Labrović approaches art from a metapositional perspective, delving into its mystical dimensions and utilising bodily performances that transgress societal taboos. Simultaneously, he confronts the enduring issue of an artist’s social status, drawing inspiration from this longstanding source.
The title of the work is tattooed on his chest in the Hebrew language and Hebrew script. It is a paraphrase of the Jewish sentence “Next Year in Jerusalem”. Historically, the phrase held great significance for the Jewish diaspora as an expression of their longing to return to the Promised Land and was spoken or sung on the occasion of important Jewish holidays.
By drawing parallels between the yearning for a promised land and the pursuit of recognition and success in the art world, he reflects on the complex relationship between artists and institutions. As part of the performance, his written will is exhibited alongside the performance, stating that after his death, the segment of the skin bearing the tattoo should be excised, preserved, and exhibited as an enduring artifact that encapsulates the essence of artistic devotion.
Curated by Olga Majcen Linn & Sunčica Ostoić, KONTEJNER | bureau of contemporary art praxis
Siniša Labrović was born in Sinj, Croatia, in 1965. His first solo exhibition was held in Otok Gallery in Dubrovnik in 2000. He has exhibited all over Croatia and abroad. In 2005 he attracted the attention with his work Flock.org, in which sheep played the role of contestants in a reality show. In 2007 he won the purchase prize at the first T-HT and the Museum of Contemporary Art competition in Zagreb for the video Family Diary/News. This work is in the permanent display of the MCA, while the video documentation of the action Bandaging the Wounded (2000) is in the permanent display of the Fine Arts Gallery in Split. Several works are in the collection of Museum of Modern Art Dubrovnik and Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Rijeka. In 2009 he presented the work Lisansustu Egitim/Postagraduate Education at the 11th Istanbul Biennial. In 2012 he represented Croatia at the 13th Venice Architecture Biennale, entitled Common Ground, together with Pula Group, Hrvoslava Brkušić, Igor Bezinović and Boris Cvjetanović. He is represented by the Michaela Stock Gallery from Vienna. Labrović is a freelance artist living in Berlin.
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