Pushing Boundaries
A conversation with Tarantula: Authors And Art's Inspiration for January Silvio Vujičić
Silvio Vujičić is a multidisciplinary artist whose work explores themes such as clothing fetishes, painting pigments, toxic and psychoactive substances, and the transience of life. Drawing inspiration from myths, alchemical texts, and art history, he dissects these influences into chemical, symbolic, social, and political narratives that bridge the past and present. His practice spans various media, including graphics, sculpture, installations, and device art, often focusing on the transformation of matter through processes of emergence or disappearance.
Vujičić works with rare, volatile, and ephemeral materials—such as plant extracts, pure caffeine, and perfumes derived from bodily secretions—creating them through his own meticulously developed recipes. Employing laboratory techniques like crystallization, distillation, extraction, and sublimation, he transforms these substances into thought-provoking works that challenge perceptions of materiality and meaning.
His explorations of the historical and contemporary connotations of the color red led him to extract dye from approximately 234,000 insects, Dactylopius Coccus, which were used to produce cochineal dye by the Aztecs and Mayas as early as the second century BC and later became a means of colonial exploitation.
The performance "Exposed to Virus and Fashion" aimed to illustrate the impact of HIV on the human body by merging elements of fashion and art. Silvio intentionally introduced a glitch into the software of textile machines, causing the garments produced to emerge damaged and disintegrated. Educated in both fine art and fashion design, Vujičić founded his fashion label, E.A. 1/1 S.V., in 2002. Since that time, he has consistently expanded the boundaries of fashion, integrating with politics, religion, and questions of identity.
In both his fashion collections and artistic creations, Silvio seamlessly integrates a profound understanding of history, materials, substances, botany, chemistry, and art, approaching each project with a research-driven methodology. His works unfold like intricate puzzles, where the process of research and production is as significant as the outcome. Layer by layer, Silvio constructs his pieces, fostering dialogues and inviting observers to actively engage, explore, and challenge their perspectives.
You have a degree in both fashion design and fine art. How do they meet in your work? Your performance Exposed to Virus and Fashion comes immediately to mind.
Yes, I hold degrees in both disciplines but I rarely combine them in my work. Early in my career, I explored the intersections of art and fashion, but I quickly realized that the audiences and frameworks for these fields are vastly different. Fashion, even at its highest level, is design-oriented, whereas art operates on an entirely different conceptual plane. For instance, Exposed to Virus and Fashion, which I began developing in 2005 and presented in 2006, used the format of a "fake fashion show" to engage with themes that extend far beyond the comprehension of a traditional fashion audience. The project was entirely artistic.
Is your approach different while working on a fashion design project versus exhibitions?
Fashion inherently revolves around the human body. Every idea ultimately adapts to the wearer's form, size, and movement. In contrast, art has no constraints—it is purely conceptual and can take on any material form or scale. The creative process in fashion design is more pragmatic, whereas art allows for boundless exploration.
One of the recurring elements in your work is deconstruction or the deterioration of material. Can you tell us more about that?
I work extensively with rare, ephemeral, and sometimes hazardous materials, including plant extracts, caffeine crystals, and bodily secretions. I often create my chemical recipes, experimenting with crystallization, distillation, extraction, and sublimation to explore and deconstruct my subjects. These methods enable me to investigate transformation and symbolic resonance of materials.
At some point, the colour red was particularly important in your work. Why red?
Red has always fascinated me due to its evolving social and historical connotations. Historically, red has represented divinity and authority—associated with gods and monsters—but it later became synonymous with passion, eroticism, and revolution. Growing up in Yugoslavia, red symbolized partisanship and communism, representing virtuous ideals. However, after 1991, its associations shifted dramatically, becoming politically and socially divisive. In my work, I’ve used red to interrogate these colour transformations, often using cochineal extract, a natural dye with an interesting history. Interestingly, my mother’s maiden name is Rosu, meaning "red," which adds a personal narrative layer to my exploration of this colour.
Hieronymus Bosch's Garden of Earthly Delights serves as the inspiration for Stable Fountain and Unstable Fountain, two spatial installations displayed earlier this year in Rijeka, Croatia. How did Bosch's triptych influence your research, and why do you regard your fountains as "self-portraits of today's society"?
These installations were first conceptualized and exhibited in 2015 but only resurfaced in 2024 due to a lack of local interest in such topics. My connection to Bosch began during summers spent in Madrid, where I studied his work at the Prado Museum. I meticulously deconstructed and catalogued its intricate details—figures, animals, architecture, plants, and other elements—creating an "inventory" that served as a blueprint for my work. The Stable Fountain and Unstable Fountain installations, infused with dangerous substances, reflect societal dualities and inherent chaos while also meditating on potential extinction—a haunting vision of a post-apocalyptic world devoid of human presence.
Silvio Vujičić, The Fountains,Gallery Filodrammatica, Rijeka,2024
In a different project, Under the Daisies, you created a world turned upside-down in a gallery space. What was the inspiration for this work?
