Among contemporary artists, the Serbian painter Nikola Sarić stands out. Sarić brings biblical picture stories to a young art scene. In doing so, he succeeds in stylishly taking up the tradition of icon painting and making it accessible to a modern audience. We visited Saric in his studio in Hanover and talked about religion, the task of art and his home country Serbia.

Dear Mr. Sarić, I am really pleased to be able to visit you today in your studio in Hanover. You once said that as seekers you were deeply impressed by the profound beauty of a fresco in the Studenica Monastery in Serbia. What impressed you so much that you put your whole life at the service of art?

Sarić: The question of how I got into art is a bit more complex. It was a longer path that cannot be determined in one point. As for the fresco I mentioned, it was an interpretation by my professor at the time that impressed me just as much as the mural itself. When I went to the monastery on the advice of a priest, I was particularly impressed by the atmosphere and the surroundings. In addition, it was the figure of Jesus that distinguished this crucifixion from all others for me, and then there was also this one moment for me when I was simply speechless and totally overwhelmed.

On my own vacation trips through Serbia, I always notice that the people there, despite a lack of prosperity, make a happier impression than the people in the rich, western industrialized countries. Do you see it the same way? How do you feel about the differences between Serbia and Germany?

Saric: I don’t know if people are happier. People have much bigger, existential problems that are not only due to money. Only the infrastructure and the political society are fundamentally different. The people there have been living in this situation for thirty years, which cannot be compared to Germany. Inevitably, they have also learned to live with it and to furnish themselves in this way. At the same time, however, this also makes it easier to become happy, such as through food, music or drink. However, if you look deeper behind this façade, there are still many big problems.

What is your relationship with Serbia today, can you imagine returning there one day?

Sarić: No, I can’t imagine that at all. I have everything I want in Germany, I can’t imagine living anywhere else at the moment. In general, the opportunities for artists are simply better in Germany, but that’s not the only reason why I’m here.

They have managed to make icon painting accessible to those who are not connected to it by an Orthodox tradition. How do you explain the renaissance of Orthodox icon painting in general and what do you think impresses people about your approach in particular?

Sarić: This renaissance of icon painting has been going on for some time, for example after the war, with Fotis Kontoglou in Greece. He revived Byzantine art and managed to popularize the medieval language through painting. His students carried it on, and that’s why today we associate the icon – unfortunately exclusively – with Byzantine painting. The second wave of the revitalization of the icon, especially in Eastern Europe, came after the collapse of the socialist systems, which gave Christian art forms much more freedom. As a result, there was a great interest in the Orthodox faith in the Eastern European states and of course also in Serbia, and people began to go back to the churches en masse and in some cases even to rebuild them. Logically, this also resulted in a practical need for icons. So most icon painters have simply oriented themselves to taste and fashion. That means it has to be glittery, “beautiful” and cheap. One wonders whether one can talk about art when we are up to our noses in the pile of kitschy consumer products according to the wishes of the customers. On the other hand, there has recently been a true renaissance of Christian art, that is, of those who come from the artistic and theological sides at the same time. What impresses me and many others about such work is a mixture of independent thoughts, talent, spirituality and courage.

You have become particularly famous for the picture of the “21”, which depicts the execution of 21 Coptic Christians by the IS on the Libyan coast. The new book by Martin Mosebach, who takes a journey to the roots of the Copts and the families of this “21”, is also adorned with your picture. In the book, Mosebach describes martyrdom as “a way to make a life full of mistakes and embarrassments, half-measures and insincerity a good one in a single moment.” What is your intention behind the depiction of the “21”?

Sarić: The idea to paint this picture actually came to me quite spontaneously, I had neither a concrete intention nor a special commission. I saw the photos and the videos of this execution and it touched me deeply. I just let it sink in and that’s when the idea for the picture came up. Shortly afterwards I met the Coptic bishop Anba Damian, who wanted to do an exhibition with me. This gave me the opportunity to paint and present the picture.

Her neo-archaic style depiction takes no account of the actual appearance of the “21”. They thus place them in the old martyr tradition, which at the same time avoids the portrayal of individuality. Do you think that this martyrdom of the 21 also has something to say to people who do not believe in Christianity?

Sarić: I believe that such a big step, a martyrdom, is generally foreign to people. To me, the sacrifice for God also seems very far away, although I know many stories of martyrdom. Often it does not affect our Western world, because we do not experience it directly and we as humans are otherwise very rarely able to make a sacrifice for something or someone. I ask myself whether this martyrdom of the 21 has “achieved” anything at all in public, because we hear such cruel stories from Africa and the Middle East almost every day, and very little happens. If anything, you can see an effect on Christians. Many have contacted me and expressed their feelings. In the end, the martyrdom of the 21 has many People brought together, with all their feelings and their beliefs.

What do you think impresses people, especially in our postmodern society, freed from great contexts of meaning, about the courage to commit oneself to a greater cause?

Sarić: I think the most impressive thing is being human itself. We experience this through self-knowledge and the confrontation with the nature and works of other people. In this context, there is already a lot of potential to feel depth and height.

Can such an experience also be triggered by art?

Sarić: Yes, art can be an impulse to come to something further. That’s how it was in my case, as I experienced the most important moments of my life through art. Art therefore has the potential to convey something spiritual and also spiritual and, of course, to change people emotionally. Art can do a lot, as long as we get involved with the content.

What is your relationship to contemporary art and how do you think art can still serve people in the future?

Sarić: I think I’m a contemporary artist myself because I’m shaped by the culture of our time. Everything you see around you somehow leaves a trace inside. I’m very interested in what the contemporaries do. They are much closer to me than the medieval painters. I am currently researching the work of Agnes Martin, Merab Abramishvili and James Turrell.

How can art serve people, what is the task of art?

Sarić: Art has served many in history and played many roles, and by that I mean bad and good roles. People have always used art to express themselves, to describe something or to communicate. It will continue like this, because it is simply an inseparable part of being human. The contents of the forms of expression are becoming more and more complex and the possibilities of conveying something are becoming ever greater. The need and interest in art undoubtedly exists and is more intense than ever before in human history. You should take this in mind and take matters into your own hands.

Finally, what projects are you planning for the future?

Sarić: I’m currently working on a project for a church in Brandenburg. In addition, there will be exhibitions in the Netherlands, Poland and France this year. Let’s see what happens this year. You can find the information on my website in time.

Thank you very much for the interview!

Thank you!

The interview was published on 09.04.2018 and can be read here on the ANBRUCH website. (The photographs are private shots.)