Reconfiguring Myth: The Critical Praxis of Aleksandar Radević
- Savina Ražnatović
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
Myth evolves into a living conversation in Aleksandar Radević's work, a dynamic system of symbols and narratives that are carefully examined using the tactile accuracy of linocut and drawing. His approach turns old tales into exciting inquiry, with millennia' worth of cultural significance imbued into it. These myths are transformed into a dynamic language that questions accepted narratives and reasserts the integrity of genuine artistic expression rather than serving as relics of a bygone era.
His inventive reconstruction of myth forms the foundation of Radević’s methodology. Rather than viewing mythical stories as mere relics, he contends that "mythology is more a method than just a sphere of aesthetic content," positioning myth as an active instrument of inquiry. By reassembling iconic symbols from Eastern European folklore, Nordic apocalyptic narratives, and classical traditions, his work delves into the origins of cultural memory while simultaneously interrogating contemporary struggles with identity and meaning. In this process, myth functions dialectically, offering models of past ideals as much as it challenges today’s "failing value system." For example, his fascination with the Nordic myth of Balder, symbolizing renewal after a harsh winter, illustrates how ancient narratives can be recontextualized to speak to modern experiences. By reconfiguring these narratives into potent symbols, his practice becomes a deliberate cultural excavation, extracting enduring truths and translating them into a language for the modern age.
Essential to Radević’s investigation is his uncompromising dedication to traditional, tangible modes of artistic expression. His concentration on linocut and sketching stands out as both a pragmatic and ideological position in an art world where digital production is taking center stage. He argues that "in drawing, you must know how to express yourself," emphasizing that manual skills are active forms of critical engagement rather than merely retrospective tools. The physicality of his media—a direct, unmediated negotiation between hand and material—offers a counterbalance to the detachment of digital reproduction. By choosing to work with materials that preserve the visible signs of labor and the unpredictable subtleties of the human touch, Radević creates an authenticity that defies the sterile uniformity of much modern practice. His choice of linocut is a clear example of his intention to break down and simplify visual language. This process of reduction, where forms are distilled to their fundamental shapes, mirrors his wider methodological aim. He seeks to reduce complex mythic narratives into potent, accessible symbols that resonate deeply on both personal and societal levels. The continued use of these established methods is not merely sentimental; it is a deliberate decision to anchor his research in approaches that have historically proven effective in grasping the intricate nature and significance of myth.
A deep dedication to research permeates his work and informs each step of his creative process. For Radević, studying historical and mythological sources is not a side academic pursuit but the main source of his creativity. He creates sustainable methods to produce symbols that resonate with the ingrained archetypes of the human psyche by meticulously engaging with literary works, historical documents, and oral histories. This thorough examination ensures that the symbols in his work are not merely ornamental elements but are thoughtfully selected resonances of our collective memory. His work can also be viewed as a vital effort to preserve intangible cultural heritage, ensuring that these stories continue to be a live component of our collective identity.
Although his practice owes its roots to tactile heritage, it is not limited to manual methods alone. As a logical progression of his methodological research, he also explores digital art. His digital works, which include digital prints and experimental adjustments, offer yet another path for myth exploration. By allowing for layered compositions and a nuanced exploration of form, color, and light, technology here acts as an additional tool that enhances his visual language and increases his ability to reinterpret myth for contemporary audiences.
His approach involves a certain paradox. While firmly grounded in academic research and the rigorous exploration of mythic heritage, Radević also welcomes spontaneity as a necessary component of artistic experimentation. When clarity of concept fails, he retreats into the natural world, allowing the unmediated influence of a landscape or an unplanned sensory encounter to reset his vision. This balanced interplay between deliberate investigation and spontaneous inspiration creates a dynamic dialogue that encapsulates the ever-evolving nature of myth. By merging the structured with the serendipitous, he enhances his visual language to produce an open text that invites multiple readings and active audience participation. The "empty spaces" in his work are not voids but purposeful gaps designed to elicit reflection, suggesting that while myth can be reduced to its essential elements, its full meaning remains open, mutable, and dialogic.
Working in a contemporary art environment where institutional logics and market forces frequently rule, Radević's practice stands in stark contrast. He advises against turning myth into a decorative shorthand that may be exploited for profit. He criticizes the cultural logic that diminishes the intellectual and ethical potential of art by stating that "the creator is either an artist or a player in the system, one cannot be both." His relentless defiance of convention demonstrates his dedication to an inquiry that honors careful consideration, the genuineness of handiwork, and the creative possibilities of both traditional and digital tools.
The artist promotes a mode of aesthetic labor that is both time-consuming and highly individualized by deliberately slowing down the creative process. Through his work, art is reclaimed as an investigative medium and a cultural memory storehouse that addresses the timeless issues of human life. His practice, therefore, serves as a model for modern artists negotiating the conflict between innovation and tradition, offering an approach that is as conceptually sound as it is emotionally compelling.
Aleksandar Radević’s practice exemplifies art that is simultaneously research-intensive and deeply tactile, with a digital dimension that enriches rather than replaces traditional methods. By reinvigorating myth as a method of inquiry and championing both manual and digital techniques, he offers an alternative narrative that resists the ephemeral allure of digital culture and the commodification of creativity. His work is a deliberate act of cultural reclamation—a sustained interrogation of how myth shapes our collective memory and identity. Ultimately, Radević’s art reminds us that the interplay between myth and method—between rigorous research, spontaneous inspiration, and innovative digital exploration—holds the potential to recover a more profound, authentic vision for the future of art, one deeply connected to the enduring truths of the human experience.
Aleksandar Radević (b. 1990, Podgorica, Montenegro) is a contemporary visual artist whose practice centers on experimental graphics and design. His multidisciplinary work includes graphic art, photography, video, and print design, and he is dedicated to both art education and community engagement. He completed his BA in Graphic Arts at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Cetinje in 2012 and his specialist studies in 2013 under the mentorship of Anke Burić before graduating in experimental graphics in 2015. He is currently pursuing his MA in Graphic Arts, and he was recognized with the best student award. Radević has exhibited his work in over 25 group and solo exhibitions across the region and the EU. His art often reflects on cultural identity, social change, and the transformative power of creative expression. He lives and works in Podgorica.
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