Ivana Puljić is hundred percent urban and it is hard for her to separate herself from the urban elements. They deeply pervade her, as well as her paintings. She sings a lyric ode to a megapolis, architecture, industrial civilization of ordinary, utilitarian objects such as telephones, refrigerators, washing machines, metro or harbour cranes. The man, an ubiquitous culprit, is disguised; he is rarely in the forefront. And when he, timidly, emerges from gloomy and generally dark waxy sfumato, around him, behind and above him surmounts threatening apocalyptic premonition. Escape from that incognisance and threatening surrounding Ivana often finds (as well as we in front of her paintings) just behind the doors and windows, subtly penetrating in the intimacy of the interior. In there she feels well, peaceful, surrounded by familiar colours, sounds and smells of well known, everyday objects. Such poetry of hers is always expressively emphasized only by one, but powerful detail, that, at the first moment occupies all our attention and then gradually exposes her tiny horizons of imagination and inevitably leads us into the realm of relaxation, tranquillity and understanding. Pavle Kaunitz Time Trinity The time in which we live: contemporary, modern, sophisticated - we can not perceive without looking at the past and into the future. Everything is connected, including time which has an important influence on the art works. The miracle of creation of an art work is, at the most, linked to the time trinity or its triple layer meaning that every author has to learn from the past, to be and act in the present and hope, yearn for the future. And each Trinity is mysterious and intriguing, especially the brightest one that encourages us and lead us through hard times! Often, art works send us back in time, or allow us a glance to future: sometimes we believe that it will be better and sometimes we don’t. In any case and, beside only aesthetic experience, it stimulates us to contemplate! Ivana mainly addresses today's observer, creating works in which contemporary motives prevail, motives that surround her, technological or architectural themes. But, we will see old fashioned curtains on the windows everywhere; we will see romantic blue sky full of stars or the old tiles on the walls, Roman or Split’s, all the same. Although these are the details, they testify connection between time and space and our aspirations to Eternity. Education acquired in Italy - in the cradle of the art - and Dalmatian origins connected to the Mediterranean, destined Ivana to choose colors and color schemes by following the topic she represents in that moment wise. Modern buildings sometimes look like masts and department stores look like arenas what, today, basically, they are - arenas of bizarreness and consumer society. The trendy interiors are bitten by the details that prove the speed of everyday life what the artist paints in especially sensible way. Subtle is, and really special, color specter of the wax which she uses for her paintings, using only one color for the background but shaded to perfection. The main motive is shaped by the line that emphasizes the presence of the interior, with details of appropriate color specter, confirming her knowledge of various painting styles and canons, and pointing out the author's originality in choosing the themes, colors and emphasized details. Ivana Kokić Portraits A young painter, Ivana Puljic, with her professional choice, already demonstrates a distinguished capability for detailed research on visual arts; and essentially, her paintings in encaustic technique offer a full view of a modern urban life. The encaustic technique, used by our painter, consists in painting by wax. The powdered pigment colour is mixed with hot melted wax, and while it is still in a liquid state, it is applied to a wooden base, which partially absorbs the coloured wax. When the wax cools down, the painting maintains the brilliance, vitality of tones and resistance to humidity. However, it is not resistant to heat. To apply wax and colour, she uses carving instruments. The encaustic technique, as a way of painting, was used by the ancient Egyptians in the V century BC. The same technique was also known in the period beginning from IV century BC to our days. Through Hellenic paintings, the encaustic technique has arrived to roman paintings, and examples can be seen among the works produced until the IV century. The Greeks initially used this technique to decorate ships and houses; and later, after V century BC, they used it for mural paintings. In western European art, particularly important are the portraits done on wooden tablets, found on various sarcophagi together with the mummies in El Fayum, Egypt, which belong to the period between I and IV century BC. Ivana Puljic uses this antique painting technique with awareness and intuition. Probably the latter, together with her curious spirit and attention to details, plays a very important role. Her portraits are of strong expressiveness and sensibility, and are characterized by the choice of shapes and colours, through which she gives a perfect interpretation of the young. The paintings of her pop icons transmit colours rich in tones and shadings. Our painter intertwines lines and surfaces in an inventive way, thus increasing pictorial richness of illustration; the colours in the background create abstract applications, with a clean cut of figures and reflexes on the paintings that increases tension. To apply coloured wax, with equal mastery, Ivana uses spatula and carving instruments; and using these different tools, she structures the pictorial surface. In order to interpret the urban and modern world, by reasoning on life in general, our painter uses one of the most antique painting techniques, changes it and makes it perfect. Regardless of her young age, she is capable of contemplating a modern society with a technique of old times; and precisely in this contradiction resides the cause of her observation and interpretation. Maruša Avgustin Batik - painting with a poetic expression Painting, drawing, writing - these three elements are attributed to an expressive ancient technique Batik. The oldest batik art forms have been found in ancient Egypt and Persia around the 5th century. Much earlier, in China and in Japan, batik has been used for decoration of cloths made of silk, linen and cotton. Batik is a technique of wax-resist dyeing of cloth and then soaking the cloth in paint. The procedure is similar to a graphic technique - in negative. In Europe, the technique was introduced in 17th century by the Dutch. At the first, no special significance is given to this new technique because the paintings looked very exotic, but on a global exhibition in Amsterdam the batik art forms achieved great success, and only after that, many artists seriously adopted this technique. In the Netherlands, great interest for batik generates and furthermore, highly esteemed schools of design were founded. Could we call batik a new artistic expression? I would say yes. Even