Ivan Tabaković – Stojanović Collection
15. April – 24. May 2025.
X Vitamin Gallery
Ivan Tabaković (1899, Arad – 1977, Belgrade) was one of the most prominent painters of the 20th century, belonging to a generation of artists who witnessed and responded to profound transformations in the art world. These turbulent changes left an indelible mark on Tabaković’s character and oeuvre.
In addition to painting, Tabaković also worked in drawing and ceramics. As a professor at the Academies of Fine and Applied Arts in Belgrade, he placed particular importance on drawing, considering it the foundation of all artistic expression. Throughout various creative phases, he explored a wide range of motifs from realistic depictions of everyday life and symbolic and surrealist compositions to technically complex studies of form and structure.
The exhibition at X Vitamin Gallery, located on the first floor of the private building in Resavska 19a street presents more than 50 paintings, drawings, and watercolors from the private collection of Petar Stojanović. What sets this exhibition and the collection itself, apart are Tabaković’s miniature works: ceramic interventions previously unknown to the public, now exhibited here for the first time.
Throughout his long artistic career, Tabaković explored a vast array of themes, which is particularly evident in his drawings, watercolors, and collages. His opus includes portraits, landscapes, urban scenes, still lifes, figures in motion, and abstract compositions. His drawings frequently focus on the human figure (Harlequin, Peter the Great), portraits, and everyday motifs (Ruins in Senjak after the Bombing), consistently showing a deep concern for line and form.
His expressive works (Diabolik) reflect the influence of movements in Yugoslav art after World War II. He often plays with dynamism and deformation (Two Affronted Heads, Head VI); his portraits are marked by psychological introspection, while his depictions of the body often balance on the edge between realism and abstraction. Ancient art also played a role in shaping his visual language, many of his figures and portraits echo ancient sculpture, testifying to his awareness of artistic continuity and the importance of art history in his creative process.
A notable aspect of his work is his openness to experimentation, particularly in his drawing techniques. Alongside figural works, he depicted urban and rural landscapes and architectural structures (Landscape with a Bridge, Bridge on the Moriš, Arad). His natural scenes are more fluid and expressive, often emphasizing the play of light and shadow.
Tabaković also showed a strong interest in symbolism and fantastical elements. Some drawings incorporate surreal figures that blend into the landscape (Cypress Trees, Island) or feature hybrid beings evoking dreamlike visions. These works reflect his engagement with the unconscious and demonstrate a thoughtful, deliberate approach to composition. His drawing oeuvre stands as a testament not only to his technical mastery but also to his relentless artistic curiosity and his ability to explore nearly every facet of visual expression.
Curator: Saša Janjić
Tabaković was a member of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SANU) and received numerous prestigious awards, including the Grand Prix for painting in Paris in 1937 and a gold medal in Prague in 1962. Today, the “Ivan Tabaković” award, granted by SANU, is one of the most esteemed honors in the field of visual arts.
I highly recommend seeing these little ceramics in person, and not only that but the space in the gallery itself because it has a special atmosphere – it belonged to a late history professor and all his books are left there, in his office whose walls are now decorated with different art pieces form the X Vitamin collection which makes the Gallery very unique and simply delightful.
【Text : Nao】Based in Belgrade, Serbia. Born to a Japanese mother from Osaka and a Serbian father. Studied at Belgrade University of Philosophy in the field of Art History. After volunteering and working at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Belgrade (MSUB), currently works at X Vitamin Gallery that focuses on contemporary scene