Ivan Markovic

b. 1970, Montreal, Quebec

Ivan Markovic’s recent work addresses the existence of disenfranchised people through another lens, focusing less on the social reality of this phenomenon and more so on the symbolic and poetic value of the outsider. Jimmy is a three-dimensional rendition of a street musician - executed in paper - that walks with a defeated gait, while holding a worn guitar, evoking a life that is wrought by adversity. Ivan Markovic uses paper to transmit meaning. The physical properties of this medium are perfectly suited to transmit elements of the human psyche, be it strength or fragility, and to convey body language expressions. The pervasive colour palette is based on a series of off-white tones, with the occasional warm accent. According to the artist, the colour scheme contains symbolic value; white as an indicator of infinite time, while the turmeric accents convey the essence or root of all living things.