Karling klub Vukovi

The exhibition of painter Dragana Mladenovic “Java Dream” presented on 6 June 2013 at the Gallery of Solidarity, Pima Palace, in Kotor, Montenegro is another step of the painter in the her ambition to inform the public about the unique cultural heritage of Indonesia.

After 21 solo and over 40 group exhibitions at home and abroad, Dragana Mladenovic presents her exhibition of Wayang Kain painting which originated in Central Java and has its roots in the epics of the Mahabharata, the Ramayana and the ancient Javanese stories.

Wayang Kulit theater which was proclaimed “a masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity” by UNESCO in 2003 is considered to be the peak of Javanese culture.

Wayang Art joins the color, ornament, shape, and patterns of traditional costumes of Java in a harmony which represents the culmination of aesthetic expression. Body proportions do not match human; stylization is that of expressionism and corresponds to the character of the figure in its aspiration to refine and emphasize the divine quality that it has. Ornamental character of the drawing originates directly from the art of temples. Its classification of colors is about believing in unity and balance of all things. Each figure has more stories related to it which explain the moral dilemmas by creating a connection between everyday life and universal art.

Thanks to the great master Tardijanzi from Surakarta, the artist is one of the few, if not the only in Europe, using Wayang Kain painting technique typical of Central Java.

Wayang images of Dragan Mladenovic exhibited in Jakarta, in Bali, in Surakarta came as a big surprise to Indonesian audience. They found it hard to believe that someone who is not a native Indonesian could successfully deal with this technique which requires so much time and knowledge.

The music part of the event included the performance of the professor of flute Andrea Petrovic.