About me
Julijana Rodić Ozimec One-Woman Exhibition
“She thought she was an oak, not a birch …”
Julijana Rodić Ozimec puts her goldsmith’s artefacts on display, unveils her art, surrenders herself to the union of souls, symbolic worlds and contemplative contradictions. The desire for acceptance is frequently hidden under versatile protective layers of verbal communication forcing us to resort, more or less skilfully, to standard patterns of polite formulas and/or quotes. The more I get to know the importance of the mental setup of Julijana Rodić Ozimec, the stronger I am convinced of potentially different, but equally convincing and credible word order pun in the symbolic substantiality of: “She thought she was a birch, not an oak”. And whereas her fragile female body is harnessed in flickering movements and gestures (like tenderness of a birch), the soul and thought hasten from the steadiness of her gaze to steer her mighty hands (like the might of an oak). Lively and permanent, creative synergy of a single being which manifests itself in the bosom of art, the goldsmith’s trade, crossing the boundaries between the natural and the social …
Julijana Rodić Ozimec was born on 22 March 1967 in Zagreb. She finished high school at the Chemical-Technological Educational Centre and enrolled the study of philosophy and Spanish language at the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Zagreb. She comes from a renowned goldsmith family Rodić, under whose auspices she acquired the initial knowledge about precious metals and goldsmith’s trade in general. Her family and education provided her with an entrance to, permanent work and creative development in the miraculous world of jewellery design and production. Julijana Rodić made her first pair of earrings when she was sixteen years old. The year of 1983 was somehow a decisive year for her, making her take a decision about her life calling, the calling of work in the goldsmith’s trade. The author’s choice of her professional career was anything but simple: the ancient goldsmith’s know-how, skills and creativity still belong to men, and only rarely can a woman succeed in gaining a socially recognised position in this “men’s trade”. The walls of the goldsmith’s fortress still stand tall and “safe” as they were raised by men throughout the history, but only sometimes is an educated and creative woman goldsmith allowed to reside and work self-denyingly in a modest and recluse room inside its walls. This statement, naturally, pertains to the public recognition and a vocational status, and the license/acquisition of membership in national goldsmith’s and artistic associations or applied arts (with the exception of “self-taught” jewellery designers and/or vocational trade license).
The precious metal smithing is one of the most difficult goldsmith’s techniques which reflects the art and other goldsmith’s skills in jewellery design. This combination is characteristic for the creation of the author’s jewellery, and goldsmithing somehow represents her “trademark”. Using the techniques of silver and/or gold smithing as a basic or dominant technique, the author designs earrings, necklaces, pendants, brooches and rings. The most meticulous visual analysis of her goldsmith’s and artistic artefacts will verify the delicacy and “lightness” of design, impressive knowledge of the trade – “male power” and skilful and tender female hands. Naturally, smithing also includes specific techniques selected to define forms of individual specimens: cutting, enchasing, polishing, insertion of a variety of transparent, cut jewels and pearls, corals, mother-of-pearl, turquoise, lava … The careful and conscious combination of a variety of techniques and additional decorative components turns the author’s unique jewellery into exclusive forms, vibrating plastics dear and intelligible to the innermost depths of one’s soul. In collusion with the jewellery of this type, the author lives under the significance and amalgamation of trees of life – both the oak and the birch. The volume of the form is also emphasised by perfect purity of the surface irrespective of its ultimate preliminary design that is also reflected in the polished simplicity and/or certain undeciphered message left in the shallow engraving, i.e. the mark remaining after a small goldsmith’s chisel.
The jewellery exhibited is undoubtedly an expression of a genuine style of the author, which does not adhere to variations of familiar jewellery design of contemporary national artists and goldsmiths, does not flirt with reminiscences of periods of art, and does not cater to popular and cheap trends. It represents motion and processes of birth and survival, appeals to spiritual cords, symbolises undiscovered universes, sublimates … It is indicative whether individually or as a group (marked by the author’s stamp) in the names of substantial, creative and feasible “cycles” to which a specific group of items belongs: Pre-forms, Nature, Sails, Dragons, Coils, Ideal City (3 sculptures) … This is the bosom of the jewellery named by a mother or a godmother inspired by the author’s miraculous fantasies (Motifs, The 7 of Us Together, Tails, Migratory Birds, Clown …). The secrets and mystery of the author’s own innermost feelings indicate the secrets and mystery of her own philosophy of life, feelings, desires and anxieties. Her opus can be seen from an even closer look, in images and words, on the Internet (www.Jor-art.net). However, the ultimate piece of jewellery is the most vivid reflection of her goldsmith’s creation, artistic design and sources of her creative inspiration. The spell of magic powers of the author’s jewellery sinks and springs in freedom and junction of a variety of lives, symbolic expressions, emotional and contemplative interpretations in a given time and atmosphere. The author’s creations correspond to this type of sensibility and appreciation of the authentic creation. If we truly desire this, we can be One in a Multitude and a Multitude in One. Despite the recession, relieved from arrogance and envy, we can nevertheless freely enjoy the work made of silver, gold, stone – thanks to the safe hand of the author.
Congratulations to the author!
In Zagreb, May 2010
Ivanka Ivkanec