Nikola Džafo (b. 1950, Novi Sad) works in a direct and activist manner through his art. He comments on the situation of culture in his surroundings and propagates the dignity of the arts. He works in performance, actions, objects, installations, paintings, art interventions and public appearances. He intentionally uses kitsch to comment on the conditions of the societally acceptable artworks. As a part of that, he introduces the motif of a rabbit in his work, signifying the visibility of only pleasure, without reason. He is the creator of the Led Art group, a subversive guerilla art group which has, since 1993, made over 30 projects. Džafo is the co-founder of the Centre for Art Decontamination in Belgrade (1995) and Led Art Multi-media centre in Novi Sad (2000). In 2000, in a basement of 5, Grčkoškolska Street in Novi Sad, he started the Art klinika (eng. Art Clinic). The idea of the Art klinika project is that art can change and heal the world. After its end, its "euthanasia ", in 2013, he started Šok zadruga (eng. Shock Collective) on the same ethical principles.

Džafo, now living in Petrovaradin, sends us for the project a Triptych Against Curses and Evil: Ptui Safety for all! - Evil does not sleep; Watch out Art doesn't bite; Only the Cooperative can save the world from disaster.

Petrovaradin, 13/06/2020

Artists Respond project was started by the Institute for the Research of the Avant-Garde and the Marinko Sudac Collection. Addressing the current global pandemic, the project aims to virtually present the thoughts and attitudes of neo-avant-garde artists, their energy and the message they have for the present moment. This is the moment in which the world as we know it is on hold and the moment in which we need optimism and solidarity more than ever. We wish for the public to welcome the creative energy of these artists - artists who are ready to point out the state of things, to respond with art and creativity, as they have done in all difficult times in the past.

Nikola Džafo was a participant of our Artist on Vacation project in 2017, organised by the Institute for the Research of the Avant-Garde and the Marinko Sudac Collection, with Valamar Riviera d.d. in whose facilities they reside in Poreč.

See more: Artist on Vacation