Ljiljana Blaževska

Blaževska was a distinctive figure in Belgrade's vibrant art scene, known for her loosely surreal approach to imagery.

Biography of Ljiljana Blaževska

Ljiljana Blaževska was born in 1944 in Skopje, now North Macedonia. Her childhood was marked by loss. She was deeply attached to her grandmother, whose death had a profound and lasting impact on her. Her mother also passed away when Blaževska was young.

Blaževska moved with her family to Belgrade and graduated from the city's Fine Arts Academy in 1969.  She was influenced by the delicate, tonal compositions of her painting teacher Ljubica Sokić.

She married and had three children. Despite her awards and exhibitions, Blaževska lived a simple life, uninterested in the trappings of success or fame.

Even in her final years, facing a serious illness, Blaževska continued to create imaginative worlds. She passed away in 2020.

Her works have been featured in numerous solo and group exhibitions. Her solo shows have been held at various museums and galleries around the world, including Palazzo Carrozzini in Lecce, 15 Orient in New York, BLOK Gallery in Belgrade, Galerie La Cave in Geneva, National Museum of Vranje in Vranje, among other esteemed venues.

Additionally, Blaževska's paintings have been included in group exhibitions, such as "I saw the other side of the sun with you: Female Surrealists from Eastern Europe" at Cromwell Place in  London (2023), "Fragments" at ADZ in Lisbon (2021), "Macedonian Painters" at SANU Gallery in Belgrade (2009), and many more.

Ljiljana Blaževska's Famous Paintings

The artist created numerous works during her life. Famous pieces include "Piano Class" (1970), "Pred stepenistem / Devant d’escalier" (1973), "Zacarani Prostor / Enchanted space" (1975), "Deo zaborava" (1974/1991), "The Secret Laws that Govern Dreams" (1983), "Slika" (1985), "Untitled" (1998), "Zbijaju se svakojake stvari" (1990), "Untitled" (1995), "Untitled" (2004), and many more. 

In her work, "Piano Class" (1970), a bird-like woman, adorned in red, sits before a jagged yellow keyboard. She is observed by a crude figure wearing a crown, while a fish glides into the corner above her.

In "Pred stepenistem / Devant d'escalier" (c. 1973), two large, bird-like figures dance like lovers in a watery blue expanse filled with a faintly outlined staircase, sparse ruins, and small, spiky creatures. Above them floats a single blue and pink flower.

In "The Secret Laws that Govern Dreams" (1983), Blaževska's Serbian Orthodox faith is subtly referenced through a large gray cross amidst a landscape filled with cryptic symbols. The cross stands out as the only shape that appears grounded and solid.

Ljiljana Blaževska's Art Style

Blaževska's unique artistic style leaned towards a loosely surreal approach to imagery. Throughout her career, her subject matter—a blend of imagined figures, animals, birds, and flowers—remained consistently enigmatic. While she once described her approach as 'poetic infantilism,' this is misleading. Many of her works are sophisticated and complex, showcasing her exceptional talent for color.

Many of her paintings from the 1980s onward are untitled, yet her inventiveness shines through in the recurring subjects. These include barren fields pulsating with lines and spirits, psychedelic waterfalls, animals sharing the same space as humans, spectral beings radiating light, gravity-defying still lifes, birds walking on earth, and curious trees.

Blaževska worked meticulously on the surfaces of her paintings, creating works that often resembled ancient frescoes in their worn beauty. She had a profound connection to water, swimming daily in Belgrade's central lake from March to November. The prevalence of blue in her palette is likely a tribute to her aquatic affinity.