BORN BELGRADE 3 AM ON A WINTER NIGHT IN THE MID SIXTIES.
NOT TOO PLEASED BY THE EVENT APPARENTLY. IT GOT BETTER LATER. AQUARIUS.
PIGEONS ON THE ROOF TERRACE IN BELGRADE.
FATHER GREATEST YUGOSLAV ARTIST OF THE 20 TH CENTURY. AND ONE OF THE BEST DRAUGHTSMAN IN THE CENTURY.
MOVED TO PARIS END OF THE SIXTIES.
FAVOURITE OCCUPATION IS LAYING IN THE GRASS SEARCHING FOR SHAPES IN THE CLOUDS.
WATCHING DAD PAINT. LEARNS TO READ AND WRITE BY HIMSELF. FEAR OF THE END OF THE WORLD.
NIGHTMARES ABOUT IT. THE VOID AND THE WASTE.
DREAMS OF POLAR BEARS FALLING AND ROARING CELLS MOVING FAST THROUGH ENDLESS VESSELS.
THINKS ALL ADULTS ARE ARTISTS OR SHOULD BE.
ACQUIRES VAST POP AND GENERAL CULTURE BY READING A LOT OF BOOKS, LISTENING TO A LOT OF RECORDS
AND WATCHING A LOT OF TELEVISION. BECOMING SHORTSIGHTED AS A RESULT OF IT.
WANTING TO BE ROGER MOORE AND TONY CURTIS. LONG TUNNEL OF SCHOOL YEARS.
BEING TAKEN TO ALL THE OPENINGS AND MUSEUMS THAT EVER HAPPENED IN THE LAST THIRTY YEARS IN PARIS.
DRAWING SUPERHEROES. SEEING EUROPE. WANTING TO BE DAVID BOWIE. OR BRYAN FERRY. OR BOTH.
GIRLS. PIANO AND TENNIS. SEEING AMERICA. DOING COLLAGES AND DRAWINGS. NEW WAVE.
LONG SUMMERS IN YUGOSLAVIA. ARCHITECTURAL STUDIES. WINNING PAINTING PRICE AT 21.
TENDS TO THINK THAT ARTISTS LIVE THE MOST INTERESTING LIVES AND PISS A LOT OF PEOPLE OFF.
STARTS DRAWING IN OCHRE AND BROWN INK. SHAPES COME TO LIFE. CHAMPAGNE WITH FRANCIS BACON.
WOMEN. DOING FIRST RELEVANT PAINTING OVER ONE OF HIS FATHER’S REJECTS. BAD.
GRADUATING IN ARCHITECTURE WITH PROJECT BASED ON ITALO CALVINO’S “INVISIBLE CITIES”.
EXHIBITIONS IN PARIS AND BELGRADE. TRYING TO MEET EVERYBODY. SEEING BASQUIAT LOST IN PARIS.
HOLLOW EYES. JULIAN SCHNABEL PLAYING TANGO MUSIC IN WHITE LINEN SUIT AT HIS OPENING.
GIVING HIM A PHOTOGRAPH IN A CLUB FEW YEARS LATER. CHANGING LAST NAME.
MAKING A LOT OF INK DRAWINGS. STARTING TO MAKE BIG PAINTINGS AFTER THEM. END OF YUGOSLAVIA.
END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT. HAVING A SON. GOING BACK TO BELGRADE A LOT.
ALL EXTREMES IN ONE PLACE. MAKING MUSIC VIDEOS AND TV DESIGN.
SPITTING OUT WHAT HAS BEEN DIGESTED FOR YEARS. FRIENDS START TO DIE.
DOOMED GENERATION. UPS AND DOWNS. SEVERAL SHOWS. NATO BOMBS BELGRADE.
IT’S THE END OF THE WORLD AS THEY KNOW IT. I’M STILL ALIVE.
THE 21 ST CENTURY WILL BE THE FINAL CHAPTER OF THE BATTLE BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL.
AND EVIL IS NOT WHAT YOU THINK.

SIGNING OFF

VUK VIDOR 1999

 

(to be continued….)