Ljiljana Maletin Vojvodić
area: Literature
Key Facts
nationality
Serbiaarea
Literatureresidence
Novi Sadrecommending institution
BMEIAtime period
July 2018 - August 2018The Serbian writer, researcher in culture and art journalist, Ljiljana Maletin Vojvodić, has been exploring and writing in the Nordic countries for years. Her career path has been aligned with this passion for Scandinavia, contemporary visual art, women art and literature. She has spent some time writing and exploring all the Scandinavian countries. As a writer in residence, she has been to Iceland, Greenland, Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Norway. Each of them was special in a way, and resulted in several literary genres (novel, art essays, short stories, research essays, photography etc.) Ljiljana participated in artist in residence projects in France, Portugal, Latvia and Spain, as well.
Ljiljana Maletin Vojvodic writings includes novels (Those who eat raw meath, 2013, 2016 /English translation/; Dwarves and Hyperborea, 2008, 2013 /English translation/; In Exile,2011), non-fictional narratives (Norway from Bjornson to Knausgaard, 2017; Image of Sweden in Serbian culture, 2017; Finland-land of Kalevala, lakes and saunas,2011; Norwegian story, 2013) photo-books (Vanishing home, 2016), conceptual Art Books (Proust’s ‘madeleine at the supermarket, 2016; Instruction as writings, Bergen, 2015-Novi Sad, 2016; Fabrikken, Bergen, 2015, Gothenburg Art Book, Gothenburg, 2014) and art journalism (texts published at Danas daily newspaper, P.U.L.S.E and Hyperborea art blogs, etc).
During 2015, she was awarded First Prize for best contemporary novel in the Serbian language (Andra Gavrilović Prize). In 2009, she was awarded Second Prize for best contemporary novel in the Serbian language (Milutin Uskokovic, Međaj, Uzice).
She was international culture grant awarded (Kizuna’ exchange programme – Japan 2017 grant, The ‘Novi Sad 2021’ Foundation, in cooperation with the EU-Japan Fest organisation from Tokyo, grant for research trip to Japan, 2017; NORLA, Norwegian Literary agency, 2016; Norwegian Embassy in Belgrade 2013, Finnish Embassy in Belgrade, 2011 etc. She wasawarded by several artist-in-residency grants (Greenland, Latvia) as well.
A library’s collection of British library, Library of American Congress, Harvard Library and Oslo city library includes her b ooks: In Exile, Those who eat raw meat and Norwegian story,
The Ministry of Culture in Serbia has purchased her books Those who eat raw meat and Dwarves and Hyperborea, for Serbian libraries , during 2012. and 2014.
As a photographer she merited a special prize for a project on Iceland by the Photo-Movie Association, Belgrade, Serbia, 2008 and participated at Museum Night 2011 at Museum of contemporary art in Novi Sad etc.
Ljiljana’s subjects include image studies, scandinavian studies, intercultural dialogue, tradition & contemporary art and women’s art and artists, photography, women literature.
She is cofounder of NGO and AiR Artbox from Novi Sad.
Publications:
- Image of Sweden in Serbian culture (culture guide, Serbian language), Novi Sad, 2017.
- Those who eat raw meat, (fictional novel, English language), Novi Sad, 2016.
Government of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina grant, 2016.
- Proust’s madeleine in the supermarket (Image studies, Art Essays, Serbian language), Mediterran publishing, Novi Sad, 2016.
- Norway from Bjernson to Knausgaard (Anthology of Norwegian literature, Novi Sad, 2016. NORLA, Norwegian agency grant)
- Vanishing Home (Conceptual art research & photo book, Novi Sad, 2013.
- Dwarves and Hyperborea, (fictional novel, English language), Kindle Amazon, 2014.
- Eaters of row meath, (fictional novel, Serbian language), Mediterran publishing, Novi Sad, 2013.
- Norwegian story, (Anthology of Norwegian literature published in Serbia, Serbian language), Prometej, Novi Sad, 2013. (Norwegian Embassy grant)
- In Exile, (fictional novel, Serbian language), Prometej, Novi Sad, Serbia, 2011.
- Suomi, land of Kalevala, lakes and saunas, (non-fictional book, Serbian language), Prometej, Novi Sad, Serbia, 2011. (Finnish Embassy grant)
- Karlovacka gimnazija, co-author, (non-fictional book, Serbian language) Novi Sad, Prometej, 2010.
- Icelandic guide: Dwarfs and Hyperborea (fictional novel, Serbian language), Mala Velika knjiga, Novi Sad, Serbia, 2008.
Art Books:
- Instruction as writings (conceptual art book, English language) Bergen, Norway, 2015.
- Fabrikken (conceptual art book, English language) Bergen, Norway, 2015.
- “who?” makE Künst? (conceptual art book, English language) Bergen, Norway, 2014.
- Gothenburg Art Book, (conceptual art book, English language) Gothenburg, Sweden, 2014.
Artist-in-residence grants, scholarships and programs:
- Nelimarkka museum, Alajarvi, Finland, 2016.