in USA, a country open for new artistic directions, a great architect of Dutch origins, Pieter Mayer, opened his studio for batik decorations in the centre of New York. And so, young artist Ivana Puljić dedicated her artistic painter’s search to this technique, knowing that in the history of art, this expressive technique is not fully used. I am sure that this exhibition is the result of knowledge and tireless search with which the artist Ivana Puljić encounters. Blue, dark blue and purple are the colours prevailing in her paintings, they are the poetic letters and notes she plays on the canvas. I do not know if these interesting paintings have a decorative function, I believe that they do not have it. In fact, I think they are completely detached from its original meaning. The artist Ivana Puljić gave them a more complete meaning - not to be a part of something, but to shine with their own light. The motives of her paintings will never be decorative as they are full of mystery, of strong impressions, in short – they are scenes from life. Prof. Italo Scelza Palumbo
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Neopipljivi Zrak Gledajući Ivanine slike, ostajemo zatečeni količinom originalnosti satkanoj od naoko poznatih elemenata....sve na njima je prisno i poznato, a opet drugačije, jedinstveno i posebno, od tehnike i poetike do slikarskog rukopisa. Čitav jedan mikro svijet, u kojemu likovi lebde i balansiraju između sna i jave, realnosti i bajke, egzistencijalizma i metafizike. Taj nam se svijet otvara u osobitoj tehnici voska na drvu, tehnici koja joj dopušta da istodobno slika, modelira i konstruira, dobijajući tako jedinstvene trodimenzionalne slike. Te slike nastanjuju sićušna bića, koja se skrivaju i štite kišobranima. Izložena su raznim kušnjama, balansiraju po žici, preskaču preko međuprostora, udaljavaju se jedni od drugih. Teško pronalaze put, treba im metaforični pješački prijelaz da bi prešli na drugu stranu, udaljavju se jedni od drugih, ali ipak se nalaze, pa se tada zajedno, šćućureni ispod jednog kišobrana, brane od svijeta. Problemi otuđenosti, užurbanosti, osjećaja koji nama upravljaju svijesno i podsvjesno, provlače se Ivaninim imaginarnim krajolicima i ako se prepustimo, lako ćemo i sami uroniti u njih i prepoznati ih kao svoje. Naslov Neopipljivi zrak, asocira na neizgovoreno i nedorečeno, što ostaje u zraku i priječi nas da uspostavimo veze i dijaloge. Ipak, prizori ne djeluju uznemirujuće...likovi podsjećaju na junake crtića i video igara. Na nekima nam se ukazuje Mali Princ, koji podsjeća da najjednostavnije ljudske vrline omogućuju izlaz iz većine loših situacija, a kiša raznobojnih niti koje spajaju i razdvajaju, daje slikama neku veselu, pozitivnu vibrantnost. Ivanine slike imaju likovnu privlačnost, otkrivaju neosporni metier, sadržajno su zaokružene i dorečene, a opet postavljaju pitanja i potiču na razmišljanje. U njima Ivana preispituje svoje dvojbe i osjećaje, ali u tom intimizmu pronalazimo i univerzalna filozofska pitanja. Sve to zajedno Ivaninom slikarstvu daje osobine prave, čiste umjetnosti, koja se danas sve više gubi, teže dostiže, ali nikad ne gubi na vrijednosti i aktualnosti. Nira Burmas Domančić Muzička kutija U sintezi igre i meditacije Ivana Puljić osmišljava svoj slikarski opus uprizorenjem i svakodnevnice i mašte, dajući likovnom preobrazbom i isječcima banalnog prizvuk metafizičkog. Integrira notu poetskog u relativno egzaktan karakter slikarskog tkiva, s figurativnim detaljima nositeljima motiva i kontrasta ka geometriziranoj strukturi površine. U opredmećenju intimnog i beskrajnog prostora slike, raslojenog i zgusnutog brojnim fasetama, strukturiranog paralelnim, odnosno suprotstavljenim linijama uprisutnjena je ugođajnost lirske konotacije, s vremenom tematski raslojena i do stanja dramatskog. I sam prostor je sadržaj slike budući da se prepleti i pravilan tijek crtovlja doživljavaju stanjem labiritičnih iskušenja, isčitavaju se svojim odmjerenim rasterom reda i ritma kao znak, gotovo simbol idealne mjere prostora, s otkrivanjem uzbudljivog vitaliteta kadra gdje naslućena metaforična arhitektura integrira vanjsku i unutrašnju izglednost. Zasigurno konstrukcija slike svojom autonomnošću slikarskog polja jeka je vida apstrakcije, no i otvorena je dijalogu s figurativnom potkom. Ivanina je to umjetnička zbilja s karakteristikama pomirljivosti različitog. Simpatične, nenametljive priče sastavnice su svojevrsnih imaginarnih krajolika, zbivanja uz zaštitničko ziđe, kojih su akteri, stalni „stanovnici“ Ivaninih ambijenata ili slučajni prolaznici. Sanjarenja i zavođenja na zagonetnim adresama, s utišanim bioritmom života tvore karike zapleta s pripjevima i rebusnog karaktera. Figure dimenzijama su male, no značenjem važne, ljudskost su spram prividne „monumentalnosti“ te nisu otupljene otuđenjem već, naprotiv, nose trag vedrine. Slapovi linija s nijansiranjem kolorističkog intenziteta u njegovanju svjetlosnih nijansi opuštenosti figura, šetača i plesača, daju nove iskre radosti i silnice pokreta bliskog aktivitetu ukupnosti slikarske plohe. Put je to jedinstvenoj energiji slike, premda oaze figurativnog čuvaju blagost posebnosti. Sudionici zgoda egzistiraju pokraj ili ispod „oblaka“, otvora na nebu s plohama oblikovanih naglašenom gustoćom linija. Lebde svojim kišobrančićima između stvarnog i nestvarnog, ali i ostaju na tlu. No osjeća se bar lagani uzlet jer stroga statičnost scene narušavala bi Ivanin slikarski koncept. Ali i gravitacija privlačenja Primjerice dva pola ( ne previše udaljena) njezine umjetnosti to potvrđuju. Forme nastale skidanjem slojeva voska, tanahnim „ogrebotinama“ na opni , i naplavinama podatnog materijala na podlozi, tvore „otoke“ razvedene siluete i taktilnosti, sa slutnjom slikarskog pulsiranja u reljefnosti oblika. Ivana Puljić za tehniku izražavanja odabrala je enkaustiku. Istina ne po strogim pravilima kao što su to provodili umjetnici u starom vijeku, u Egiptu i Rimu. No vosak u vrijednostima nježne palete i njoj je osnova, njegova promjenjiva „agregatnost“, potencijalna transparentnost mogućnosti su koje Ivana, zahvaljujući i specifičnosti umjetničkog obrazovanja, sjajno koristi. Ne tek kao dosjetku već logičnu i nužnu komponentu u zaokruženosti ideje o djelu. Drugi pol satkan linijama svemirskih koridora sugerira slikarskim krakelirama nebesku vibrantnost, ili bar treptaje iz naše neposredne okoline. Ili u nama samima. Pokret na likovnoj i sadržanoj razini ne razara dosegnutu meditativnost, jer Ivana misaonom niti traži i nalazi istinu s pratiljom ljepote, kojom se u slikarskom činu dodiruje smisao. A ona može biti i u glazbi. U djelima suptilnih ozračja. Preplavljenih melodijama, i u doslovnosti citata notnog pisma ( pretežno apliciranog kolažnim trakama) i u nekom fluiditetu oblika koji teče kao uhu ugodna glazba. Mekoća upravo putenost gradivnog materijala slike izražava tonalitete, ritmove i rifove izjednačujući orkestraciju glazbe s likovnom kompozicijom, u kojima i zvukovi tišine imaju svoje mjesto. Ponovno smo u prostoru satkanog mrežom i karikama linija, čiji se ishodišta vizije nalaze izvan fizičke