EXHIBITION REVIEWS
"Zoran Poposki’s Theoria is based on the principles of multilevel research in the field of cultural and social theories and practices, positioning himself as an analyst and critic of a multitude of topics relating to identity, territory, public space, etc. In terms of the relationship between the portrait and the self-portrait, it is necessary to emphasize Poposki’s previous practice in which he has commonly used 'first-person speech'. His latest drawings are dominated by “scattered” fragments of collective cultural memory, of art history of from different periods and regions, details of architecture, texts, ornaments, floral elements, geometric designs, shapes… In such a visualization, all the allegories, messages and values, both in their perceptual as well as aesthetic sense, by means of their juxtaposition to the totality serve to emphasize the intertextuality of the narrative. In his interdisciplinary visual research, Zoran Poposki positions himself as an interpreter, creating an 'open work' with possible networks of inexhaustible relationships present in the complex signifying powers of the images. His visual meta-language in the cycle of drawings Theoria, based on a multitude of sign structures, and conditioned by the linguistic analytical games, contexts and relationships, offers an exciting reading through the reconstructing of the models of postmodern deconstruction of narration."
Maja Cankulovska Mihajlovska,
Senior Curator, National Gallery, Skopje
"Based on the Hong Kong writer Dung Kai Cheung's novel ‘Atlas: The Archaeology of an Imaginary City’, Dr. Poposki’s postdigital printmaking and painting project Translating Hong Kong is a visual rhetoric of this hyper populated metropolis. Plane signage, hoardings, advertisements and sheer urbanism are depicted in a hybrid manner. Hong Kong’s fast paced and congested life is rendered in Poposki’s chaotic photographic composition and vivid usage of the suggestive reddish color. We could find in Dr. Poposki’s Translating Hong Kong a bombardment of signs and an implosion of meaning in the postmodern world by reducing all articulate discourse to a digital dimension in which all signs lose their original meaning and subside into his final photographic fascination. Photographic signs have become separated from their referents to such an extent that interactions with simulacra; Translating Hong Kong in the end lead us from reality to a screen of mirrors where the Hong Kong people’s identity are lost and withered within the chiaroscuro of Poposki’s shades of red."
Blues Wong,
Curator, Hong Kong International Photo Festival
“Zoran Poposki explores the chaos and beauty of his part-time home, Hong Kong, through psychogeographic wanderings. His digital prints conflate the sights and lights he has experienced while mapping the city by intuition.”
Deborah Cullen,
Curator, The 30th Biennial of Graphic Arts Ljubljana
“[Poposki's Hush] unleashes onto the canvas a gestural and abstract energy, tied to the evocation of color but also to the expressive techniques of the sign, in a multilayered construct out of which often emerge figurative forms, profiles that seem to be creating a sort of inner scenography. Still, in the creative stage it is exorcised through rational interventions, phrases, signs, thoughts, that the artist applies to the painting, provocatively, with the intent to demystify. That results in a visible ambiguity that evokes in the spectator a conscious and intensive analysis of the word and the image, in a space which is emotionally engaging while at the same time problematic, unknown in a way, yet encouraging.”
Georgio Agnisola,
Art Critic and Professor, Italy
COMPETITION REVIEWS
"Overall, the ingenious apparitions represented in the Hauntology series reveal colorful images, abstract representations in which figurative characters are observed, and which convey information that is necessary to understand the penetrating details of the work.
At first sight, we observe captivating and chaotic paintings with a lot of information which needs to be analyzed in order to interpret the surreal and reflexive subject matter. On the one hand, the title is key to understanding the ironic and satirical vision of the apparition or adoration depicted. It puts us in the perfect situation to rethink our history and evolution with a touch of humor. Which makes us call into question what would have happened if Hegel had actually appeared in a vision of Hildegard von Bingen? Would something have changed? Would we know? If we deepen our thoughts, we will be reflexioning about the paradigm of our current culture. On the other hand, as a viewer the fact of - may be - discovering new names will make them curious about the renowned personalities.
In addition it is very interesting to discover the difference of the paintings in terms of technique and style. The first three paintings have a colored background and there are almost none blank spaces. But, the paintings are easy to visualize and analyze. In contrast, the other three paintings are painted with delicate traits and have more content to consider. Also, the background is not painted and the foundation is white. The quantity of information is higher, in terms of depictions, and is a pleasure to figure out the meaning of every detail."
See.me and Sotheby's Institute of Art