Darija Radakovic is a Bosnian-born, Canada-based, internationally recognized artist whose work is predominantly conceptual, whether it is a performance, ready-made, sculpture, textual work, assemblage, or large-scale installation.

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Darija Radakovic was born and raised in Bosnia and Herzegovina. She moved to Belgrade during the Bosnian War to study at the University of Belgrade where she received her BFA.  The Faculty of Fine art at that time was a bee hive of rebellion and disgust with authorities and Darija learned how to infuse her art to express her views and to criticize the government and society.  

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Darija’s family ultimately fled Belgrade. She became a refugee and then an immigrant. She came to Canada in 2010 and became a Canadian citizen in 2015. These experiences are reflected in her art which questions issues of identity, equality, social conflict, and freedom of expression.

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Darija has received the Arts Abroad Grant (2018) from The Canada Council for the Arts, the Artist Opportunity Grant (2017) from the Calgary Arts Development the Artist Opportunity Grant (2017) from the Institut für Alles Mögliche Residency in Berlin, Honourable mention from the London International Creative Competition, UK (2012) and the Artist-in-residence (2011) from the Calgary Allied Arts Foundation, in Calgary. She has also participated in a number of residencies including The Institut für Alles Mögliche Residency – AIR in Berlin and an upcoming NES Artist Residency in Skagaströnd, Iceland.

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Darija continues to exhibit in Europe including Belgrade and Sarajevo.  Her work has been selected for a number of exhibitions including “Human Capital” at Contemporary Calgary, curated by Tak Pham in Calgary, “Northeast Southwest” at the Kulturstiftung des Bundes, curated by Irfan Hošić, in Dresden, “ The Smile of the Sphinx”, curated by Ilari Valbonesi,  at Carlo Bilotti Museum in Rome, and “The Art of Anti-War”, curated by Ana Simona Zelenovic, in Belgrade.

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Darija’s work is never the same, neither in technique, style, nor a theme, but it’s always about the honest confrontation with the issues that trigger her attention, and exposing that confrontation to the audience. Darija says, “I have always had a critical attitude toward my surroundings, and when it comes to making art I tend to think that some satire is inevitable, maybe even remedial.”

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Education
Academy of Fine Arts, under the mentorship of Professor Dusan Otasevic, Belgrade, RS
College of Fine and Applied Arts, Belgrade, SFRY
 

Awards and Grants
2018         Arts Abroad Grant, Canada Council for the Arts, CA
2017         Artist Opportunity Grant, Calgary Arts Development, CA

2017         Artist Opportunity Grant, Institut für Alles Mögliche Residency, Berlin, DE

2012         Honourable mention, London International Creative Competition, UK
2011         Artist-in-residence, Calgary Allied Arts Foundation, Calgary, AB

2004         Prize for the drawing, Belgrade, RS

Residencies and Workshops
2021         Reflektor Gallery AIR, Užice, RS (upcoming)

2020         KUMA Kuma International Summer School "Art in Times of Crisis", Sarajevo, BA (invited                            but not attended)

2020          Esker’s ‘In Common’ series, online presentation, Esker Foundation, Calgary, CA

2018          The Institut für Alles Mögliche Residency, Berlin, DE
2018         Apexart Jury, NYC, US
2011         Calgary Allied Art Foundation / CAAF St[art] Residency, Calgary, CA

2009         Workshop with Street Art artist Mark Jenkins during Belgrade’s summer festival (BELEF),                                   RS

2009         Workshop with Street Art artist Blek le Rat during Belgrade’s summer festival (BELEF), RS

 

Memberships

Visual Arts Alberta – CARFAC

Applied Artists and Designers Association of Serbia - ULUPUDS
 

Selected Solo Exhibitions
2021        NOT FOR PROFIT nor FAME, Herringer Kiss Gallery, Calgary, CA

2020          In Conversation, 505 Gallery, Calgary Allied Arts Foundation (CAAF), Calgary, CA

2018         Circlestances, Arts Commons, Calgary, CA
2018         No Exit, Artpoint Gallery, Calgary, CA
2015         Misplaced Women, performance, Calgary, CA

2010         The Psychology of Pigs, Shock Gallery, Art Clinic, Novi Sad, RS

2010         The Asses, Small Gallery of ULUPUDS, Belgrade, RS
2008         Testimony, Small Gallery of ULUPUDS, Belgrade, RS

2007         The First 100 Days, Shock Gallery, Art Clinic, Novi Sad, RS

Selected Group Exhibitions
2021           Email Art: Inner Mobility, Udruga RADAR, MKC - Multimedia Culture Centre, Split, HR                                (upcoming)

