Meet a Serbian artiste who has charted the long journey from East Europe to Mumbai’s Eastern suburbs to present her unique practice of performance art today
Katarina Rasic performs Inside Story, an experience centred on food in Juhu in 2017. Pics Courtesy/Encounters project by ArtO2; Milan rasic
We’ve seen people toss a dart at the map to plan their next travel destination. But we suspect Serbian artiste Katarina Rasic chucked hers at a keyboard instead. From Belgrade to Brazil to Bangkok, Rasic has made quite the ‘B-line’ across the world with her performance art works. Next in line, she has made Bandra her home. This weekend, a community art space in Kanjurmarg will open its doors to Rasic’s immersive, community art workshop.
The last time this writer spoke to an artiste from the Balkans, it was a rushed, almost incoherent chat with a rocker behind the scenes of a concert. Our conversation with Rasic, however, flows with unusual familiarity. “I first landed in India in 2012. I was looking for artist residencies and ended up in Bengaluru. India became my second home before I moved to South America,” she reveals.
In her more than a decade-long break away from India, Rasic occasionally returned to showcase her performances. At one such experiment on Juhu Beach in 2017, Rasic turned heads by stepping out in a white dress with sliced fruits in hand. “I urged spectators and passers-by to grab a bite and allow the flavours to slowly take them back to an emotion or a time in their life. They then wrote down their memories on my dress, which then became a canvas,” she recalls.
Performance art is a constant, collaborative effort, she says. “You really don’t have to be a trained artiste to join in. But every contribution adds profound meaning to the performance’s outcome. The more the merrier,” Rasic explains. At the art space in Kanjurmarg today, Rasic is laying out long white canvases. “We will be creating symmetrical shapes using both hands, incorporating movement in the performance,” she gives us a sneak peek.
The Serbian artiste prepares for the session in Kanjurmarg. Pic Courtesy/Janhavi Ambavane; (right) Rasic performs Dream Box, a story of unrealised dreams in Belgrade in 2015
The workshop will stand in stark contrast to the artiste’s 2015 project in Belgrade, where she squeezed her way into a claustrophobia-inducing box in public view. The idea, she reveals, was to remind people of their dreams that died when they decided to work in boxed offices and cabins to earn a living. This city — the hallowed city of dreams — could use a reminder, we suggest.
But the Serb assures us she’s barely claustrophobic, or even homesick, in her new abode in Mumbai. “The East European way of life is quite distinct from the more individualistic sensibilities of the west. When I step out in the community markets of Bandra for groceries, everyone seems to know each other. They’ll occasionally greet you and ask about your day. It does feel like home,” she admits.
Rasic was born in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and saw it evolve to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, then Serbia and Montenegro, and finally, Serbia. “In that sense, the concept of home has always been an interesting subject for me. But for now, I’m calling Mumbai home, and am looking for collaborations with more spaces,” she reveals. “Although, I’m a bit overwhelmed at times. Serbia is a small country. Mumbai has more people than the entirety of my country, you know?” she laughs. Good for us, the more the merrier.
ON Today, 10 am to 1 pm; upcoming sessions in May and June
AT Jolly Art Adda, I Think Techno Campus, Nehru Nagar, Kanjurmarg East.
LOG ON TO @jollyartadda on Instagram
ENTRY Revealed on request
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