COLONY by Ivan Arsenijevic
Whenever two motifs – people and a phenomenon – are present on a photography, it always turns out that photographs are, in the first place, about people and then about other things.
Ivan Arsenijevic perceived an old workers` colony, whose construction was financed with reparation money from the First World War, as a phenomenon. This colony was built for the workers of Military Engineering Factory (today “Zastava”) in Kragujevac. This example of urban civilization achievements and systems, which was constructed on the model of workers` colonies in England of the times, is still alive. But, the colour on the facades is full of cracks and community life is no longer organized in a semi-military way as it used to be in the first years after the construction of the colony. The people living there are diferent too. It is likely that they are not working in “Zastava” now, because there is not enough work for everyone.
“The most beautiful workers` colony” (a source from 1929) has aged. This institution of the “first class urban pedantry”, which made its inhabitants adjust to it in the past, has turned into a settlement adjusted to its inhabitants. Thus COLONY as the nominal theme of this exhibition became a stage, where a play took place whose protagonists are people, as usual.
Ivan Arsenijevic recorded it with frontal precision and factualist eficiency that resembles social statistics more and that seems as though it is contrasted to art. But, finding something similar on the photographs by Luis Hein, Walker Evans and August Sander, it gradually becomes clear that Arsenijevic`s images exude expressiveness and imagination, no matter how laconic they are.
Arsenijevic established a good rapport with the colony inhabitants. They participated willingly in his project. Some of them felt the need to dress up nicely for the occasion, while others posed in their usual outfit.
At any rate, the strength of their portraits is the result of confidence and trust established between the photographer and his models. Ivan portrayed them as individuals rather than representatives of a social group. They sensed that and revealed themselves wholeheartedly knowing they are not used as a universal theme illustration.
Transformation from a situation, where a certain group of people is gathered according to their residence, into a poetic portrayal occurred in the very participation and roles that the colony inhabitants played with pleasure and in no hurry. The author of photographs found individuality, poetry and complexity in places where others would find statistics and an urban, social and political phenomenon. This exhibitions shows two faces of truth in a delicate tension between social conditions and an individual soul that exists in them.
There are cars on some photographs too. It is likely that the colony inhabitants have assembled them. The cars are also old.
People on the photographs look directly into the camera as though it is the mirror of their existence. But, they are aware of it, showing that they are not surprised at all.
There are no secrets for us as well: the colony inhabitants are beautiful and decent people, and the quality of images seems to be identical to the quality of their subjects. The exhibition approaches and represents art thanks to that balance.