1. When did Tito as a theme began to interest you? Why?
I travelled bosnia, slovenia and kroatia and encountered images of TITO on posters, t-shirts and postcards. also I had a studio in the alternative culture center METLEKOVA in the heart of ljubljana and there was an image of TITO in every single night club. given the competitive, sometimes even hostile, situation there, that was actually the symbolic connection between the metelkova-clubs, josip broz tito. so when a galerija ALKATRAZ was asking me to produce a series of works for an exhibition, I decided to work on the former yugoslav president, like creating a european che guevara t-shirt print an icon. approaching this rather heavy historical figure with a very light and pop attitude.
2. What does the painting of Mother Tito represent - why this particular
image?
I started quite blank, without any historical facts and no personal connection. the only element was this peculiar attachment of all those people. most of them wouldn´t even see "their" TITO as a political statement. and that was a fun thing to work on, something so heavy (socialism, WW II, ...) taken so light ... it was a naive game ... in the beginning. after a while I became more aware that this man really means something to some people. nowadays they are living under increasing economic pressure, working for little money, people that lost families in the balkan wars ... for some this man is a symbol for a better past. some despise him but anyhow I really didn´t feel like making fun of peoples feelings. but there was a different, more subconscious level. two things came together, on the one hand the emotional attachment seemed so little political, so privat. on the other you have the rather traditional patriarchal society on the balkans, with the unavoidable homophobic sub tone. all this lead to the image of TITO, the mother of yugoslavia, a symbol of non-sexual, or rather trans-sexual, subconscious desire; therefor I continued with my work.
3. Have you had much contact with either former Yugoslavia (through travels)
or with people from there?
well, before my travels in 2007 not much, once in 1993 I made a trip to hvar, visiting an old fisherman, a friend of a friend. from his house one could see the dalmatian coast and on the way back, through split we passed big metal barrels full of heroin-needles and groups of men dressed in camo. I recall how absurd it all felt, going to swim, enjoying the sun ... at the edge of this tragedy.
4. If so, how have those connections inspired you?
I remember how welcome we were, really heartwarming, how everybody seemed a bit lost facing the war... we saw teenage boys hurdling themselves of 15meter cliffs high on heroin, as if they were longing for wings to fly away.
5. Have you spoken with your peers from former Yugoslavia (so
30-some-year-olds either living in Austria or those still in some of the
former Republics) - what does Tito mean to them and how do they perceive
your work?
people outside yugoslavia are not much aware of the historical figure, especially my generation. like me, nobody really heard much about him, we had to learn a few facts in school, but who remembers dates and names? former yugoslavs on the other hand, that were born the time he died seemed to have a very relaxed, jet distinct relation to him. after all their parents ... well, the young people that have seen these paintings are moved and amused, so far (in slovenia) I got only good reactions.
6. When you think of Josip Broz Tito, what words come to mind - and how is
this terminology reflected in your work?
big man, both in the importance he had for the balkan history but also in the sense that his body was kind of huge. but that is a very common phenomenon, no? good food, good wine, lots of meetings kind of shapes many politicians. I prefer the starving artist type, little resources, flat stomach.
7. How would you define Yugostalgia (simply as longing for former Yugoslavia
or something different)? Or longing for what in particular? How did you come
at this definition?
yugostalgia is a state of mind, it is both, regressive retro, longing for a better past, frozen in the icebox of illusions. but it also means an utopian strive, searching, working for some idea that you find in those early speeches of tito, the unity of man under fair and equal conditions. you find this spirit elsewhere, you find it in the human rights charter, the preamble of the european economic community, holy books ... a passion for peace, wealth, democracy and joy.
8. Mitja Velikonja says: "His works are funny precisely because they are so
serious." Can you talk a little bit about the humour in your work.
take a look at the current discussion about titos history, about war crimes or suppressed human rights. there is always fixed points of view, polemic violence and pride involved. as a cultural, psychological phenomenon those motions are the acceptance to inflicted violence and pain upon "them" (and as a expectable reaction upon "us"), the circle of pride, hate and violence continues. sigmund freud referred to this mechanism as the comulation of pride/lust in the ego, I hate/suffer but I do so for a "holy" cause. this "dark"lust substitutes the original wish for joy, but does hide its origin in order not to be uncovered as a simple longing for joy. because pride is too proud to be joyful.
this is of course a simplification but anyhow, humor breaks this circle of darkness ... make people laugh about themselves and they will be less accessible for nationalism, fascism and hating their own kind. in reality my interview with you unfortunately ends with heavy theory instead, jebiga.