Žarko Smiljanić Grafike

,, His graphic sheets are simplified and recognisable. That is a world of silence, emanating from the waving hills and fields of velvety softness, and beyond, a wide sky, grey or midnight blue lies. Seemingly, these are the simple scenes of nature, which consist of two, three wide surfaces, expertly selected and tightly composed in the entirety… Smiljanić has completely immersed himself into his poetic world, indifferent to evanescent, fashionable trends which are quickly fading in the art scene. These landscapes, inhabited by human figures are poetic visions of a distant and pure world, left to the infinite silence of time…

,, Na Smiljanićevim grafikama nema figuralnih motiva, nema ljudi... Tu su biljke, predmeti, nebeski svod, sedam Vlašića. Učini nam se da nema života, međutim mnogo je životnog u tim grafikama, tu je život, tu su ljudi - samo ih treba otkriti.

,, Kada sam pre dosta godina video prve grafike Žarka Smiljanića, osetio sam da prelazim u jedan drugi svet, svet prirode, spokojstva, svetla, senki, osame i tišine...
Svet naročite estetizovanosti, veoma različit od onoga u kojem provodimo većinu dana svog ovozemaljskog života...

,, Žarko Smiljanić finim grafičkim tkanjem, izuzetnom senzibilnošću i tonskom iznijansiranošću otiskuje delove predela...Njegov potez nekad je minuciozan, drugi put vibrantan, ali uvek siguran i precizan. Korišćenjem odabrane tonske skale dočarava poetsko lirski štimung.
Žarko Smiljanić poseduje raskošno umeće grafičkog zanata i osobeno osećanje sveta i prirode. Kombinovanjem grafičkih tehnika duboke štampe, ostvaruje kompozicije jedinstvenih, istančanih rešenja i nadrealne atmosferske bajkovitosti.

,, There are no figural motifs, no people in Smiljanic’s prints...Only plants, objects, firmament or Pleiades (Seven Sisters star cluster) can be seen. It appears that there is no life at all, however, there is much life in his graphics, there are so many souls - only they have to be discovered there.

,, Prints performed in extraordinary skills. Smiljanic builds his plate carefully, patiently, in long-term processes, in classic techniques of printmaking, aquatint, vernis-mou, mezzotint. As the old masters had done long ago. In tradition of the noble craft skills. Usually in two plates, where the first plate often boasts mossy, grassy green, rich in structure, whilst the second plate, in its velvet black nuance, defines the scenery, light and shadow…

,, Through his fine graphic knitting, exceptional sensitivity and tonal shading, Zarko Smiljanic prints out parts of the landscapes… His stroke across the plate is sometimes meticulous, then vibrant, but still steady and accurate. Using the selected tone scale he evokes the poetic-lyrical ambience. Zarko Smiljanic possesses lavish sense for graphic art and specifically he digests the world and nature throughout. Combining various printmaking techniques, he achieves unique composition of subtle solutions and surreal atmospheric fairy-tale.

,, Zarko Smiljanic’s prints simply ask us to listen them and to understand their untouchable tranquility that they have been soaked with, impel us to dream for a while, to escape into untouched world that is around us, the world that we’ve unconsciously abandoned.