datosti slike, crtovlja niza i suodnosa bogatog značenjskog sloja, pravog ikonografskog zbivanja, tjelesnosti pritajene u čistoći linija, stanja potpuno razumljivog tek poetizacijom uzdignutom emocionalnom širinom pogleda. I dakako Ivaninim talentom, senzibilitetom i umjetničkom samosvojnošću. Stanko Špoljarić U međuprostoru Susret sa slikama Ivane Puljić malo koga ostavlja ravnodušnim. Rano je ona formirala svoju likovnu poetiku i istim putem ide i danas, eksperimentirajući, transformirajući, igrajući se slikarskom materijom. Mijenjaju se scenografije i paleta, urbane teme daju prostor onim pomalo nadrealnim, vječitijim, boje se smiruju, emocija pak ostaje ista. Minimalizirana je mizanscena u koju Ivana postavlja svoje likove, izgubile su se vizure grada i povijesnih građevina. Njezini likovi sada žive u nekom bezvremenskom međuprostoru gdje lebde, susreću se, žure, ali i vole. Naglasak više nije toliko na nekim urbanim prizorima, pričaju i islikavaju se neke intimnije priče. Srce, a ne oko vodi ruku. U nekakvom čeznutljivom tonu ljubavnici se dodiruju, komuniciraju putem glazbe ili jednostavno slute jedno drugog. Mekoća i transparentnost voska Ivani pomažu u dočaravanju te čežnje. Usprkos tome što je na njezinim posljednjim slikama nositelj pripovjedi pretežito crna boja, koja možda i zrcali našu zbilju, u konačnici je njezina kiša u bojama duge i njezine slike isijavaju neki šareni, veseo i razigrani svijet. Starodavnu tehniku, sa kojom se susreće i koju prihvaća još za studentskih dana u Rimu, prilagođava svom likovnom izričaju. Majstorski to ona dubi vosak i ulijeva svojim likovima dušu, intarzijom u vosku vješa rublje, slika kišobrane... Njezinu pažnju zaokupljaju neke naoko rubne, ali njoj bitne stvari, likovni su elementi racionalizirani, no ne nauštrb slobode duha. Inkorporirajući raznobojne niti ona slika kišu, ali i košmar u našim glavama. Propitkuje sebe, kao i svakog od nas ponaosob. Izravnošću, jednostavnošću i razigranošću prodire najdublje i najiskrenije. Zato me i ne čudi, da već kad prvi puta vidjeh njezine slike, poželjeh živjeti u njima. Elizabeta Rogović Prostorna Interakcija Krenuti na bilo koji put nosi sa sobom uvijek neizvjesnost i rizike. Odlučiti se pak hodati po užetu posebno je opasno. Mogućnost pada na jednu ili drugu stranu prisutna je na svakom koraku. Ravnoteža silnica je presudna. Graditi sliku kombinirajući geometrijsku apstrakciju i ilustrativnu figuraciju uvijek je zadatak koji nije lako savladati, a da bi se sačuvala nužna ravnoteža, balans. Kombinirati reljefnost materije (užeta, voska) i slikarskog definiranja plohe također je neizvjestan izazov. Slike, reljefi, objekti, (kako god ih definirali svaki je ispravan) Ivane Puljić te naizgled nespojive kontraste usuglašava lirskom lakoćom. Kiša stvorena geometrijskim linijama užeta nije sumorna i prijeteća likovima sa kišobranom u ruci. Oni su ionako zaštićeni svojevrsnom, gotovo nevidljivom kapsulom voska. Ili bolje rečeno vlastitim oblakom u kojem se nalazi ili usamljeni akter, ili par čiji su se oblaci spojili u jedan. Ponekad je taj oblak ona meka granica gdje kiša nestaje i ne stiže do figura, a negdje su likovi sa kišobranom u ruci iznad kiše. I kišobran više ne služi zaštiti, već postaje sredstvom lebdenja na način Mary Poppins. Doznali smo i odredište tog lebdenja. To je onaj planet na koji je stigao Mali Princ. Na njemu nema više grube geometrije, sve je mekano i organsko i umjesto kišobrana sada je u ruci saksofon. Put je završen i od nas se očekuje tek da zasviramo svaki svoju melodiju života. Do tamo ipak treba prijeći doline naših unutarnjih grubosti, oštrih rubova, kidanje vezova na nogama, preboljeti samoću praznih, napuštenih stolaca na kojima više nitko ne sjedi. Ivana je izložbu nazvala “Prostorna interakcija”. To je onaj, u širem smislu definiranja, zadatak svih nas, hod unutarnjim prostorima, preskakanje preko raspuklina, a opet i povezivanje onoga što često mislimo da je unutar nas nespojivo pa dilema “ili-ili” postaje moto “i-i”. Često je to već spomenuti hod po užetu. Padovi su neizbježni. Ali hrabrost i odluka da se krene onaj je jedini i najbitniji zadatak koji trebamo od nas samih zahtjevati. Ivan Mesek Kiša Slušam i gledam kišu kiša nas sjedinjuje kiša spasava našu prisnost kiša – izvor Boga temelj truleži kiša nas vraća na početak Dok padaju veliki nepravilni komadi neba po našim trgovima i ulicama u zajedničkoj praznini odzvanjaju zajednički gromovi Kiša nas spaja sve ćemo prebrisati i reći – e, sad ćemo stvarno kroz pukotine nebesa mana prosipaju se svete boje i sveto svjetlo kiša približava moju udaljenu kćer moju poremećnu nadu moju ljubav za braću Rat iznad naših glava (kiša) koja neće dotaći ništa zemaljsko (kiša) iz kojeg ćemo istrčati zavedeni na slijepe ulice ali valja jedino prvi udisaj slobode već se zagrijava zrak i isparavaju mokra odijela u centralnom tramvaju Arsen Dedić Povratak prirodi Kolorističko bogatstvo i prozračnost svjetla konstante su izgleda krajolika, atraktivne slikarima za umjetničku preobrazbu neovisno o odabiru njihovih poetika. Ivana Puljić prepoznaje sukus ljepote određenog pejsaža, kako kroz viđenje njegovih privlačnih točaka, tako i stvorenu ugođajnost dragih ambijenata. Radi se o posvojenim isječcima prirode pogodnim za njenu likovnu mjeru između opisnosti i redukcije. Ivana potiče kompozicijskim rješenjima prevladavajućeg vertikaliteta lagani uzlet prostora, sugerirajući kroz konkretno dodirivanje imaginarnog. Ivana polazi od slikovitosti vlastite sredine, blistavosti juga, no navraća se i poljima i brežuljcima drugih zemljopisnih područja. Organizacijom scene, vizurama i kadriranjem, Ivana realnom daje dimenziju donekle i izmaštanog, potenciranog razigranošću u interpretaciji detalja. Izuzetno važna u doživljaju njezinih slika struktura je površina, odnosno primijenjena tehnika rada. Ivana Puljić slika voskom, drevnom enkaustikom, istina modificiranom u nekim aspektima primjene. U svakom slučaju, struktura plohe, njena putenost silnicama boje i upisanošću svjetla, događanju krajolika daje vibrantnost i konstantu tvarnosti. Sam materijal i u stiješnjenoj reljefnosti zadržava u karakteru površine osjećaj početne žitkosti i topline kumuliranih u energiji i blistavosti Ivanine palete. Radost i igra, uz dakako njegovani talenat, doveli su do ostvarenja u podatnom materijalu koja u svom sadržajnom sloju uvijek nose iskru začudnosti.Običnosti prepunjene bajkovitošću. Nisu samo krajolici motivi koje je Ivana obogatila maštom. Vedute gradova (često sa citatima spomeničkog) također su uprizoreni u dijalogu sa snovima, u odnosu reprezentativnih zdanja i niti bliskih čistoći pogleda. A i Ivanine brodice plove između obala mašte i obala otvorenih pučini, bez opasnosti jače bure budući da ih je Ivana zaštitila koprenom slikarske uvjerljivosti. Prisutne u varijacijama na temu, srodnih i različitih slika, svojevrsnih diptiha koji u pomacima akcenata nose svoje posebnosti. Vidljive u zanimljivom rasporedu likovnih sastavnica. Naime, Ivana vrlo sretno i razložno uravnotežuje nakupine obojenog voska, gustoću crtovlja (bilo umnoženošću paralelnih linija ili