OKO has a new exhibition after a seven-year break!

Izložbe

19.09.2024

Author: Matina Tenžera

The venue is the Trotoar gallery, and the artist will exhibit new works in which she experiments with different media

On Friday, September 27, at 7 p.m. , the Trotoar gallery opens the exhibition of the artist Marina Mesar OKO entitled "Dear Diary… Layers of Dreams".

After seven years, OKO presents itself to the Zagreb audience again with a solo exhibition and completely new works, through which it explores its own memories, identity and the intertwining of the imaginary world and reality. The title of the exhibition "Dear Diary: Layers of Dreams" suggests an intimate journey through the layers of the inner world and sets the conceptual framework of the exhibition – permanent introspection. Through the metaphor of writing a diary, OKO expresses the continuity of its creative process, whereby each new exhibition represents the next chapter in that diary, opening the audience space for their own interpretation.

Along with recognizable drawings of animals in human clothing, with which they explore the archetypal roles of protectors and strength, OKO presents new works and experiments with different media at this exhibition. The site-specific installation, which includes wallpapers, photographs and digital collages printed on silk , reflects a process of self-questioning and reflects reflections on identity, life changes and the power of dreaming.

The theme of the exhibition is deeply rooted in the transition from childhood to adulthood, especially in the context of the social changes that characterized her growing up. The exhibition can be viewed from September 27, 2024 to November 9, 2024 , and the accompanying program will be announced later.

OKO, welcome back!

Marina Mesar OKO then and now

Marina Mesar, known under the name OKO, is a multidisciplinary artist who expresses herself through various media such as painting, drawing, illustrations, murals and public interventions. Her works often depict surreal scenes and anthropomorphic figures, combining human, animal and fantastical elements to explore themes of identity, memory and mythology. OKO has exhibited in institutions and galleries such as the Museum of Contemporary Art in Zagreb, the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Bolzano, the e-flux gallery in New York, the Mograg gallery in Tokyo and the European Parliament in Brussels.

Her murals and spatial installations can be found in Zagreb, Turin, Toulouse, London, Berlin and a number of other cities. Among the prominent works are the mural "Open My Eyes That I May See" on the facade of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Zagreb and the interactive video/wall work "Don't Follow the White Rabbit", part of the same museum's collection. The mural "Equilibrium" is included in the permanent art collection of the European Central Bank in Frankfurt. OKO graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb in 2013, and currently lives and works in Zagreb and London.