Jovan Mihailović: Ceaseless Effort to Be

Visit SPACE 900 gallery for a rare exhibition of the paintings of Jovan Mihailović, celebrated with receptions and live music all three evenings. Jovan Mihailović is one of Chicago’s artistic gems, a painter, violinist, and writer who has been active in Chicago since the early 1970s, performing violin in nightclubs and cafés, acting and directing theater, and continuously producing works of art. His works include more than 20 plays, 8 novels, numerous poems and stories, and many hundreds of drawings and paintings. Jovan’s paintings provide a sensual feast, a whirlwind of colors and emotionally-infused images that invite the viewer inside Jovan’s own mystical universe of beauty, intuition, and memory. Jovan will answer questions on his work, his process, and unique artistic insights, and he will speak about the universe’s underlying creative force or “ceaseless effort to be” which links humanity with all of nature, and about the “alchemy or arts” through which every art form is interconnected. Jovan grew up in Belgrade, where he lived through Nazi occupation, studied theater, and eventually fled former Yugoslavia in search of greater artistic freedom. A classic outsider artist, Jovan developed his artistic style independent of formal institutions, within the creative realm of his own apartment. His life was the subject of a 2007 documentary, Renaissance Man, and his music has been featured by Chicago Folklore Ensemble.

DURING RECEPTION: Live Music by the artist Jovan himself and Sam Hyson.

Later in the Evening, Music by "Ochin Pakhi"Artist's Talk + Q&A.