"Tragic Carnival"

Artworks by Gala Čaki

Text by: Zhang Zikang

(Director of the Central Academy of Fine Arts Museum – Beijing, PR of China)

"The Tragedy of the Stranger: From God to Rat" macroscopically communicates empathy towards history from the perspective of human civilisation's development. The propositions and viewpoints expressed in "The Eternal Outsider" have practical significance in contemporary times. In which era do we presently reside? The theme of the 58th Venice Biennale is "Living in an Intriguing World", while post-2020, the theme of the 60th Venice Biennale is "Strangers Everywhere". This shift reflects the characteristics of the era we now inhabit, where globalisation faces a diminishing crisis; "strangers are everywhere" indeed seems an extension of Samuel P. Huntington's "Clash of Civilizations". "The Eternal Outsider" in this manner unveils the clash between civilisations.

Gala Čaki's works exude a potent sense of the unknown, yet they appear as familiar images from our global era experience. From obscurity to mystery to recognition, it's an inevitable result of human history's progression as we continuously discern the world around us, understanding the relationship between oneself and others, as well as the essence of human beings. Art, as a global language, is evidently more suitable than any other medium for bridging distances. Gala Čaki thrives within the globalisation process. Due to her images' intense personal emotions and experiences, which remain unknown to others, they can visually be universally accepted.

Gala Čaki, an artist born in Serbia in 1987. When one ascertains the historical epoch based on her birthplace and time, it's not challenging to conclude that Gala Čaki's art will inevitably be tied to her upbringing and personal experiences. In the 1980s, following Tito's death, Yugoslavia disintegrated, and Serbia was a component of the new Yugoslavia. This is the country where Gala Čaki was born. However, at the dawn of the new century, Yugoslavia plunged into a civil war, during which Serbia was bombed by NATO. Subsequently, in 2003, Yugoslavia became Serbia and Montenegro. Shortly thereafter, in 2006, the two nations separated, and Serbia emerged as an independent state. Examining this historical period, we see the complicated environment in which Gala Čaki grew up. Her upbringing is fundamentally linked with the emergence of today's Serbia. In fact, beginning in the 1980s, a period of immense transformation and change commenced for the entire world, coinciding with the peak of globalisation.

In my opinion, the artistic tradition before the establishment of today’s independent Serbia was indeed distinct from the art influenced by the artistic tradition during the Soviet period. Serbian art was more radical and futuristic, especially the brutalist style manifested in architecture. This artistic tradition post-1980s has the advantage of rapidly integrating into globalisation, and Gala Čaki's development within this tradition will undoubtedly be affected. Her works intertwine with a passionate world of bold strokes and vibrant colours. These paintings seem to hail from classical theatre, film scenes, or perhaps a fusion of symphony and rock music. The intensity and contrast of Gala Čaki's images are remarkably high. To a certain degree, this is a unique expression of the passion inherent to Southern Europe. The Mediterranean climate of Southern Europe has created lush vegetation and highly saturated natural colours. It isn't difficult to imagine how this environment influenced Gala Čaki's worldview and her expressive movements on the canvas. Had this been about a British or German artist, it would be an entirely different narrative.

Gala Čaki's paintings also remind me of the British artist Francis Bacon. The exaggeration and distortion in Bacon's paintings mirror his feelings about life. The shape deformations in Gala Čaki's paintings compel the audience to speculate about the exact contents of these images. The shapes on these paintings also reflect Gala Čaki's internal strife, the tumult and pain in her heart. Gala Čaki is an artist who doesn't shy away from pain. The pain, fear, and death depicted in her paintings are simultaneously her artistic introspection and healing. In my view, the two ultimate realities that an artist uncovers in their works are desire and death. Both are so tangible and so real that sometimes, in the romantic world, people no longer wish to speak of them. These sorrowful emotions in her paintings are conveyed through the stains and colours on the canvas, resulting in an image reminiscent of a carnival.

Gala Čaki's works also bring to mind the speed and power of Willem de Kooning. I believe her paintings are influenced by American abstract expressionism. The essence of abstract expressionism lies in the unique freedom of painting. In her paintings, one can observe a carnival in a typical Southern European style, coupled with enthusiasm and warmth. It represents a kind of freedom in life. In terms of artistic freedom, Gala Čaki has elevated the art of painting to a philosophical sense. In Eastern philosophy, "Unity of Heaven and Man" and "Unity of Knowledge and Action" are two assertions upheld by Confucianism. The former speaks of the relationship between humans and the world, while the latter concerns the relationship between each individual and oneself. Gala Čaki's paintings address both of these relationships. She has stated that the relationship between art and herself is established through creation. She believes paintings emanate from the spirit. Evidently, the spirit in her paintings is her contemplation, and it's clear to the observer that Gala Čaki's paintings are truthful.

In Gala Čaki's homeland, there's a director named Emir Kusturica, who wishes to construct an ostensibly carnival-esque, yet tragic narrative relation from Yugoslavia's history and his personal memories. Emir Kusturica is also a musician and bassist for the "No Smoking Orchestra". I perceive a close connection between his music and films; his music often appears in his movies. Based on my limited understanding of Serbian artists, I believe they are authentic, unpretentious, freedom-loving, and simultaneously individuals who dare confront their fears. Thus, through Gala Čaki's paintings, I sense she truly embodies such an artist.