- Frida Hansens Hus&Rogaland Kunstsenter, Stavanger, Norway, 2015.
- USF, Verftet, Bergen, Norway, 2012; 2013, 2014/2015.
- Konstepidemin, Göteborg, 2014.
- Art-House Messen, Alvik, Norway, 2013.
- Upernavik Museum, Upernavik, Greenland, 2010.
- Vetspils Writers House, Ventspils, Latvia, 2009.
- Rodriguez Amat foundation, Les Olives, Spain, 2008.
- Obras Foundations for Art and Science, Evoramonte, Portugal, 2007.
Awards:
- Japan Fest research grant, Tokyo, Japan, 2017/18.
- First prize for the best contemporary novel in Serbian language, Andra Gavrilovic Prize, 2015.
- NORLA, Norwegian agency, culture grant 2016.
- Government of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina grant, 2016.
- Special prize for Creative interactive workshop among secondary school students called Norwegian story. Awarded by Serbian Government, Ministry for science and education, 2015.
- First prize for Literary workshop among Karlovci Grammer school students. Awarded by Serbian Government, Ministry for science and education, 2013.
- Norwegian Embassy at Belgrade grant, Belgrade, 2013.
- Finnish Embassy in Belgrade grant, Belgrade, 2011
- Second prize for the Workshop on Finnish-Serbian Cultural Cooperation, Belgrade, Ministry of Education and Science, 2011.
- Upernavik museum residency grant, Upernavik, Greenland, 2010.
- Special prize for the Workshop of Creative Writings, Government of Vojvodina, Novi Sad, Serbia, 2010.
- Second prize for the best contemporary novel in Serbian language, Medjaj, Uzice, 2009
- First prize for the Workshop of Creative Writings, Serbian Ministry of Education, Belgrade, Serbia, 2009.
- Second prize by the Serbian Ministry of Education, as the editor of the student’ s book “Prose”, Belgrade, Serbia, 2008.
- Special prize for a series of photos from Iceland, Photo-Movie Association, Belgrade, Serbia, 2008.
Collaboration:
Collaborated with visual artist Dragan Vojvodić at his projects in France, Finland and Iceland (2006-2014)
Project title: Post Nora performance art (ist)
Genre: conceptual novel; Art Book
The cross-disciplinary conceptual art project Post Nora performance art presents conceptual artwork covering diverse genres like fiction and non-fiction writings that focus on the contemporary female performance art. Generally it includes a combination of art research studies focusing on different aspects of contemporary female performance art practice and women artists living and working in exile (metaphorically. Also literary). The project covers the entire spectrum of art activities, from researching, writing to art making. The main goal is to work in the fields of urban research, art and humanities, exploring art environment, difficulties and advantages and transforming interdisciplinary research into conceptual art book addressing contemporary female performance art. It has a highly conceptual approach – combination of literature with visual arts – includes a fiction narrative as well as mixture of collage and re-writing recycled found texts. The title of the project based writings, referring to the one of the most famous plays of all time – Ibsen’s Nora, metaphor of female fragility, also freedom and women rights.
Set in the 21st century, my future conceptual novel researching about contemporary female performance artists. Focusing on the female performance artists' narratives, this conceptual and contextual based writings will take a look at the female artists who created the art works, the contemporary atmosphere that shaped the work of the artists, and the art historians who research about them.
It can also be a place to get an insight into being an artist, being creative, also being a human in contemporary art world. It is going to showcase the conflict between the art world and the real world.
These writings also examine the idea of being exiled, whether because of dedication to the art, sexual orientation or a range of other factors.
The project Post Nora performance art (ist) generally includes a combination of art research studies focusing on different aspects of contemporary female art practice, also women artist living and working in Vienna. During my residency period, I am going to collect experiences on specific ideas about female performance art and contemporary life and develop a Questionnaire to be filed by female performance artists, cultural workers or curators who have knowledge, reminiscence and references in the field.
But, the cross-disciplinary conceptual research and art project I am going to create, is not a form of dominated art criticism canon of art-writing and presents conceptual artwork covering diverse genres. The project will result as a conceptual art book.
The final aim of the project is to make female performance artists, their experiences, difficulties, possibilities and (dis)advantages being female artist, working and living in exile (literary, also metaphorically), more present and more familiar because ”men are placed in leading positions in our society – the art is no exception. Female artists (especially female artists, especially female performance artists and female artists in exile) forced to face more complicated and more acute problems in contemporary society.”
Post Nora performance art is a hommage not only to Ibsen's Nora but also to the Yugoslavian performance artist Marina Abramovic, whom I acknowledge as one of my most important influences.
Interview with Ljiljana Maletin Vojvodić
Q21 Writer-in-Residence Ljiljana Maletin Vojvodić talks about women artists, feminist art, a female style in visual art and the need to think about what that may even be. Questioning various different female artists, her research leads her to a range of answers. The Serbian writer, art journalist and cultural researcher publishes novels, non-fiction literature and art books.
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