Under the Daisies examines the layered symbolism of daisies across art and culture. Historically, daisies represented innocence, often depicted alongside young women or children in old master paintings. However, the presence of a fly in these images symbolizes decay, foreshadowing the possible rotten nature of things. In the 20th century, daisies also symbolized fragility and queerness, often associated with effeminate men. My decision to invert the daisies and grow them upside down in a gallery was intended to critique heteronormativity and the unattainable ideals of innocence. The title also references the idiom "pushing up daisies," implying death.
Crystals, poisons, psychoactive stimulants, perfumes, and colours are elements in many of your works. Death, danger, destruction, and even pornography… Why are you drawn to these themes?
I use these elements to dissect complex social, political, and symbolic themes. Death and danger are ancient yet increasingly taboo topics in contemporary culture. By working with these materials, I challenge trends and explore what is often considered "unpopular" in art and society.
What grounds you personally in your practice? Is there something specific you aim to understand or achieve?
My work is centred on breaking down and examining themes using unconventional media. I am driven by a curiosity for interdisciplinary knowledge, including mathematics, physics, chemistry, botany, and symbolism. While some may refer to this as alchemy, I disagree; I’m not interested in mythical pursuits like immortality or the philosopher’s stone. For me, art should be dangerous, provocative, and thought-provoking, as most art has been throughout history.
How does the audience react to your work? You have exhibited worldwide. Can you see some cultural patterns in the reception of your work?
Audience reactions vary, but I don’t focus on them. Art often attracts those willing to engage deeply while alienating those who prefer instant gratification. Cultural nuances undoubtedly exist, but I try not to let audience expectations influence my creative process. My priority is to create art, not to cater to trends.
Your workspace is more a lab than an ordinary art studio. What drives your method?
While my studio looks like a lab, it is far from a scientific facility. My process sometimes involves applying scientific methods to create artwork. This approach isn’t new; Renaissance painters, for example, had to master the chemistry of pigments and materials to ensure their paintings endured for centuries. Similarly, my focus is on production and experimentation.
Can you describe your average working day?
I don’t have an "average" day. I balance multiple projects, ranging from studio work to large-scale productions for public spaces and collaborations with architects. My workflow is dynamic, shifting with the seasons—spring often involves gardening and plant-based experimentation. I embrace change to keep my practice exciting and evolving.
You live and work in Zagreb, Croatia. You spend time in Madrid, Spain, and have taught in Denmark. How have these places influenced your work?
Zagreb anchors my production since I understand the local context and resources. However, I thrive on travel and spend about a quarter of the year exploring cities like Rome, Venice, Madrid, Tokyo, and Beijing. These experiences enrich my perspective, fueling my research and creativity.
What are you working on right now? Where can we see your next exhibition?
I am currently preparing several projects for 2025, starting with my first solo exhibition at the Museum of Ancient Glass in Zadar. This will be followed by a collaborative project in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Later in the year, I will have solo exhibitions at Kontejner – Bureau of Contemporary Art Praxis in Zagreb and the Art Pavilion in Zagreb.
For the exhibition at the Museum of Ancient Glass in Zadar, I am exploring the interplay of impermanence, history, and contemporary cultural tensions. I create chromatographic drawings using daisy extracts that transform ancient images, such as Roman phallic pendants, into ethereal meditations on the fleeting nature of life and art. The fading colours on the chromatographic plates reflect the transient beauty of existence, inviting viewers to engage with the deeper narratives embedded in these works. Some pieces incorporate crystalline formations, symbolizing the sedimentation of time and the fragility of existence. By utilizing potassium ferricyanide—a material historically associated with both preservation and decay—I investigate life’s duality: its vitality and inevitable end. The centrepiece of my upcoming Zadar exhibitions is "Deadly Silence / Self-Portrait as Harpocrates," a work addressing the paradox of freedom of speech. Societal pressures often enforce silence as a form of self-preservation, exposing the psychological toll of suppressed expression. This piece is crafted entirely from crystallized caffeine, shaped within custom molds, merging material, concept, and metaphor into a poignant statement on the complexities of modern communication and restraint.
You recently exhibited a coat designed by your AI designer named SOLL. How do you use AI in your practice? While some fear recent developments in AI, what potential do you see in it?
SOLL is an AI fashion designer conceptualized by me and architect Miro Roman. Drawing from a vast visual archive of E.A. 1/1 S.V., SOLL mirrors, folds, and classifies images to create unique designs. His first garment, the Racing Coat, combines elements of speed and racing with data abstraction. It incorporates appropriated artworks to create a luxurious, coded object that reflects a specific moment in time. In addition to fashion, SOLL collaborated on glass membrane wall panels for an exhibition pavilion in Zagreb. Using 1,600 archival images, these panels reflect and manipulate light through a complex process of lamination and etching, effectively merging technology with design. AI like SOLL enhances creativity by opening new possibilities for collaboration and exploration, rather than replacing human ingenuity.
How do you envision the future of your practice in response to the evolving world?
I believe in an exciting future, especially with the integration of AI into everyday life. Growing up in a war-torn region, I’ve always been surrounded by destruction, so I’m optimistic about innovation and resilience. Human society is relatively young, and true evolution takes millennia. As an artist, I aim to push boundaries and remain critical of the status quo.
Thank you Silvio for chatting with us about your work. If you would like to find out more about Silvio Vujičić’s work, visit his web page or Instagram.
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Fascinating , brave , beautiful