Check out this amazing documentary about Novo Doba and the comix scene in the Balkans by Luigi Conte of Rizomafilm by clicking here.  The documentary features interviews with Katie Woznicki, Aleksandar Zograf, Dunja Jankovic, Wostok and yours truly.

In June 2011 I was invited to exhibit my work at the Center for Cultural Decontamination in Belgrade. The exhibit was to open Novo Doba, a four day festival of independent comics, founded and organized by a team of talented artists and publishers – Johana Marcade of Turbocomix (France/Serbia), Bruno Tolic (Croatia/Serbia), Radovan Popovic (Studiostrip, Serbia) and Mileta Mijatovic (Fanzin Ceger, Serbia).

Among the many participants were Dunja Jankovic (who also designed that lovely poster on the left), Igor Hofbauer, Ivana Armanini, Anna Ehrlemark, Maja Veselinovic, Craoman, Mark Schneider, Aleksandar Opacic, Attila Stark, Wostok, Ilan Manouach, Fanzin Ceger etc.  There were numerous workshops, film screenings and concerts organized as well.

Center for Cultural Decontamination is an oasis of free thinking located in the heart of Belgrade. Founded by a group of artists and activists in 1995, it has been actively promoting freedom of expression, freedom of choice and freedom from fear – through public lectures, art exhibits, performances, concerts, and similar venues. My exhibit opened with an introduction by Aleksandar Zograf at the Pavicevic pavilion, following a lecture and the screening of Media Archaeology – youth culture in SFRY (Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia). There was a live silk-screening session performed by Fanzin Ceger’s one and only Mileta Mijatovic.

Next three days were sort of a blur. There were so many festival events organized throughout the city, some even taking place at the same time – book promotions, lectures, workshops, exhibits, live painting – it was simply impossible to attend them all. I remember spending an entire day on this boat on the Sava River where a comic jam took place, organized by Wostok, one of the pioneers of the Serbian underground.

There were several performances after the workshop, one by EPP, one by Kopy Kat Killah, both featuring Katie Woznicki, an American living in Belgrade. The EPP combo was made up of Katie and Vlada, her better half; the two resemble an updated version of Tex and Edna Boil of the legendary SCTV.  On the other hand, Katie’s Kopy Kat Killah persona is somewhat different, and this is how she describes it: Kopy Kat Killah is my hip-hop alter ego, a hardcore male rapper trapped in the body of a twenty-something white girl with rich parents. However, this girl’s rich parents have plenty to be proud of, for one of Katie’s many hobbies is giving  rap singing lessons to Roma youth through outreach programs.

Definitely worth mentioning is Mark Schneider, a German photographer known for his regular pilgrimages to, and documentation of the WWII monuments that had originally been commissioned by Tito throughout the 60s and 70s. Though created by top sculptors, architects and master craftsmen, most of these pieces were erected in isolated and remote areas, marking locations where some of the crucial WWII battles had taken place. Mark makes a point of going back and revisiting the same monuments over and over again; the resulting  before and after shots show an interesting range of attitudes towards history in former Yugoslav republics; some show utter neglect and desecration, some show – surprisingly so – some amount of care, even renovation; naturally, this lead Mark into an ongoing search for public art in all former Yugoslav republics, including pieces that were commissioned after disintegration of Yugoslavia by their newly formed governments. Looking at all these photographs combined, one could easily piece together a clear picture of the history of Balkan states. There were even some strange and funny ones, like a statue of Rocky (yes, as in Balboa) in Zitiste, Serbia, and Johnny Depp in Mokra Gora.

Novo Doba closed with a presentation of my comics and a talk with Aleksandar Zografat and yours truly at the Elektrika gallery in Pancevo. Getting me over to Europe was a joined effort on behalf of the organizers of Crack and Novo Doba festivals; additional funds have been contributed by CZKD. I want to thank Johanna Marcade, Bruno Tolic, Radovan Popovic, Valerio Bindi, Mileta Mijatovic, Aleksandra Sekulic and Borka Pavicevic for making all this possible.  Special thanks to my friend Dejana Erich Harman whose companionship on this trip made a world of difference.

Photo credits: Marko Krojac, Dejana Erich Harman