njihovog slobodnog tijeka) i segmente nenaslikanog platna (itekako likovno aktivnog u građi cjeline). Slike u skladu takove kombinatorike potka su za umjetničke tvorbe u kojima je i motivska nepretencioznost poveznica prema iskonskoj ljepoti Mediterana i njegovoj povijesnosti. Slike dišu, i odišu ugođajem vedrine, lagano trepere u svakom zakutku. A Ivana Puljić u tom tragu u svoju poetiku uključuje i vrijednosti tradicije preobražene suvremenim likovnim jezikom i nepatvorenu svježinu izraza u ugođaju vedrine. Bojom potvrđene i kada slika, pejsaž, vedute, morska plavetnila ili simpatične situacije u kojima se nalaze sudionici njezinih priča. Stvara iskreno i umjetnički dojmljivo. Stanko Špoljarić Fragmenti izgubljenog vremena Kreativna igra, maštovitost riješenja, intrigantnost kadriranja značajke su slikarskog pristupa Ivane Puljić. Pejsaži, vedute, figurativne kompozicije, motivske odrednice opusa, donijeti su i potrebitom mjerom opisnosti i stilizacijom likova i predmetnog. U organizaciji prizora prevladava vertikalitet gradnje, adiranje sadržajnih sastavnica, suodnos stvarnog i izmaštanog prostora. Oblikovne nakupine zbira činjeničnog suprotstavljene su bjelini površine, aktivnoj i neutralnoj plohi na kojoj su koloristički atraktivne forme nositelji priča. Simpatične zgode koje fasciniraju jednostavnošću a time i bogatstvom izmjenjuju se s uzbudljivošću krajolika i spomeničkim ambijenatima gradova, označenih blistavošću ljepote. Ostvarene i kroz ugođaj uprizorenja, ozračje vedrine, bliske Ivaninom temperamentu.Mediteranska razigranost utkana je svjetlom i rasponima palete u detalje i ukupnost scene, u specifičnu atmosferu juga kojoj Ivana neprekidno podiže temperaturu. Doživljaj prenosi u događanje, imaginaciju u konstantu izgleda. S paradoksalnošću dojma – zaustavljenog vremena i stalne mjene zbivanja. Ivana Puljić sjajno osjeća trenutak, pamti i stanja prohujalog vremena težeći i slici smiraja i blagog pulsiranja. Promatrala je i promatra život oko sebe, dokida tjeskobu a na pijedestal silnicama boje uzdiže radost svakodnevnog. Njena Dalmacija uz plavetnilo mora i neba prihvaća i druge kromatske akcente, manje ili veće likovne epicentre, koji izvjesnoj literarizaciji slike daju, uz repertoar i dijalog oblika, notu humornog. Ivana otkriva i s ljubavlju preobražava situacije i teme pitoresknog juga, osmišljavajući ih okvirom vlastite poetizacije. A sukladno tome i stilistikom lirske prozračnosti. S duhovitošću u tematskom sloju, a duhovnošću u približavanju samom pojmu darovane ljepote. U tvorbi slika Ivana se odlučila za neobičan postupak i materijal, koji određuje i sam karakter djela. Podatnost voska u "agregatnim stanjima" žitkosti i krutosti bitna je epidermu slike, njenu teksturu, za sjaj i muklost fragmenata. Ivana se drugačiju tvarnost površine odlučila za studija u Italiji, prateći njoj privlačne umjetnike i pojave, postigavši eksperimentom na tehnološkoj razini uvjerljivost i autentičnost u ostvarenjima klasične estetike. Itekako označenih suvremenim senzibilitetom kojim su vrata za inovativno bila otvorena. U kombinatorici sredstava, sa slikarskim i crtačkim partijama, s lelujavim, paralelnim, ritmički odmjereno postavljenim nitima konca, jedinkama gradivne strukture pojedinih slika, s kolažiranjem novinskih izrezaka i iznad svega naplavinama voska, materijala putenog taktiliteta. Reljefna slika sugerira stješnjeni prostor u objektivno jasnoj arhitektoničnosti prizora.Ivana Puljić sklona je i variranju pojedine tome, dijalogu srodnog kroz parove sličnih koordinatnih sistema i aktera zaokupljenih (igra nije isključena) istim pitanjima. Ali i drugačijih, ali svih obojenih emotivnim zanosom. Vidljivim i kada šeće gradom, penje se brežuljcima, prepušta se daljini pučine, razgovara s ljudima. A za bilježenje pulsiranja i života i prirode služi se i lakoćom i neposrednošću krokija (bar segmentarno) i punom slikarskom dorađenošću pokazujući da linije i plohe voska, znak su kretanja u vitalitetu slike. Linije kao fitilj vosku, iskre energije u mogućnosti materijala svjetla i boje. Stanko Špoljarić Imaginarni svijet Slikovite gradske vizure, spomenički ambijenti česta su inspiracija Ivane Puljić. Doživljaj dragih prostora Ivana prevodi u svojevrsnu likovnu igru, kombinatoriku slikarskog i crtačkog u dijalogu različitosti dovedenih do jedinstva stila. S jedne strane sklona je gotovo dokumentarnoj preciznosti u slikarskoj preobrazbi arhitekture, zaštitnog znaka pojedinih gradova, a s druge prepušta se slobodnom potezu, bliskom dječjoj začudnosti. Ivana je sačuvala neposrednost krokijevske direktnosti vidljive u kretanju pravolinijskih i zakrivljenih linija, naznakama predmetnog u prozračnosti slikarskog polja. Kao motiv u jednom segmentu svoga opusa Ivana je odabrala znane prizore, simbole pojedinih veduta. No otkriva i svoj imaginarni svijet zanimljivih priča, u maštovitom preplitanju sanja i slutnji, sa sadržajima otvorenim različitim mogućnostima isčitavanja. Branjenje ljepote, čiste i nepatvorene, potka je Ivaninog slikarskog pristupa. Stvoren je dojam lakoće, treptaja forme potaknutog i primijanjenom tehnikom. Ivana je odabrala vosak kao sredstvo, materijal za oblikovanje površine. Služi se i dalje crtežom, raznovrsnim aplikacijama (duhovito utkanim u scenu) koje s mekoćom i blistavošću voska stvaraju plohu bogate strukture. Ipak, zadržan je osjećaj slojevitosti prostora sa znatnom ulogom bjelina u razvijanju likovnih zgoda, s razložnom ilustrativnošću izraženom tematskim slojem djela. Pomalo bajkovitim, ali i svakodnevnim no poetiziranim do stanja uzdignuća od tla. Vertikalitet kompozicija izvanjski je znak pomaka s lirskom konotacijom, s oblikovnom tanahnošću simpatičnih detalja, kućica, kišobrana, ribica, balona, šetača u ugođajnosti vedrine proizašle iz odabrane palete i zvučnosti boje prožete svjetlom. Ivana u primjerice dominantnim plavetnilima sjajno akcentira boje podignutog intenziteta. Gustoća paralelnih linija korespondira s plemenitom mrljolikošću obojenog voska, s pulsiranjem kolorističkog širenja u uprizorenjima neobičnog kadriranja. Iz likovnosti proizlazi i atmosfera djela, između ostalog i nota humornog. Nenametljiva linearnost sukladna suptilnosti Ivaninog opusa izraslog na talentu, mladenačkom zanosu i intrigantnom repertoaru oblika, istinski je posvojena na njenom stvaralačkom putu. Neosporna svježina pristupa koji je određen i ozračjem juga za Ivanu je prostor posebne inspiracije. Stanko Špoljarić U povodu voska Ovo nije slovo eksperta već ljubitelja. Gdje smjestiti Ivanin intimizam? Metafizično, magični realizam ili realni nadrealizam? Vješta je i nježna ta ženska ruka mala. Njene štipalice su lastavice zasjele na notnom crtovlju. Ona crta u pohvalu sporednim stvarima. “Cio che mi ha detto il tram” / Carlo Carra /. Njenim tramvajem se prevozim Ilicom, od nemila do nedraga. Njene slike su kasna voštanica, koja se rastapa po kuhinjskom stolu. Mi spavamo u plavoj postelji Ivaninog djetinjstva. Mi životarimo iza njene mediteranske ponistre. Pakiramo se za odlazak. Naša čežnja je vosak na drvu. Tajanstveni stranac, kojem crveni kišobran čuva leđa svakodnevice. Ja