10 Questions with Alisa Teletović
Alisa Teletović, 1974, is a prominent and independent Bosnian Herzegovina and Australian artist. She started painting at the age of 11 and was called a strong and spontaneous talent. She won two awards in former Yugoslavia. At the age of 15, in 1988, she had her first solo exhibition, where she presented herself with an abstract style of painting. Even then, she deviates from traditional and realistic ways of painting and leaves established painting techniques. Unfortunately, the war interrupted her development through school art. She left Mostar and became a refugee in Austria, and her life path took a new course. She lived shortly in Klagenfurt to finally settle down in Australia.
She finished her Bachelor of Art in 2000 from RMIT University in Melbourne and an Advanced Diploma in Electronic Design and Interactive Media. She lived, created, and exhibited for 17 years in Australia. The merging of two worlds through a great life experience intertwines in Alisa’s paintings as she paints her thoughts, emotions and life. In 2011, Alisa returned to Bosnia and Hercegovina. She is a member of the Association of Fine and Applied Artists of BiH, HKD Napredak, and ULUBIH. She exhibited her works at over thirty solo exhibitions, among others, in Strasburg, London, Berlin, Dubai, Venice, Rome, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, Vienna, Abu Dhabi, Sarajevo and Tuzla. She is the laureate of a number of recognitions and awards. She works in graphic design and product design. She is the founder of several brands, but recently, she devoted herself only to painting. Her small miniatures are called Michice, and they are pure joy and innocence of bigger works in a small space. The artworks of Alisa Teletović are in public and private collections around the world. Living in Sarajevo for the last 12 years, he creates inspiring works of art in his studies and promotes her art outside Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Alisa Teletović - Portrait
ARTIST STATEMENT
As an expressive and figurative artist, Alisa Teletovic is almost like a visual storyteller of her own life and all its complexities. Drawn to the expressive power of figurative art, believing that artistic creativity is a universal language, Alisa is capable of conveying bad and good emotions in her art.
Dealing with the pain of war and its trauma, then the questions of displacement and crises, Alisa was confronted with the inner questions that her pain answered, and her work became a process to heal her wounds. Many times, she said art saves her. Almost like a spiritual quest, her work is gentle and intensive at the same time, with bold colours that come instinctively and lines that ground her. The paintings are full of vibrant colours that are more than life itself. They are felt and enjoyed in their joyful expression of vivacity and lust for life. Her artistic journey has been a continuous process of exploration and experimentation. Constantly seeking new ways to express ideas and emotions, pushing the boundaries of traditional techniques and materials. Free in using all that serves the exploration.
The works can be divided into a few different expressions, landscapes dynamic yet gentle, expressive hand paintings, where a sense of energy and movement is evident. Alisa is interested in capturing the subtle emotion and the raw beauty of the mark-making. It comes from inside, and as she allows her inner spirit to guide her.
In the second part of her work, she explores faces through landscapes, making them present and part of the land—faces of people who became birds, angels, and rivers. Dreaming of a better world, the work is emotional and evocative, capable of stirring the soul. We are yet to see ambiguous abstracts that she is coming into as she opens up more into the serious body of work.
Dive into Emotions, mixed media, 80x80 cm, 2023 © Alisa Teletović
INTERVIEW
Are you still following the same inspiration? And how did your work evolve over time?
My first works of art were abstract shapes and forms. Later in life, I struggled to find my own style. The fall of Yugoslavia and the war made me a refugee, and I lost my home, left my family to survive and then settled in Austria and then Australia.
I was full of emotions that were sad, depressed and angry. When I graduated from university in Melbourne in 2000, I finally found the strength to look for artist-run spaces and galleries. I was very lucky and free to paint my emotions about different stages in life. This is the beginning of figurative work, which will be mixed with expressiveness. I was very shy and did not have the confidence youngsters do today.
Slowly, and with the help of some good people in the artistic world, I became aware of my style, story and how unique it was. I would get positive feedback travelling around Australia and having art shows in all the places I lived. Later, when we returned to Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the work became more expressive and fluid, with layers and colours. I came back to face my fears, deal with trauma, and rise up to authentic myself and heal through my art.
