Marija Nikolic is an emerging
Serbian artist whose current visual expression is deeply rooted in the
aesthetic thought of abstract minimalism and postminimalism. She explores the
possibilities of a framed and clear geometric form, creating artworks on paper
and canvas. The starting point of her work, which revolves around the
exploration of perfect proportions, values, shapes, and color harmony, is a
minimalistic approach and reexamination of the form of painting. “Line as a
clash of two surfaces is the base building element and as such is present on
the majority of artworks.” Nikolic distinguishes her pieces through
simplification, geometrization, and reduces everything unnecessary, hoping to
achieve aesthetic harmony.
She attended the jewelry
department of art school Tehnoart Beograd, where she graduated in 2009.
Following her graduation, Nikolic enrolled at the Faculty of Fine Arts in
Belgrade, completing her Bachelor’s degree in 2013 and her Master’s degree
(both in painting) in 2015. That year she had her first solo show (out of four
so far), Money and Decay. Held at the Dušan Starčević Memorial Gallery, the
exhibition dealt with the topic and symbolism of bonds, coinage, and money as a
general concept. A member of the Association of Fine Artists of Serbia since
2020, Marija Nikolic lives and works in Belgrade.
Featured image: Marija Nikolic - portrait. Photo
courtesy Z Contemporary