Through his multidisciplinary approach, Ivan Šuković explores and visualizes memory as the storage and transmission of knowledge about the past events via images and sensory impressions. The artist integrates concepts from different disciplines, such as philosophy, psychology and many others, seeking a deeper understanding of his subject matter. By serving a tangible manifestation of memory, his mediums vary between language, objects, photographs, videos, sculptures and installations. The artworks of Šuković act as conduits to the ephemeral and already absent imagery of the past and unveil its influence on our life, introspection and relationship with the surrounding world.
Ivan Šuković was born in Podgorica, Montenegro, in 1981. He graduated from the Faculty of Philosophy (Montenegro, Nikšić) in 2009. Later Šuković received his master’s degree from the Faculty of Arts, Media and Communication (University Singidunum, Belgrade, Serbia) in 2012. Ivan was awarded the Montenegro Art Salon in 2014 and 2022, and November Art Salon in 2018. He represented Montenegro at the 59th International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale in 2022.
The artist initiates his creative process with the research of archival material and identification of their contradictory interpretations and noticeable gaps. He integrates the spatial, auditory, and visual carriers of memory into his works, fragmenting and blurring images of distant experiences. Thus, Šuković challenges habitual historical perception and releases the fragile essence of remembrance, altered through the erosion of time. His aim is to construct unconventional contexts, offering alternative perspectives for analysis and exploration. Through the active engagement in the narrative created by the artist, the viewer establishes personal associations and confronts his own position in the concept of time.
Uncovering hidden connections between people, events, and spaces, Ivan’s work bridges two facets of memory: the personal and the collective. Through the frequent use of autobiographical elements as a reflection on his own past (such as photographs, recorded conversations or relevant places), Šuković emphasizes the subjective nature of recollections and establishes a sense of intimacy with the audience. At the same time, the artist portrays remembrance as a shared experience rooted in cultural or familial heritage. His research extends to the concept of post-memory, where individuals inherit secondary reminiscences shaped by previous generations’ stories, traditions, and events. Through his art, Ivan provokes reflection on these subconscious projections, promoting awareness of their impact on our behavior and self-determination.