PROJECTS & PERFORMANCES

The last decade marks the ascent of the Macedonian artist Igor Josifov’s career as a performance artist who makes a splash around the world and gets invitations to numerous museums. It begins with ‘Manumission’, a performance that is part of Face it. Face It is a visual representation reflecting the continuous conflict between different societal and cultural groups.

From 2009 to 2014, 2-Dimensional is a performance installation that explores the delicate relationship between the artist and the viewer. As the public walks over the plexiglass box, they come into contact with the artist on a clear, 2-dimensional surface. In this moment, they express their own agency with respect to the work and simultaneously view the expression of the performance artist as he is being walked over. This invitational performance art installation is a Pritzker Foundation commission for the opening of the Modern Wing of Art Institute, Chicago, USA.

The art of taming fire is a running theme in Igor Josifov’s art. The magic of fire has been a fascination for quite some time. That fascination turns into a driving force that forms a landmark traveling solo exhibitions. Fire in our minds remains the most devastating force in nature; however, when viewing these body of works one is swept by Josifov’s power to transcend our thoughts to renewal and rebirth.

The use of fire in his work may apply metaphorically to the times in which we live and the need to strike an optimistic cord to overcome the age of uncertainty.

— Hanna Regev
Curator of Contemporary Art
San Francisco, CA

Excerpt from a curatorial text