Painting of Subtle Visual Intelligence

Montenegro—that unusual, marvellous, diverse, and imaginative space—is a perennial source of inspiration that continually delights and surprises us in artistic terms.

We feel such joy when we have the opportunity to experience and apprehend a new, fresh, pure, and, above all, inspired and creative artistic value, such as the one manifested in the work and paintings of Aldemar Ibrahimović.

What is immediately evident is his thorough artistic education. He draws upon it generously and, in conjunction with his evident talent, achieves extraordinary artistic visions full of lavish lyrical sensibility and undisguised sentiment, regardless of which thematic groupings he chooses to explore. He begins with the visible, the recognisable, and the real, gently and confidently ennobling this visual fact and transporting it into an unambiguous creative experience. Such are all his works. He neither calculates nor improvises; rather, he expresses this idea clearly and unobtrusively, creating visual ranges that bind us to the motif.

Whether he is carried away by a lyrical artistic rapture or we sense a desire “smouldering” somewhere in the depths, there is a present, yet still understated, metaphysical sensibility that can be discerned in only a few of his works. This alerts us to the fact that this painter is still in a phase of thorough exploration—building and refining—when diverse artistic questions still sincerely interest and “torment” him, and from which, we are certain, he will embark on new artistic adventures.

He possesses all the necessary prerequisites for this, along with an already established artistic foundation upon which it is easy to build and expand. Aldemar’s artistic temperament is characterised by serenity, analytical ability, and curiosity. This authentic artistic profile may be more easily traced through his thematic preoccupations and significant achievements. Yet such interest must always take into account Ibrahimović’s clear intention: to extract from the theme a recognisable artistic rationale, to define and evaluate it compositionally, analytically, colouristically, tonally, and structurally—and, in the case of portraits, psychologically. When we keep all this in mind, it is easier to understand his path and his endeavours.

Following his development from his first solo exhibition onward, we discern several thematic preoccupations that could be reduced to spatial and figurative concerns. The space engages him in two ways. In this early phase, he was drawn to urban landscapes, while endowing his figures with an already present symbolic and metaphysical significance and integrating them into the urban space. Gradually, he abandoned the binding of figure to space, and this metaphysical union progressively took on a different meaning. Approaching the motif without prejudice, one might say, in a simple and unassuming manner, without forcing its visual or essential logic, Ibrahimović achieves his creative intentions easily, with a particular respect for content, embedding within it his personal relationship to the motif. No element feels forced in these paintings; rather, it emerges simply because the author feels, respects, and loves it—his artistic process being merely a means of expressing his enthusiasm in such a way. In Ibrahimović’s canvases, one can notice that the theme and motif serve as an irresistible impulse that carries him along considerably through the execution. Yet they never disrupt his fundamental visual logic or intention. This painter reveals a powerful connection to the content, from which he effortlessly draws out its true meaning, heightening the atmosphere and achieving a profound subjective relationship with all the elements that make up the whole—and, above all, the artistic mood. Among the paintings deserving special attention are “Motif from Sarajevo” and “Roofs”, for in these works Aldemar alerted us to new possibilities; here, the artist moves within the sphere of a De Chirico-like metaphysical sensibility. The painter also demonstrated this sensibility in a small painting, “Motif from Hvar” (1991), in which we can perceive him as a subtle Mediterranean observer.

A more thorough and deeper analysis would certainly reveal many of the visual values of this phase of Aldemar’s painting. However, we wish to note that in the aforementioned works, he has succeeded in clearly articulating and materialising theme and content through artistic means.

In addition to urban landscapes, Ibrahimović paints natural landscapes and portraits. In these works, a strong and sentimental connection to the motif is felt. In his portraits, this is even more noticeable, as the connection to the individual is obvious. He strives—and succeeds—to express the inner life and character of the person, underlining the psychology and everything significant to the motif. He also manages to convey a personal relationship with the person he portrays, infusing the painting—beyond the reality of the motif—with a personal, sentimental, noble regard, love, and character. The wholeness of human and creative strength is demonstrated in the painting “Portrait of the Mother” (1989), while his other portraits display similar characteristics.

Viewed within Aldemar Ibrahimović’s body of work to date, his landscapes may be experienced on multiple levels. If we set aside the urban landscape, about which we have already spoken, then from a purely professional standpoint, one could discuss several iconographic variants of this theme. Certainly, the closest to us are those we perceive as lyrical, where poetic quality is more pronounced; yet some bring forth certain monumental characteristics, with a discreetly present heroic, and occasionally historical, note.

The painting of Aldemar Ibrahimović rests upon the author’s attentive listening to his own creative motivation; undoubtedly, in his further development, the personal, subtle, visual intelligence will always be present and decisive.

Milan Coko Marović (1993)