Let's talk about your work. What inspired you to work with painting?
My work is the emotional journey of my life. All the challenges and stages, bad and good, are there. All my thoughts, messages for life and life, what I choose to be and how I choose to be in this life. Making a family, a safe and sound home, and love gave me space and shelter to paint the same.
Inspiration comes instinctively, freely; many times, I paint from memory a particular landscape; I am touched by nature, rivers, and the sun; I am touched by my spiritual world, fragmented strange faces on the stone, tree branches, mountains, and clouds.
Dreamer, mixed media, 80x80 cm, 2023 © Alisa Teletović
Journey of Angel, mixed media, 80x80 cm, 2023 © Alisa Teletović
How would you define your style? And how has it evolved over the years?
I am an expressive and figurative artist. My style and art have evolved so much, but remain honest, sometimes naive and free from traditional boundaries.
Now, I'm entering my best painting years; I'm constantly working and painting. It's like I've been holding back, and now I'm going to fly. Many artists love my art and have been following me for years. Many younger generations have started taking art careers seriously, too.
How do you choose the subjects of your paintings? And what is your creative process like?
I feel this desire to paint, and I listen to it. It is the inner voice that guides me. Very often, I just start the process and then follow the special moment where the magic happens. It's a silent conversation with yourself. I work in layers and build up. Sometimes, I call this a sweet fight.
Sometimes, I'm free to make fast and quick brushstrokes, but if I'm not happy, I go back to it until I'm internally happy with it. It is so rewarding to experiment, research and love painting.
Journey of Love, mixed media, 80x80 cm, 2023 © Alisa Teletović
In your statement, you mention how you are interested in "capturing the subtle emotion and the raw beauty of the mark-making." Can you tell us more about it? And how does it influence your practice?
Yes, it's that special moment when it comes; it's when I listen to my inner voice that guides me to be gentle, subtle, honest, and sincere. This is how unconsciousness leaves traces; sometimes, if I am open and not expecting anything to resolve itself in this place that is special, mine, safe and protected. I am a picture of time standing still, and I have all the time in the world. In that time and place, I destroyed so many paintings and released the hell on the painting, just to discover that in that moment, I came home. The artwork becomes satisfying and beautiful truth.
What do you hope that the public takes away from your work?
I wish they would be moved, heartfelt and transformed, for them to remember something special from childhood, to be smiling, feeling energized, healed, like a path to inner peace, love, and passion.
2 Hearts, mixed media, 80x80 cm, 2023 © Alisa Teletović
Heart, mixed media, 80x80 cm, 2023 © Alisa Teletović
What are you working on now, and what are your plans for the future in terms of new projects?
I just returned to the Council of Europe's Agora Gallery in Strasbourg, France. It was a great opportunity to be there representing myself and my country, Bosnia and Hercegovina, for the first time.
I have a solo exhibition in Slovenia in June and some other group exhibitions. I work very hard. I have to paint, but I also have to find my way and get new opportunities. It is very hard to follow the constant changes of social networks and do everything that is necessary while painting, looking for exhibitions, art calls, and opportunities far from my home and even harder with paperwork and delivery of paintings. I guess I'm extremely grateful now because I realize I'm free, and I do what I want; rewards arrive by selling work and having respect. I am grateful for the opening exhibitions when people approach me and open themselves to me. They talk about how my paintings move them. It is special.
Do you have any upcoming shows or collaborations you are looking forward to?
As I mentioned earlier, I always plan to grow and learn more as an artist and give my best. I am representing women artists of modern art from Bosnia and Herzegovina with influences from far and beyond Australia. I am always in search of good gallery and art curators to get to know me and my art in order to continue living my purpose.
Finally, what is your biggest goal for 2024?
To continue being creative. May my paintings never leave me.
Artist’s Talk
Al-Tiba9 Interviews is a promotional platform for artists to articulate their vision and engage them with our diverse readership through a published art dialogue. The artists are interviewed by Mohamed Benhadj, the founder & curator of Al-Tiba9, to highlight their artistic careers and introduce them to the international contemporary art scene across our vast network of museums, galleries, art professionals, art dealers, collectors, and art lovers across the globe.
