people: Ana Zdravković

UmArts Artist researcher in residency Ana Zdravković is currently working on a new artwork. This project is exploring the forest through the lens of its biodiversity and intricate web of connections, where every organism plays a role in maintaining a cohesive whole. The new work, an installation, will construct a forest using everything but trees, emphasizing overlooked smaller-scale organisms installation.  

An invitation to participate 

Ana is inviting you to contribute to the project. Contribute by bringing an element (an artwork, an object, or any other meaningful addition) to the installation at UmArts Research Centre. Drop in: 24 March to 4 April, every Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday at 14.00-16.00. Deadline for contributing is the 4 April. 

Open studio event 11 April 15.00 

Warm welcome to join us for the presentation of the research project and to take a forest walk in the new artwork You can’t see the forest for the trees / Du ser inte skogen för alla träden. 

About the project

Ana’s artistic research explores forests through the lens of their biodiversity and intricate connections, where every organism plays a role in maintaining a cohesive whole. This new artwork will construct a forest using everything but trees, emphasizing overlooked smaller-scale organisms. Despite their size, these tiny beings are essential to forest ecosystems, contributing to their health, resilience, and biodiversity.  You are welcome to contribute ideas, texts, objects, artworks to this large installation to create a collection of visual representations of the diverse organisms that compose Swedish forests. The installation will feature cut-out drawings on paper, suspended in space, allowing visitors to “walk through” the forest seen from this unique perspective. The species selected for the installation include lichens, fungi, mosses, plants, insects, molluscs, birds, and mammals, with a focus on those classified as Nationally Extinct (RE), Acutely Threatened (CR), Highly Threatened (EN), and Vulnerable (V).[*]

Feel free to drop by and discuss your participation, or simply have a look at the development of the artwork. All the elements should be brought to the UmArts Research Centre no later than 4th of April. 

Ana Zdravković is Artist in Residence, UmArts Research Centre (18th March – 13th April)

Web: www.anazdravkovic.com

Email: anazd3@gmail.com

Instagram: @a.zdrav

[*]    Information retrieved from www.artfakta.se, a webpage dedicated to the Swedish biodiversity.

Ana Zdravkovic is a visual artist from Belgrade, Serbia. Ana graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of the Arts in Belgrade, Serbia (2011), received a Master in Art Research and Creation (2013) and a PhD in Fine Arts (2022) from the Faculty of Fine Arts, Complutense University in Madrid, Spain. Her work involves mostly painting and drawing, as well as experiments with different materials. She is inspired by a variety of forms and textures encountered in nature and explores the complexity of relations between human, other living beings and the environment.  

During her residency at UmArts Research Centre, she will explore forests through the lens of their biodiversity and intricate web of connections, where every organism plays a role in maintaining a cohesive whole. Zdravković´s focus will be on the often-overlooked micro-world of mosses, lichens, fungi, and other small-scale organisms.  

By examining the interplay between these smaller forest components, Zdravkovic aims to extend her inquiry to the broader relationship between humans and forests—the mutual influence they exert on one another. Zdravković´s artistic work will centre on creating a collection of visual representations of the diverse organisms that compose Swedish forests, alongside human elements. Her goal is to construct a forest using everything but trees, emphasizing the unseen yet fundamental interconnections within nature. Through an installation made of these elements, Zdravković hope to offer a new perspective on what defines a forest. 

Moss Leaves, pencil and crayons on velum.

As Zdravković artistic research is deeply rooted in the intersection of art and science, she will engage with scientific resources from various disciplines. Zdravković intend to explore concepts related to forests, their dynamic relationship with humans, and their potential role in addressing urgent ecological challenges. This residency will provide an opportunity to deepen her exploration of these themes, fostering new ways of thinking about nature, coexistence, and sustainability. 

The residency will conclude with a final presentation in the form of an open studio, potentially accompanied by a creative workshop. More info to come soon.

Zdravković will work from the UmArts Research studio from 18 March to 13 April.