Former refugee opens new art exhibit at MHC Gallery

TUXEDO

A former war refugee is opening a new art exhibit at MHC Gallery (600 Shaftesbury Blvd.) this month.

Who Am I? A Retrospective 1997-2022 is Milos Milidrags to start with solo exhibition coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic. It considers variations and milestones in Milidrags art vocation, such as his reaction to leaving former Yugoslavia as a war refugee.

Its about what Ive performed for 25 a long time from when I came to Canada to right now, Milidrag stated. In that time, Ive switched types a few situations, but all of them have a link. This exhibit contains every type, but mostly extra current performs and what Ive made but never revealed.

Milidrag notes a definite shift in his work immediately after arriving in Winnipeg in 1997. Even though he the moment had a inclination to get the job done with additional muted tones, his do the job turned much more colourful and he began discovering abstraction and figural subjects. He also begun drawing inspiration from identification and location, existential concerns of which means, the female sort and will work encouraged by Inuit artwork.

The performs highlighted in the new exhibit include things like oil and acrylic paintings, although Milidrag has also beforehand done drawings and collages, between other mediums.

My preceding perform in Yugoslavia was really minimalist, Milidrag reported. The matter make a difference was lines and the track record was white. But when I came to Canada, particularly Winnipeg, six months of winter season meant folks were being starving for colour. I commenced loving obtaining it in my do the job and switching that preceding fashion. Lifestyle in Canada is richer, and I appreciate much more freedoms below. Canada is a vibrant country, also.

Just before leaving the then-Yugoslavia, Milidrag labored as an artist and great arts professor at the College of Pristina (now in the Republic of Kosovo). As a freelance artist, he has experienced solo exhibitions in Winnipeg, Berlin, Krakow, Belgrade and Sarajevo, amongst other folks. He has also participated in a lot more than 300 group displays.

It was a excellent existence, but the war wrecked every little thing, Milidrag mentioned. We applied to come to Canada, they recognized us and now we are below. When they requested us what town we would like to go to, I claimed it didnt issue just just take us from this hell.

Milidrags preceding exhibition, Neglected Flowers, was dedicated to gals.

For me, women of all ages ended up our heroes in my encounter in the Bosnian war, he mentioned.

His subsequent works, titled Listening to Silence, deserted all commentary on the outdoors world and as an alternative favoured pure colour exploration.

I followed my emotions, Milidrag mentioned. It wasnt about the exterior earth, it was about the inside of planet.

Who Am I? A Retrospective 1997-2022 opened at the MHC Gallery (600 Shaftesbury Blvd.) and operates till June 18. The gallery is open up Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and on Saturday from midday to 5 p.m.

Kelsey James
Neighborhood Journalist

Kelsey James is a reporter/photographer for the Absolutely free Press Group Overview. She graduated from Red River College’s creative communications method in 2018 as a journalism important and holds a bachelor’s diploma in rhetoric, composing and communications from the University of Winnipeg. A lifelong Winnipegger who grew up in southwest Winnipeg, Kelsey is thrilled to be covering the neighbourhoods she continue to phone calls “home.”