sam kao voštana figura na Ivaninoj strani. Arsen Dedić Crossover “slikopisnih” reljefa Još od lucidne – za neke možda i cinične - “dijagnoze” Toma Wolfa o literarnoj ili interpretativnoj ovojnici suvremene umjetnosti koja je, postajući zapravo “naslikana riječ”, često sama sebi bila svrhom, lijepljenje etiketa radovima koji se otimaju uobičajenoj “kategorizaciji”, čini mi se ne samo riskantnom već i bedastom rabotom. No, unatoč tome, teško je odoljeti pa ne nazvati serijal kombiniranih tehnika voska na drvu odnosno osebujnih assamblagea i plitkih “slikopisnih” reljefa Ivane Puljić tipičnim zgodicima svojevrsnog likovnjačkog “crossovera”. Točnije, dijelom plimnog vala kombiniranja raznorodnih tehnika kojemu su ishodišta svojevrsna eklektičnost odnosno postmodernistička sloboda izbora formi i sadržaja. U osnovi riječ je o pravom postupku kolažiranja, ali ne u smislu tradicionalnog i uobičajenog spajanja komadića papira ili krhotina predmeta ”naplavljenih” iz svakodnevnog okruženja već o načinu formiranja kompozicije, “slike cjeline” i površine slike. S dubokim umišljajem i bezgrješnim izborom materijala. Naime, različite vrste voska – prirodni, umjetni te pomiješani s pigmentima – imaju dvojaku funkciju. Oni su dakako glavni dio reljefne “konfiguracije” površine slike, njen temeljni gradivi element, površina po kojoj se grebe kao da je riječ o grafici ali i prozračna zaštitna “emulzija” kroz koju se nadzide donji sloj. Vosak je također i vezivno tkivo koje u cjelinu slike spaja ubačene predmete i različite materijale – od čavlića, “floppy disca” iz kakve stare diskete, slušalica MP3 playera ili i-poda, žice, konopčića... - postajući ovovremeni srodnik jantara u čiju su žutu caklinu trajno ulovljeni fosilizirani ostaci negdašnjeg života. Ivana Puljić očito je još jedna u nizu autora koji inzistiraju na “suočavanju” (jukstapoziciji) formalno nespojivih elemenata, no umjesto dojma kaotičnosti svaki od njenih kolažnih-reljefa neodoljivo je zavodljiv i precizno dorađen. Čak i onda kad sliku – kao javni zagovor ideji postmodernističkog posvajanja - tvore crtež a la David Hockney, pop-artistički motivi ili “dramatični efekti” enformela korišteni u formiranju reljefne površine. Ideja novih “fuzija” naizgled nespojivih elemenata i stilova – koji možda provocira i ideju da su sve stare “forme” i “klasične discipline” pa i samo slikarstvo mrtvi – posve je usuglašena i sa osnovnom temom Ivaninog rada. Jer, kako sugerira i sam naslov ciklusa, autoricu zanima paralelnost unutarnjih i vanjskih svjetova; ona doslovna – s interijerima stanova i javnih prometala u kojima “vrijeme stoji” dok vanjski svijet “prolazi” strelovitom brzinom - i ona simbolična koja govori o propitkivanju veza između vlastite nutrine i vanjskog svijeta zaustavljenog prozračnom ovojnicom voska. Zlatko Gall Skriveni lirski impulsi grada U relativno kratkom vremenskom razmaku slikarica Ivana Puljić artikulira svoj egzistencijalni i umjetnički položaj, koncentrira vlastiti doživljaj svijeta kojeg ne zanima ustaljeni pogled već uvijek nova alkemija brižno selekcioniranih materijala. S diplomom slikarice na Accademia di Belle Arti u Rimu (2000.), mlada je umjetnica ranijim apstraktnim propitkivanjima na svili, juti ili pamuku, pridodala novi ciklus portreta s prevladavajućim narativnim izrazom i živim lirsko - ekspresivnim nabojem. U krilu liberalnih poticaja postmoderne u Rimu, s nerijetko angažiranim socijalnim sadržajima i prevladavanjem novih tehnoloških medija s najrazličitijim izvedbenim postupcima, I.Puljić se u slobodnijem pikturalnom postupku brzo otvara vizualnim utiscima svjetlosne magije velegrada i njegovim bezbrojnim licima. Sudar s posljedicama depersonalizacije i dehumanizacije urbanih centara ne slučajno u njoj potiču sasvim individualan likovni doživljaj koji će je voditi napuštanju mimezisa i ulasku u fantastični svijet simbola i metafora. Zanimljivo je da je Ivana selektirajući materijal, kao očigledno opsesivnu dimenziju njezina stvaralaštva, posegnula za voskom propitujući njegovu kvalitetu, gipkost i podrijetlo, nadasve boju kojoj je dodavala razne pigmente i od svijetlih i prozračnih, preko pastelnih tonova dolazila do sve tamnije game modrih, crvenih, zelenih i konačno tamno sivih i crnih slojeva. Urbani metež koji u početku može i oduševiti šarenilom i ritmovima suvremenosti, brzo je zasitio slikaricu koja se naklonjena tišinama i smirenim atmosferama iz ekspresionističke zahuktalosti vraća malim ali za nju značajnim stvarima. Svijet koji se nekad činio tajnom odjednom postaje stvarnost, najjednostavniji životni podaci i prostori oko nas akumuliraju nove psihološke sadržaje koji su natopljeni poetskim dodirima i skrivenom glazbom. Suptilno i nježno autorica jednostavno pročišćenim formama priziva određeni poetski minimalizam, to su ulične svjetiljke, osvijetljeni prozori, konopi sa zastavicama ili vešom, mirni gradski motivi, ali i kontapunktovi sudarenih ugođaja i ekspresivnih kolorističkih naboja. Istraživanje prostora i zaokupljenost oblikovnim problemima, razni slojevi voska na drvenim pločama s novim umetanjima metalnih krhotina sa začudnim vizualnim učincima, u isto je vrijeme istraživanje prostora svijesti, razlomljenih sjećanja, snova i meditacija. Ako se iza pojavnosti slika Ivane Puljić mogu pronaći tragovi posljedica čovjekove osamljenosti i tjeskobe u turbulencijama suvremenog svijeta, nesumnjivo je lirska ekspresija i zaokret u bogatoj senzualnoj skali otkrio oslobođeni unutrašnji impuls jedne rafinirane i elegantne igre. Tonći Šitin Istraživanje intime i prostora Najnoviji ciklus slika perspektivne splitske umjetnice Ivane Puljić kojega prvi put izlaže pred šibenskom publikom, iako predstavlja novu dionicu njezinog likovnog izraza ipak čini nastavak ranije započetih specifičnih istraživanja i promišljanja, sada već unutar ugašene game tamnog ili crnog tonaliteta s plamenim kolorističkim akcentima. Podsjetimo se s diplomom slikarice na Accademia di Belle Arti u Rimu (2000.), umjetnica je ranijim apstraktnim propitkivanjima na svili, juti ili pamuku, pridodala novi ciklus portreta s prevladavajućim narativnim izrazom i živim lirsko-ekspresivnim nabojem. U krilu liberalnih poticaja postmoderne u Rimu, s nerijetko angažiranim socijalnim sadržajima i prevladavanjem novih tehnoloških medija s najrazličitijim izvedbenim postupcima, I.Puljić se u slobodnijem pikturalnom postupku brzo otvara vizualnim utiscima svjetlosne magije velegrada i njegovim bezbrojnim licima. Gotovo nomadski duh kao da je u ludičko poetskoj imaginaciji, radoznalom traganju, ali i kompozicijskom pročiščavanju i težnji za tehničkom perfekcijom, pronalazio sigurno utočiste.Zanimljivo je da je Ivana selektirajući materijal, kao očigledno opsesivnu dimenziju njezina stvaralaštva, posegnula za voskom propitujući njegovu kvalitetu, gipkost i podrijetlo, nadasve boju kojoj je dodavala razne pigmente i od svijetlih i prozračnih, preko pastelnih tonova dolazila do sve tamnije game modrih, crvenih, zelenih i konačno tamno sivih i crnih slojeva. Umjetnica bjelodano dokazuje kako uporan sistematičan i inteligentan rad na tehničko-zanatskom