Žarko Smiljanić Grafike

,, Lirska intimistička konteplativnost, obeležila je grafičke listove Žarka Smiljanića. Ničeg impulsivnog nema na njegovim grafikama, već samo suzdržane lirike i smirenog, sutonskog temperamenta. Sklad, prefinjenost i harmoničnost, idejne su odrednice koje su trajno obeležile grafički opus ovog grafičara... Ovog umetnika zanimaju onirijski, arhetipski predeli, izuzetno složenog registra svetlosti i senki. Na tim predelima raskošnim ili pustim, uhvaćenim u doba sutona ili praskozorja, on istražuje mističnu konstelaciju izmedju drveta i vremena. Magičnost i metafizičnost Smiljanićevih prizora jeste u neobičnoj lepoti razmera drveta, zemlje i neba, u njihovoj nedokučivosti, ali i božanskom dodiru.

,, 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.

,, 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…

,, When I saw the first prints of Zarko Smiljanic, a few years ago, I felt that I walked into another world, world of nature, peacefulness, lights, shadows, loneliness and silence… The world of exquisite aesthetic, highly unlike the one we spend most of our days of this worldly life…

,, Smiljanić creates his prints with dedication, with infinite patience and precision, in order to perpetuate the expanse unspoiled by human touch and modern civilisation, far away from chaos, noise and hectic pace of modern everyday life. Not only that he brings into life sublimity and beauty of nature, but, in his tendency to present the forms in their tiniest details within his soft moves, he is creating a new world – fragile, thus poetic.

,, 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.

,, 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...

,, Smiljanić svoje grafike stvara predano, sa beskonačnom strpljivošću i preciznošću, u želji da ovekoveči prostranstva neiskvarena dodirom čoveka i savremenom civilizacijom, daleko od haosa, buke i užurbanog ritma moderne svakodnevice. On, ne samo da oživljava uzvišenost i lepotu prirode, već svojom sklonošću da oblike predstavi do najsitnijih detalja u mekim prelazima, stvara novi svet – nežan, gotovo poetičan.