Erika Janović: The Magical Stage

An exhibition titled The Magical Stage was recently opened to public at Subotica Contemporary Art Gallery. Erika Janović, a versatile artist well-known beyond the border

s of the country, takes visitors to a magical world of fairy-tales and make-believe stories of childhood and coming of age. The exhibition showcases her most effective work with special focus on children's theatre where she spent most of her artistic career. Also featured are some of her recent explorations in other artistic fields.

The patrons of Subotica Contemporary Art Gallery’s annual program are: Municipality of Subotica, North Engineering. The production of the exhibition was kindly aided by: Open University Subotica - 31st International Festival of Children's Theatres Subotica, Children's Theatre Subotica, Deže Kostolanji Theatre, Puppet Theatre of Niš, Novi Sad Youth Theatre, Subotica City Museum, Vojvodina Museum of Theatre, Hungarian chamber theatre of Senta, Novi Sad theatre, Hungarian cultural center Nepker, Local art studio Kanjiža.

We’d also like to thank lighting director Robert Majoroš for the fairy tale-inspired illumination of the exhibits on display.

The exhibition can be visited from September 24 to 27, from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM.

ARTIST BIOGRAPHY

Erika Janović was born in Novi Sad where she graduated from Bogdan Šuput High School of Design’s Department of Textiles and Contemporary Clothing (her graduation thesis Cretan Art in Application, Transposed in Contemporary Clothing was declared the best graduation thesis of the year). She completed her academic studies in 1999 at Belgrade Faculty of Applied Arts and Design (Department of Costume Design), graduating on the topic Usage of ancient Roman warrior costume on stage. She completed her post-graduate studies at the Academy of Fine Arts, Department of Total Design - scenography, costume design and puppetry in Budapest (2000). Since completion of her academic education, she has been active as a costume, puppet and stage designer in theatres throughout Serbia, Hungary, Slovenia and the region.

In 2022, she acquired the status of an independent artist. She has been awarded a total of 22 recognitions for costume and puppet design for which she was credited in close to 150 plays. Throughout Europe, she has hosted 16 solo exhibitions on theatre design and participated in over 30 domestic and international collective exhibitions. She has also made her mark as a costume designer in 5 domestic feature films. She is actively engaged in painting on silk and has had 2 independent exhibitions of accessories painted on silk. She often collaborates with the Textile and Silk Institute in Lyon (France). She has illustrated 5 printed books for children one of which won an award. She is a permanent associate member of the Museum of Vojvodina in Novi Sad. She is a member of Association of Artists of Applied Arts and Designers of Vojvodina and Union internationale de la marionette.