usavršavanju može uroditi perfekcijom likovnog doživljaja i upućivati na višeslojnost cijelog prozora. Urbani metež koji u početku može i oduševiti šarenilom i ritmovima suvremenosti, brzo je zasitio slikaricu koja je naklonjena tišinama i smirenim atmosferama iz ekspresionističke zahuktalosti vraća malim ali za nju značajnim stvarima.Prostorna fascinacija vedutama i trgovima, ključanjem života u vječnom Rimu, postepeno se obogaćuje istraživanjima tzv.unutrašnjeg života, krajnje jednostavnim činjenicama svakodnevnice, tamo gdje obitava san, uspomena, osamljenost s obiljem metaforičkih konotacija. Suptilno i nježno autorica jednostavno pročišćenim formama priziva određeni poetski minimalizam, to su ulične svjetiljke, osvijetljeni prozori, konopi sa zastavicama, mirni gradski motivi, ali i kontapunktovi sudarenih ugođaja i ekspresivnih kolorističkih naboja. Istraživanje prostora i zaokupljenost metierskim problemima, razni slojevi voska na drvenim pločama s novim umetanjima metalnih krhotina sa začudnim vizualnim učincima (npr. Tango), nisu kod Ivane tek baština jedne sredine već i vlastito traganje, ona u svojoj viziji toplinom osjećaja želi pomiriti svjetove, uzletom mašte želi dodirnuti čovjekove duhovne pejzaže.Ako se iza pojavnosti slika Ivane Puljić mogu pronaći tragovi posljedica čovjekove osamljenosti i tjeskobe u turbulencijama suvremenog svijeta, nesumnjivo je lirska ekspresija zaokret u bogatoj senzualnoj skali otkrio oslobođeni unutrašnji impuls jedne rafinirane i elegantne igre. Uporan rad na stvaranju prepoznatljiva rukopisa koji na konceptualnoj razini doživljavamo vrlo emocionalno i sa snažnim tonovima lirizma, teži dubinskom promatranju svijeta suptilno registrirajući svaku njegovu mijenu. Tonći Šitin Pod jednostavnim nazivom kombinirana tehnika, koji stoji uz njene slike krije se čitav niz postupaka i materijala koji zahtijevaju strpljenje, preciznost i brzinu kako bi u konačnici dobila efekt koji želi. Na drvenu podlogu stavlja platno ili mrežu, koristi se koncem, kopčama, bojom, voskom… Bogatstvo materijala i postupaka na kraju rezultira magičnim slikama realizma.Njezine me slike podsjećaju na snove, one snove u kojima prepoznajete jasne obrise predmeta, dobro znane stvari, situacije i ljude koje viđate svakodnevno, ali koje su smještene u neke neobične, pomalo košmarne prostore, u veze koje su moguće jedino u snovima. Ivana Puljić karlovačkoj se publici predstavlja s trideset i četiri slike rađene u kombiniranoj tehnici, koja se najkraće može opisati kao vosak na drvu. Ti su radovi nastali u posljednjih nekoliko godina u razdoblju od 2006. do 2010. Nešto stariji radovi, oni iz 2006. i 2007. godine, prikazuju izrazitu povezanost slikarice s materijalom u kojem radi te ona voskom prekriva skoro cijelu sliku. S vremenom ta veza polako popušta te autorica naglašava pojedine segmente, čime slika dobiva na intenzitetu, a vosak zapravo tek sada dobiva na snazi i dolazi u prvi plan. To je posebice vidljivo u djelima iz 2009. godine. Njezine radove teško je tematski podijeliti, ali ono što se provlači na najvećem broju slika svakako je motiv grada, onaj njegov urbani dio. Često prikazuje Split, živopisan u svakom pogledu on je grad koji joj nedostaje kada je daleko, ali i grad koji ju pomalo guši kada je predugo u njemu. U takvim situacijama odlazi u Rim, umjesto njezina slikarskog sazrijevanja, u grad koji ju je oblikovao u onim mladenačkim, formativnim godinama kada smo željni znanja i želje za iskustvom. Ni tu joj ne nedostaje inspiracije. Ova izložba pogled je u intimni svijet slikarice, u slike koje na prvi pogled prikazuju nejasne prizore, ali koje Vas zovu da zastanete i zagledate se u njih.Tek ćete tada prepoznati i otkriti sve ono što prikazuju, a na nekoj od njih možda pronaći i djelić svog sna. Silvija Huljina Kroz san Vosak, kao likovni medij, određuje ove slike IVANE PULJIĆ. Određuje ih onoliko koliko matrica metrike određuje primjerice sonet. Slikarica svakako mora računati s njegovim tehnološkim i medijskim specifičnostima, i to u slučaju kad joj on daje krila jednako kao i onda kad ona, svojom dobrom voljom, njegove izričajne limite pretvara u dobro došlu prednost. Na isti način kako su, s vremenom, i ograničenja okvira postala ključni element slike. Na ovim slikama sve je vosak i sve je od voska. Međutim, neke od njih su više voštane od drugih. To su one slike na kojima slikarica preko već postojećeg voska, voštanim oblačićem odvaja znak, znakovlje, pa i scenu, odnosno ono najbitnije na tim slikama. Gradeći metaforu priče na nejednakosti više ili manje važnoga, slaže i centralno postavljenu značensku i vizualnu matricu slike. To okupljanje slikovnog materijala daje konciznost izričaju, ali i manje mogućnosti kreativnog učešća gledatelja. U onim drugim, ovdje izloženim slikama, koje nisu sazdane na takav način, na kojima oko nema samo jedno uporište, gledatelji uživaju u slobodi neobaveznog 'prostranstva' slike, koju slikarica rado prepušta gledaočevoj imaginaciji. Dakle, Ivana Puljić nudi na jednoj grupi slika interakcijsku a na drugoj hijerarhijsku stupnjevitu i konciznu realizaciju. Linija vođena rukom voli tehnicistički deskriptivno čitak crtež, kojemu je zanimljiv opće poznat oblik, ali joj nije krivo kada joj slikarica povjeri ulogu onemiritelja. Kada je u službi ritma. Značenski rekvizitarij slikarice manipulira općim, najneposrednijim znanjem kojeg svatko od nas posjeduje, a za kojeg ne znamo kada smo ga stekli, ni odakle mu je porijeklo. Valjda je oduvijek u nama. Upravo se na taj nama dragi komod otkrivanja, slikarica oslanja postavljajući pred nas ovakvo slikarstvo. Oni koji se sustavno interesiraju za likovnost znaju da osjetila predočavaju svijet pojedinačnih događanja u nerazmrsivo povezanim i pomiješanim slikama. Međutim kad bismo te slike ostavili samo osjetilima nikad ih ne bi mogli razmrsiti pa ni doći do jasnog razumijevanja njihove strukture. Srećom, naša pamet posjeduje instrumentarij kojim možemo shvatiti općenitost u njenom čistom obliku. S tim našim darom računa i manipulira naša slikarica. Ona nas uvlaći u svoju duhovnu igru koja nam omogućuje komodan pristup svijetu ovih slika, a kojeg doživljavamo istovremeno kao da smo u njemu i izvan/nad njim. Lijep primjer takve narativne igre možemo pronaći na onim, ovdje izloženim radovima ,gdje se srođuju spomenički instrumentariji dvaju ili više gradova vrlo različitih vizualnih identiteta. Spomenimo jedan od njih. Sliku «Ples venecijanskih gondola» koja 'ugošćuje' vizualne posebnosti triju gradova(Split, Venecija, Zagreb). Rialto i Peristil sudjeluju u miksu identiteta čiji je konačni rezultat nova ,sebi dovoljna, vizualna zbilja. To su najčešće vrlo uspjeli radovi; oni s kojima se slikarica može slobodno hvaliti. Za ovo je slikarstvo, ne najvažnija ali očito stalno prisutna, upletenost estetike stripa u njegove duhovne meandre. O tome tek toliko. Tako uopćena konstatacija je rezultat spoznaje da su veze ovih slika sa stripom zapele negdje u našoj podsvijesti, pa je ova naša spoznaja više doživljaj nego jasni, razrađeni argument. Slikarica se vrlo lijepo i domaće osjeća u liberalističkom miljeu