Sculpture
Darko’s sculptures are characterized by their tactility and the sense of interconnection, as if they are constantly growing and evolving. They invite touch and immersion into a wondrous world where ancient and distant spaces intertwine with future, alternative forms of life. This indeterminacy regarding time, coupled with an almost archaic and ritualistic dedication to the creative process, draws us back to the narrative of emotion and passion that often goes unnoticed in today’s technology-driven environment.
Paintings
Works created between 1996 and 2004. Oil on canvas and masonite.
Drawings
“Just like Ernst’s frottages, Vučković’s drawings mysteriously encode the nature through releasing texture, provoking an unknown, different world. The works invoke primordial forms, fossils in the layers of bowels of the earth, embryos of new life. A whole repertory of both universally symbolical and personal, hermetical connotations is opened. Those connotations go beyond autonomous language of art and pull in the observer into other referent fields.”
The displayed sculptures are the result of years of research into clay techniques, materials, and their processing capabilities. Unlike the spontaneous and intuitive processes that often lead to forms emerging without rational interpretation, the techniques employed in these works are clearly defined, both in execution and in the underlying philosophy.
These sculptures represent a fusion of various types of clay, subjected to diverse processes. Raku, an ancient and significant technique, has been applied either partially or fully to some of the pieces. This method entails multiple firings in different kilns, necessitating the introduction of wood-fired kilns that replicate traditional Japanese Anagama kilns on a smaller scale. These kilns allow for high-temperature firing followed by rapid cooling of the pieces in a special chamber.
At its core, the aesthetics of Raku embodies the principles of Zen Buddhism. Originating in Japan in the 16th century, Raku seeks to find beauty in imperfection, embracing the natural cycle of growth and decay while incorporating qualities such as humility, asymmetry, serenity, and organic forms found in nature. Shaping these forms requires an inner stillness—perhaps that’s why many of my sculptures were created outdoors, amidst the mountains, forests, or along the coast. The resulting pieces exhibit unexpected movements and a sense of dynamic energy, as if imbued with an inner impulse. For me, capturing the hidden rhythms of nature in clay is an ongoing challenge and an expansive field for exploration.