2020           Flatbed Pictures, Herringer Kiss Gallery, Calgary, CA

2020           The Age of Renewal, Reflector Gallery, Užice, RS

2020           Where Does the Future Begin?, ULUS Spring Exhibition, Pavilion Cvijeta Zuzorić,                                              Belgrade, RS

2020           LOOK2020, Contemporary Calgary, Calgary, CA

2020           Social Justice, TO THE AWE, The New Gallery, Calgary, CA

2020           Conversation in Progress, Herringer Kiss Gallery, Calgary, CA

2019           NGVU, Belgrade, RS

2019           The Kiyooka Ohe Arts Centre Auction, Calgary, CA

2019           Rewriting the Past, VIDEOPARK Festival, Reflector Gallery, Užice, RS

2019           Serbian Fine Arts 2, curated by B. Dimitrijević, Ostavinska Gallery, Belgrade

2019           No Image 2019, Institute for Contemporary Art CICA Museum, Korea

2019           RECONNECTION - Triennial of Expanded Media, Art Pavilion Cvijeta Zuzorić, Belgrade

2019           AIR4, RAVNIKAR GALLERY SPACE, Ljubljana, SL

2019           In Conversation, Herringer Kiss Gallery, Calgary, CA

2019           Black, Herringer Kiss Gallery, curated by Deborah Herringer Kiss, Calgary, CA
2018           Holiday Salon Wall, Herringer Kiss Gallery, Calgary, CA
2018           For 1000 Dinars, Ostavinska Gallery, Belgrade, RS
2018           Either/Or, ODRON Collective Gallery, Sarajevo, BA
2018           Space for Mistake, Ostavinska Gallery, Belgrade, RS
2018           Open studio and the group show at Kabinett, The Institut für Alles Mögliche Residency,                                 Berlin, DE                 
2018           Re:animation, Festival - laboratory Shelter, curated by Ksenia Yurkov, Helsinki, FI  
2017           Headlines, An exploration of social, political and subversive ideas featuring artists
                  from across Alberta, curated by Dennis Envoldsen, Jubilee Auditorium, Calgary, CA
2016           Headlines, Northern Jubilee Auditorium, Edmonton, CA
2015           Misplaced Women collaboration with Tanja Ostojic, performance, Calgary, CA

2015           Connections, Group Show, Ruberto Ostberg Gallery, Calgary, CA

2015           The Artists' Choice, ASA’s Provincial Traveling Exhibition, Alberta, CA

2014           The Szpilman Award, Berlin, Germany, DE

2015           Black & White, Phi Studio, Calgary, CA
2015           Friendly Reminder, S.H.E. Women’s Art Museum Society of Canada, CA
2013           47th Golden Pen of Belgrade, 12th International Biennial of Illustration, Belgrade, RS

2013           Bacon: The King of Cured Meats, House Gallery, Calgary, CA

2012           Different World, KEF 13, Belgrade, RS

2010           Traditional and Modern, Military Museum, Belgrade, RS

2009           Erotic in Politics, Museum Night, Art Clinic, Novi Sad, RS

2009           Spring Exhibition, Art Pavilion “Cvjeta Zuzorić”, Belgrade, RS

2009           Tea for Two, Zepter International Design Award, Milano, IT

2008           Revelation, 40th May Exhibition, Museum of Applied Arts, Belgrade, RS
2008           Recycling Design IV, Singidunum Gallery, Belgrade, RS

2007           Biennial of Drawing and Small Sculpture, Art Pavilion “Cvjeta Zuzorić”, Belgrade, RS
2007           Collage Assemblage, Djura Jaksic House, Skadarlija, Beograd, RS

2005           VIII International Biennial of Miniature Art, Gornji Milanovac, RS
2002           Zemun Salon, Old Port Gallery, Zemun, Belgrade, RS
 
Bibliography
2019           Independent Culture Scene of Serbia: Manek, vol. 8, front cover

2019           Month of the Artist, Calgary Arts Development, January 2019

2014           Women’s Art Museum Society of Canada: "S.H.E. Sharing Her Experience", page 27

2012           Documents of Imaginary, Zoran Janic, pages 63-66
2011           Republika (magazine for politics, culture and philosophy), vol. 504-507
2011           Beton Magazine, group of authors, vol. 113
2011           ALILA MAG, group of authors, Religious Issue, vol. 6, pages 46-47
2009           Art Clinic Biannual, group of authors, pages 10 and 54