postmodernizma međutim ,ona se, očito, nije zaklela na vjernost pa se često odmiče od njega probajući i druge slobode, druga iskustva. Odmak ovih slika od iskustva postmoderne je u tome što ovi samostalni znaci nisu bez referenata, ovo nisu ''slike bez zbilje a još manje su zbilja bez utemeljenja''. Njena hiperzbilja nalazi svoju autentičnosti u predmetnosti. Taj samo njoj primjeren ''simulakrum'' nas upućuje na to da slikaricu doživljavamo kao onu koja vjeruje da je ono za što se na društvenom planu zalaže samo više-manje dohvatljiva utopija. Ovo slojevito bogatstvo pred vama namjenjeno je onima koji posjeduju dublju, temeljniju intimnu obavještenost. Pretraga strukture ovog slikarstva otkriva složenost iz koje proizlazi jednostavnost i čitkost kojom se odlikuje konačni dojam o ovim slikama. Andro Filipić Vosak, sin alkemije Vosak, fascinantan materijal, velikog izražajnog potencijala. Sin alkemije – ali samo figurativno govoreći - vosak u sebi obuhvaća dva komplementarna aspekta: može biti tekući, može biti čvrst. Prirodan je i umjetan. Rastezljiv. Plemenita materija koja donosi sa sobom drevne priče. Ivana Puljić otkriva enkaustiku iz knjiga, dok studira povijest umjetnosti u Splitu i na Akademiji likovnih umjetnosti u Rimu. U međuvremenu eksperimentira tehnike da bi dala glas njenom unutarnjem svijetu, sve dok se ne odluči izražavati kroz figurativno slikarstvo, mješajući pigmente i rastopljeni vosak. Jezik izražavanja, koji nalazi sebi svojstven, ide dalje od samog slikarstva, graniči sa skulpturom, prelazeći varijante grafike, upravo ovo vrijedi za kreiranje punih i praznih ploha, dodavanja i uklanjanja. Jedna dinamična i materična vizija u kojoj osjetilni aspekt dodira nije ništa manje značajan od vizualnog izgleda, konceptualnog značaja. Dotaknuti površinu slike osjećajući mekoću ili tvrdoću materijala vodi nas iznad dvodimenzionalnosti same slike. Neki govore o kontaminaciji gledajući njezina djela, u kojima svakako ima formalnih rješenja i sadržaja povijesne avangarde, od fovista do futurista, ne zaboravljajući matricu dadaista pop art-a. Ali, ipak, gledajući dublje, ovdje je prisutna poruka renesansne kulture. Značaj smještanja čovjeka u centar svemira. Poetika usredotočena na čovjeka je u stvari ona od Ivana Puljić. Čovjek je u svojoj sadašnjosti, koja je ujedno i naša, umjetničina i gledateljeva. Radnja se odvija unutar arhitektonsko-urbanističnog scenarija u kojem dominira tehnologija napretka, između objekata i dinamike svakodnevnog života. Jasan je, međutim, nedostatak ljudskog lika, ili bolje njegova prisutnost uglavnom na posredan način. Ona polazi od parova: prisutnost/odsutnost, interijer/eksterijer... Što se tiče psihološke komponente, snagu pronalazi kroz kromatizam. Mediteranske boje, u kombinaciji s mekom formom – često su samo naglašene crtežom, koji odiše neposrednom svježinom – koja je procurila iz domaćih interijera. U seriji 'interijeri' umjetnica na slici urezuje žljebove, manje ili više duboke, popunjavajući ih pigmentom i rastopljenim voskom. Tamo gdje svakodnevni predmeti – pa čak i oni banalni – kao što su telefon, štipalice za rublje, par papuča, televizor ili mašina za pranje rublja, zastor, tepih... predstavlja oazu sigurnosti, koja okružuje pojedinca, suočavajući ga s neizostavnom predvidljivošću. Tamniji tonaliteti – nijanse sive i crne – oni prate, iznad svega, viziju strogoće perspektive izvana, osvijetljene sporadičnim crvenim mrljama ( svjetla u noći) i bijelim konopčićima koji ocrtavaju profil velikih zgrada, željezničkih stanica, stupova dalekovoda, automobila, pješačkih prijelaza, tračnica.. U tim djelima – od kojih mnogi imaju naslov označen po vremenu – satu - proces rada je drugačiji. Na dnu sive teksture platna vide se elementi konca - konopa imobiliziranog metalnim spajalicama. Ovdje lijevanje voska, osim naznačavanja forme, interpretira ideju pokreta. Dva svijeta, koji se odvijaju paralelno i u koje Ivana Puljić ulazi na vrhovima prstiju. Manuela de Leonardis Igra voskom U materijalnom svijetu koji nas okružuje i koji proživljavamo, kreativna intervencija u prostoru, ma kakva ona bila, imanentna je samo i jedino ljudskim jedinkama. Čovjek je od pamtivijeka nastojao ostaviti nekakav trag na ovom našem modrom planetu i ujedno, na svojoj vrsti svojstven način, zabilježiti emocije: strahove, želje, bojazni, htijenja, ugodu i neugodu, dakle, upravo ona najdublja, unutrašnja osjećanja. Činio je to prvotno onim što je uvijek imao uza se: svojim tijelom (gestikulacija), glasom (krik), mimikom (grimasa). Vremenom, razvijajući se i ovladavajući sve više, koliko sobom toliko i okolinom u kojoj je boravio, odgonetavao je postupno nove metode i nova sredstva. Rođen je govor, sačinjene prve alatke a u trenutku kada je otisnuo svoj dlan na kamenu pećine u kojoj je boravio, počinje njegovo likovno izražavanje, počinje povijest umjetnosti. U svijetu recentnog likovnog stvaralaštva svoje specifične tragove, na interesantan i prvenstveno nesvakidašnji način ostavlja i Ivana Puljić splićanka koja stvara na potezu između rodnog grada i Rima. Zašto kažem "nesvakidašnji način"? Prvenstveno radi njenog izbora medija kojim se služi kako bi nam prezentirala svoje intimne umjetničke vizije. Poodavno već naviknuti na standardne materijale od olovke, pastela, preko tuševa u boji, akvarela do uljanih i akrilnih boja, pred njenim radovima zastajemo zatečeni jer Ivana svoju poetiku izriče - voskom. Ne voštanim pastelom, već voskom. Ovaj neugledni i naoko šturi materijal u njezinim rukama postaje svojevrsni zavodljivi i razigrani spektar boja, upravo onakav kakav joj je potreban da prenese svoju poruku.Pronikavši samu srž tog materijala, bez obzira na njegovo prirodno ili industrijsko podrijetlo, umjetnica mu u permanentnom eksperimentu udahnjuje jednu potpuno novu dimenziju čineći ga podesnim, podatnim, rječitim, na nov način i za njezine potrebe upotrebljivim, korisnim medijem. Ivana Puljić je stoprocentno gradsko biće, teško se odvaja od urbanih elemenata. Oni je duboko prožimaju, kao što prožimaju i njezine slike. Ona pjeva lirsku odu megapolisu, arhitekturi, industrijskoj civilizaciji običnih upotrebnih predmeta poput telefona, hladnjaka, perilice, metroa ili lučkih dizalica. Čovjek, sveprisutni krivac, prikriven je, rijetko je u prvom planu. A i kad bojažljivo izroni iz tmurne i po pravilu tamne game sumornog voštanog sfumata, oko njega, iza njega i nad njim se nadvija prijeteća apokaliptična slutnja. Bijeg iz tog nesaznajnog i prijetećeg Ivana pronalazi, a i mi pred njezinim slikama, ponajčešće tek iza prozora i vrata suptilno penetrirajući u intimu interijera. Tu se ona osjeća dobro, spokojno, okružena poznatim bojama, zvukovima, mirisima prepoznatljivih, svakodnevnih predmeta.Ta i takva njezina lirika uvijek je ekspresivno naglašena tek jednim, koloristički snažnim detaljem, koji nas, zaokupivši nam u prvom trenutku svu pozornost, postupno raskriljuje tanane horizonte mašte i neminovno nas uvodi u sferu opuštanja, smirenja i razumijevanja. Pavle Kaunitz Vremensko Trojstvo Vrijeme u kojem živimo: suvremeno, moderno, sofisticirano, ne možemo promatrati bez pogleda u