Idea(l)s (2023) Sculpture by Nevenka Spasic-Thater

Might be called an Outsider artist due to the lack of academic qualification in the Metier, as well as lack of the conditioning by art world trends. 

Originating  in what used to be Socialist Yugoslavia, nowadays Serbia. Studied Music and Political Sciences, have been working as a translator/interpreter, secretary, cook, and a bureaucrat.  Have been living in Italy and England for a while, presently living in and working in the field diametrically opposed to art. A hindrance that turned out to be a treasure trove of inspiration, as it had provided for the opportunity to get deeper insight into the current societal state of mind: of intolerance,  decadence, insolence, ignorance, cruelty, greed, envy, stupidity, corruption ...

In the beginning, I was occupied by creating "Frames for the Ego", thus expressing  the critique of the identification of the Self with the Ego; mocking the search of fulfilment outside oneself. One is not who one thinks or shows one is.

Initially, the mirror was used for the central part of each frame. This was abandoned, due to observer's misunderstanding of the concept. Also, photographing the pieces turned out to be very difficult. Now, the viewer can, after recognizing oneself, frame ones photo in it.
Since junk of all sorts enjoys my highest regard, and there's been a constant flood of interesting items, as well as of cardboard packaging, I took distance from my "Framework" and started painting on it.

My work is the frame for the many faces of the current societal state of mind: of intolerance, decadence, insolence, ignorance, cruelty, greed, envy, stupidity, corruption... The Works content determines its form and not the other way round.

It is not meant to be universally "beautiful" or easy to digest. It belongs in spaces where art is a tool for reflection, critique, and challenge—where the viewer is invited to question not just the form of the art but the larger cultural, political, and historical systems it represents. It's less about aesthetic value and more about provoking thought on the decay and absurdity of ideological systems in the contemporary world.

In my practice, I weave together found objects and noble materials to stage a dialogue on consumption, decay, and renewal. Cardboard s become sacred architecture, wood transforms into weathered landscapes, and bone re‑emerges as primordial building blocks. Each piece speaks to the tension between discarding and preserving, between destruction and new beginnings. I invite the viewer to rediscover the ordinary, to uncover the hidden narratives within everyday relics, and to reflect on our role as both takers and caretakers of the world around us.

• Nationality: SERBIA
• Date of birth : 1959
• Artistic domains:
• Groups: Contemporary Serbian Artists