Upside Down

"Upside Down"  is a photographic diptych performance tribute to Sonja Savić (1961-2008), a brilliant actress whose career marked an era spanning Tito's Yugoslavia and its eventual dissolution. Beyond her prolific multidisciplinary artistry, Sonja was a vocal critic of the cultural and political trajectory her country took during the 1990s and has been continuing until today. Her identity, characterized by a blend of femininity and childlike innocence, became the cornerstone of my performance.

 By playing on a swing installed in the garden of her home in Čačak, I capture the intersection of our personal acts of rebellion. This gesture symbolizes the convergence of her defiance and mine, celebrating the spirit of resistance.

 The title, "Upside Down," describes the photographs displayed, urging viewers to recognize that even when society demands conformity and confines us within narrow boundaries, we must remain steadfast in our principles. The work serves as a reminder that, despite unfavorable social and historical circumstances, it is essential to sustain the drive for civil and artistic rebellion, standing against predominantly conservative and traditional environments.

Maja Smrekar, "Upside Down", 2024, commission by Nadežda Petrović Gallery, for the 32nd Nadežda Petrović Memorial / Memorial Sonja S. curated by Zdenka Badovinac.

Photo: Goran V. Popovski

Production Marija Radisavčević and Predrag Živković

Special thanks to Byron