prošlost i budućnost. Sve je povezano, pa tako i vrijeme koje itekako utječe i na umjetničko djelo. Čudo nastanka umjetničkog djela najviše je i povezano s trojstvom vremena ili njegovom trostrukom slojevitošću što znači da svaki autor mora naučiti iz prošlosti, biti i djelovati u sadašnjosti, a nadati se i željeti budućnost. A svako je Trojstvo zagonetno i intrigantno, a posebno ono najsvjetlije koje nas hrabri i vodi u teškim trenucima! Često nas umjetnička ostvarenja vraćaju u prošla vremena, ili daju naslutiti buduća: katkad vjerujemo da će biti ljepša, a katkad ne. U svakom slučaju osim estetskog doživljaja navode nas i na razmišljanje! Ivana se uglavnom obraća današnjem promatraču stvarajući radove na kojima prevladaju suvremeni motivi, motivi koji je okruzuju, tehnološke ili graditeljske teme. Ali, gdjegod ćemo vidjeti starinske zavjese nad prozorom, romantično modro nebo osuto zvjezdama, ili stare pločice na zidu, rimske ili splitske, svejedno. Premda su to detalji, svjedoče o povezanosti vremena i prostora, a i o našoj teznji prema Vječnosti. Obrazovanjem koje je stekla u Italiji - koljevci umjetnosti i dalmatinskim korijenima vezanim za Mediteran, Ivana je predodređena znalački izabrati boje i kolorit sljedeći temu koju u tom trenutku predstavlja. Suvremene zgrade gdjegod izgledaju kao jarboli, a robne kuće kao arene što u temeljima danas one i jesu - šarene bizarnosti i potrošačkog društva. Trendovski interijeri nagriženi su detaljima koji potvrđuju brzinu svakodnevnice, što autorica na posebno senzibilan način pokazuje. Suptilan je i zaista poseban i kolorit voska, koji upotrebljava za sliku, koristeći za pozadinu samo jednu boju iznijnsiranu do savršenstva. Glavni motiv, uobličen je linijom koja naglašava prisutnost interijera, sa detaljima, odgovarajućeg kolorita koji potvrđuju njezino poznavanje raznih slikarskih stilova i kanona i koji naglasavaju autoričinu originalnost, izborom teme, boja i akcentiranih detalja. Ivana Kokić Portreti Nadarena mlada slikarica Ivana Puljić, već samim izborom slikarske tehnike, ukazuje na produbljen, istraživački odnos u likovnoj umjetnosti, a u centru sadržaja njene slike u enkaustici posreduju autoričin kritički pogled na moderni urbani život s gubljenjem povezanosti čovjeka s prirodom i otuđenosti od sebe samog na jednoj, te isfrustriranosti i površnosti života na drugi strani. Enkaustika, koju je slikarica upotrijebila za svoje najnovije radove, je tehnički postupak slikanja pomoću voska. Smrvljene boje pomiješa s ugrijanim i rastopljenim voskom i u tekućem stanju ih nanosi na drvenu ploču koja vosak i boju djelomično upije. Kad se boja stvrdne, slika očuva trajni sjaj, tonsku snagu i otpornost prema vlazi, ali ne i prema vrućini. Za nanošenje s voskom pomiješanih boja se koristi kistom i ugrijanom bakrenom pločicom. Enkaustiku su kao jedan od načina slikanja upotrebljavali stari Egipćani, najkasnije već u 5. stoljeću prije naše ere. Sama tehnika je bila poznata i u vrijeme antike od 4. stoljeća prije naše ere do početka nove ere. Preko helenističkog slikarstva je enkaustika prešla u rimsko slikarstvo gdje je nalazimo sve do 4. stoljeća. Grci su enkaustiku najprije upotrebljavali za ukrašavanje brodova i dijelova zgrada, od 5. stoljeća prije nove ere također i u zidnom slikarstvu. Za zapadnoevropsku umjetnost su posebno važni portreti na drvenim pločama, koju su bili nađeni na sarkofazima s mumijama u El Fayumu u Egiptu i spadaju u vrijeme između 1. i 4. stoljeća naše ere. Da li je Ivana Puljić posegnula za starom slikarskom tehnikom svjesno ili intuitivno? Vjerojatno je pri tome važnu ulogu igrao istraživački, posebnostima naklonjen duh slikarice. Njeni portreti u osnovi su ekspresivno snažni, osjetilni, oblikovani bojnom osnovom, odlična karakterizacija mladih, njihovih ovisnosti, očaja i otuđenosti od samih sebe, odvojenosti. Slike njenjih pop ikona otkrivaju „šupljost“ prikazanih, lica nekad djeluju kao maska ili lik koji uistinu nosi masku. Slike Ivane Puljić, iako često jarkih boja, su bogate i u nijansiranju tih istih boja, slikarica je domišljata u preplitanju crta i površina, s čime povećava likovno bogatstvo, ilustracija i s apstraktnim nanosima boja na pozadine slika ili s rezanjem figura u slikama, povećava napetost. Za nanošenje boja autorica jednako vješto koristi bakrenu pločicu ili kist i još s drugačijim potezima strukturira slikarsku površinu. Neveseli, često i mračni podtonovi enkaustike Ivane Puljić, podsjeća nas na slovensku ilustratoricu Alenku Sottler, koja je za ilustracije pjesama Nika Grafenauera u knjižici „Slovenski pjesnici o prolaznosti“ (Mladinska knjiga, 1999) upotrijebila vosak i čađu za predstavljanje što uvjerljivijega osjećaja ljudske prolaznosti. Za doživljavanje suvremenog urbanog svijeta i razmišljanja o životu uopće, slikarica koristi jednu od najstarijih slikarskih tehnika i uz to je još likovno usavršava. Usprkos svojoj mladosti, hoće i može pogledati u tamne strane suvremenog društva i možda upravo u toj kontradiktornosti leži povod da svoje viđenje današnjeg vremena predstavlja u prastarom, zaboravljenom načinu slikanja. Maruša Avgustin Batik – slika sa poetskim izražajem Slikarstvo, crtež, pismo, ova tri elementa pripisuju se jednoj ekspresivnoj antičkoj tehnici: batik. Najstariji batici nađeni su u starom Egiptu i u Perziji oko V st. Mnogo ranije u Kini i Japanu batik se koristio za dekoriranje odjevnih predmeta rađenih u svili, lanu i pamuku. Batik nastaje nanošenjem voska na platno i uranjanjem svih dijelova platna u boju. Postupak je sličan grafičkoj tehnici - u negativu. Ovaj način slikanja počinje se koristiti u Evropi od XVII st., i to zahvaljujući Holanđanima. U prvom momentu ovom načinu slikanja ne daje se neki poseban značaj jer slike izgledaju vrlo egzotično, ali na svjetskoj izložbi u Amsterdamu platna u batiku dostižu veliki uspjeh i tek tada mnogi umjetnici ozbiljno prilaze ovoj tehnici. U Holandiji se rađa velik interes za batik, u toj mjeri da se osnivaju, danas, vrlo cijenjene dizajnerske škole. Batik možemo nazvati novim umjetnickim izražajem? Rekao bih da da. Čak i u U.S.A., zemlji koja je spremna prihvatiti nove umjetničke pravce, jedan veliki arhitekt, holandskog porijekla Pieter Mayer, otvorio je svoj studio za dekoraciju u tehnici batik u centru New Yorka. I tako mlada umjetnica Ivana Puljić posvetila se slikarskom istraživanju u ovoj tehnici, znajući da se u povijesti umjetnosti ova izražajna tehnika nije u potpunosti iskoristila. Siguran sam da je ova izložba rezultat znanja i neumornog traženja sa kojim se susreće umjetnica Ivana Puljić. Plava, modra i ljubičasta, boje su koje prevladavaju u njezinim slikama, to su poetska pisma i note koje svira na platnu. Ne znam da li ove zanimljive slike imaju dekorativnu funkciju, vjerujem da nemaju, u biti, mislim da su se kompletno odvojile od svog prvobitnog značenja. Umjetnica Ivana Puljić im je dala jedno potpunije značenje: ne biti dio nečega, već svijetliti vlastitim svjetlom. Motivi njezinih slika neće nikada biti dekorativni jer su puni misterioznosti, jakih utisaka, ukratko rečeno životnih scena. Prof. Italo Scelza Palumbo