ONE CROSS, ONE STAR GALLERY “ FONTICUS”, GROŽNJAN, 2005
A gallery is a neutral space, completely independent from outside factors, such as seasons, light, daytime. It is also independent of political and social contexts. The gallery space has acquired the security of an ideal place for contemplating individual artistic objects which should be understood as a whole, as a separate entity.
Straight forms in architecture, white walls, neutral floor, lights set in a specific way, the idea of white dice should assure that the exhibited works come to fullness by themselves, as autonomous esthetic artifacts. The gallery, as neutral space, with specific characteristics, bears the features of an impersonal space.
Burhan Hadžialjević is using, the so called Greek cross, thicker, with equal horizontal and vertical ends, containing 90˙ angles, and a five-sides star. There is no word about the symbolic of the cross, which is one of the oldest signs, because the author has chosen to oppose it to the five-side star, which also has an ancient and rich past.
Here, because of the absence of explanation and title from which a possible tendency of the author could be read, I start with the presumption that the author wanted to play of the meaning of the two signs and their negative reputation, but, at the same time, the embracing of the symbols from the geopolitical present. The author is giving no indication whatsoever about neither of the two signs.
He is multiplying them uniformly adding/ drawing them directly on walls of the gallery. The author is seduced by the game of the inside space, the interruption of the usual whiteness of the walls of the gallery. Entering the space, we notice a uniform appearance of grey prints of the cross and the star on the wall and somewhere on the floor. The balance of the author's position, along with the quantity of signs of the walls is confirming two perpendicular monumental objects. They bear meanings: the object with the star is located on the left sides, the object of the cross, on the right.
Burhan Hadžialjević / Jedan križ i jedna zvijezda
Both of these symbols are in fact, used matrixes on which the author has printed signs at the surface of the walls. The base of the obelisk is covered with earth and is suggesting an atmosphere of ending, disappearing, growing and marking. Two stories placed in such a way are hard to interpret as one whole. Knowing the author, I could claim this is an affront against the classification of any sort, and that the sign on which we once swore in their conviction which lead many to die, is creating a discontent among artists. The reality in which we live, despite the proclaimed globalization bears the dramatic question which we have not overcome since the beginning of civilization: have or be.
Eugen Borkovsky
www.gallery-fonticus-groznjan.net