Room 25
Mishko Papic
The series Room 25 explores the spiritual and human depth of ancient sculpture through watercolor paintings, with a focus on the royal imagery of Benin and Ife.
My atavistic fascination with ancient art led me to The British Museum in London, where I sought out extraordinary artifacts that embody the spirit of their cultures. I drew objects from Ancient India, China, and Assyria, eventually arriving at the Art of Benin in present-day Nigeria—an encounter that became, for me, an "African Renaissance." Suspended in limbo and removed from their original contexts, these objects still assert their existence; the restive souls of Benin kings and queens have wandered these galleries since the time of their displacement. The portrait heads and royal busts from the Kingdoms of Ife and Benin remain among the most compelling sculptural traditions in world art. Watercolor is my chosen medium for its Zen-like simplicity, luminosity, and transparency. I draw directly with the brush, building the image in layers—beginning with faint traces of color and gradually developing detail, shadow, and light. Interpreting bronze forms in a fragile, aqueous medium is a challenge, yet the kings, queens, shamans, and warriors of Benin emerge in watercolor with surprising ease and vitality.
The art that moves me reflects the human odyssey on Earth, utilizing beauty and wonder as primary tools of communication. My work is concerned with the essential and the spiritual while remaining thoroughly human. Unburdened by the demand to appear “original” or conceptually over-engineered, I allow intuition and curiosity to guide the process. I remain committed to the idea that art is a tool for human evolution, as it has been across cultures for centuries.
Room 25
Moja atavistička fascinacija drevnom umetnošću usmerila me je ka Britanskom muzeju u Londonu.
Tragao sam za objektima koji su mi se činili izvanrednim i pokušavao sam da istražim određenu kulturu kroz njeno umetničko delo. Crtao sam artefakte iz drevne Indije, Kine i Asirije pre nego što sam otkrio umetnost Benina, današnje Nigerije – Doba afričke renesanse u mojoj svesti. Biste iz Kraljevine Ife i Benina su među najfascinantnijima u istoriji.
Koristio sam akvarel zbog zen jednostavnosti . Crtao sam četkicom, zatim slikao u slojevima, oprezno počinjući bledim tragovima boja i postepeno gradivši detalje, senke i svetlost. Interpretacija umetničkih oblika u mediju različitom od originalnog predstavlja izazov, ali kraljevi, kraljice, šamani i ratnici iz Benina oživljavaju u akvarelu iznenađujuće lako. Umetnost koja me inspiriše osvrće se na ljudsku odiseju na Zemlji i bira koncept lepote i čuda da bi komunicirala; bavi se suštinskim i duhovnim, a pritom je potpuno ljudska.
Oslobođen pritiska da se prilagodim kao u savremenoj umetnosti kako bih stvarao 'originalan' ili intelektualno opterećen rad, slobodno sledim svoj nagon. Predan sam ideji da umetnost treba koristiti kao alat za ljudsku evoluciju, kao što je to bila vekovima.
Mishko Papic is a multidisciplinary artist with a niche focus on ancient art and watercolour techniques, complemented by photography and digital art collaborations. His credited work spans prestigious institutions (V&A), educational projects, and individual portraiture, reflecting a blend of traditional and contemporary practices. For further exploration, his Behance , Instagram anf Flickr profiles offer additional insights into his artistic philosophy.
Akademski umetnik Miško Papić
Akademski umetnik Miško Papić svojom serijom akvarela vešto reinterpretira bronzane reljefe Beninskog kraljevstva izložene u Afričkoj galeriji Britanskog muzeja. Ovi zapanjujuće živopisni i vizuelno bogati paneli, nastali tokom Edo perioda, predstavljaju izvanredno svedočanstvo o razvijenoj i kulturno složenoj civilizaciji jednog od najznačajnijih zapadnoafričkih kraljevstava.
Svi akvareli su slikani uživo sa originalnih dela, en plein air metodom, što umetnikovom radu daje jedinstvenu autentičnost i neposrednost. Nekoliko radova je selektovano za godišnje izložbe prestižnih britanskih umetničkih društava: Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours (RI) i Royal Watercolour Society (RWS).
