Lana Mesić (b. 1987, Croatia) works and lives in Rotterdam
After her graduation from the Bachelor of Photography at the AKV| St. Joost in Breda in 2010, she earned her Master’s Degree at the same institute in 2012.
Her photo works and installations have been exhibited among other places in Het Nutshuis in The Hague, AMC Gallery in Amsterdam, Sao Paulo Photography Bienalle, Dong Gang Photography Festival in South Korea, Organ Vida Festival in Zagreb, Nichido Arts Centre in Tokyo to name a few. She has been nominated for various prizes and residencies, the latest one being the Stipendium for Established Artists of the Mondriaan Fund.
ARTIST STATEMENT
The main departure point of Mesic's work is the minds constant struggle in dealing with things that do not have an image. She is curious how our mind (subjectively or collectively) fills in these visual gaps.
The trickster archetype, as described by Carl Jung, is the symbolic figure who reveals truth through mischief. He employs and enjoys jokes and pranks, which are his weapons to penetrate the stale-mate of the daily existence. He brings meaning to the meaningless, reveals the truth behind collective symbols while simultaneously demystifying collective conventions.
Lana's outmost pleasure in making art is being mischievous. By doing so, she feels she can create space for herself to demonstrate the changeability of the conventions that often define our everyday experience. Transforming everyday objects and conventional settings through trickery provokes engagement, which is both confronting and delighting.
Education:
2010-2012 St.Joost. Academy of Arts and Design
MFA Master Photography
Breda, The Netherlands
2006-2010 St.Joost. Academy of Arts and Design
BA Bachelor of Design – Photography
Breda, The Netherlands
2005-2006 HKU University of the Arts
Foundation Course Arts and Design
Utrecht, The Netherlands
Internship and related work experience:
2015 Teacher - Fotovakschool, University of Applied Photography // Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2014 FAAP artist in residence // Sao Paulo, Brazil
2011-2015 - various guest lectures at the AKV St.Joost Breda
2011 Flip Bool – De Dam Project, Assisstent researcher Nederlands Foto Instituut // Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2009 Jaap Scheeren - Intern // Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Awards:
2021 - Stichting Schiedams Water grant
2017 - Unseen/Grolsch Residency in London
2017 - Nomination Prix deRome (longlist)
2015 - Nomination - Harry Pennings
2015 - 1st prize - Kracht van Rotterdam
2014 - Nomination – The New Talent Photography Award ING
2013 - Nomination – Dutch Doc Award
2013 - Pla(t)tform Fotomuseum Winterthur
2010 - Nomination - Tiele Scriptie Prijs
2010 - Nomination - St. Joostpenning
Grants:
2023 - Mondriaan Fonds - Publication subsidy
2023 - Prins Bernhard Cultuur Fonds - Publication subsidy
2018-22 - Mondriaan Fonds - Established artist subsidy
2016 - Mondriaan Fonds - Project subsidy
2015 - Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds - Publication subsidy
2014 - Mondriaan Fonds - Young talent subsidy
2006-2012 - Stichting Philips Van der Willigen Fonds – scholarship
Exhibitions (selection):
2023 - (G) - Phoebus Gallery - (Un)balancing Power Relations / Rotterdam NL
2023 - (G) - V2_ Wintersessions Try day / Rotterdam NL
2022 - (G) - Material Nation - Urania / Berlin DE
2022 - (G) - Hestia Belgrade
2021 - (S) The Virus - De Zure Bom / Rotterdam NL
2021 - (G) Constant in Oorlog - Stedelijk Museum Schiedam / Schiedam NL
2021 - (G) Andere Ogen - Stichting Kunstwerkt / Schiedam NL
2021 - (G) Lego Kalasnjikov - Safeside Festival / Ijmuiden NL
2020 - (G) Anatomy of Forgiveness - Reconciliation - Museum Arnhem
2020 - (D) Souls, Ties, and a Pile of Carrots - Goethe Instituut / Rotterdam, NL
2020 - (G) Lego Kalasnjikov - Circulations Festival / Paris, FR
2019 - (G) Pierre Bayle’s Comets - Open Light / Carla Bayle, FR
2019 - (S) 12467 km - AZC Middelburg / Middelburg, NL
2019 - (G) Souls, Ties, and a Pile of Carrots - Taxed to the Max, Noordelicht Fotofestival / Groningen, NL
2018 - (D) Anatomy of Forgiveness / Geneva CH
2018 - (G) deOpium Torenkamer Expo AVRO Tros/Amsterdam NL
2018 - (G) - 'Towers' Begin at the Beginning - PhotoEspana / Madrid ES
2018 - (G) - Souls, Ties and a Pile of Carots/ Photo London UK
2018 - (G) - Bienne/Biel Festival / Biel CH
2018 - (G) - There is No Threat / New York USA
2017 - (S) Currency of Ideas/Unseen Photo Fair / Amsterdam NL
2017 - (G) Anatomy of Forgiveness - Dong Gang Photography Festival / S.Korea
2017 - (G) - Anatomy of Forgiveness – While meditating on warCBRK ZO / Amsterdam
2016 - (G) Towers - Unseen Photography Fair / Amsterdam NL
2016 - (S) - Anatomy of Forgiveness - Amsterdam Medisch Centrum / Amsterdam NL
2016 - (G) – Anatomy of Forgiveness - Fotopub / Novo Mesto SLO
2016 - (G) – Anatomy of Forgiveness - Kulturni Centar / Beograd SRB
2015 - (G) – Prospects and Concepts – Art Rotterdam / Rotterdam NL
2015 - (G) – De Kracht van Rotterdam / Rotterdam NL
2015 - (G) – Organ Vida Photo Festival 7ed / Zagreb CRO
2015 - (S) – Dear Kublai Khan - LhGWR/ Den Haag NL
2015 - (G) – 6 years LhGWR / Den Haag NL
2015 - (G) – Unseen Photo Fair / Amsterdam NL
2015 - (G) – Organ Vida International Photography Festival 7th ed / Zagreb CRO
2015 - (G) – 6 years of LhGWR / Den Haag NL
2015 - (G) – Anatomy of Forgiveness - Goethe Institut / Kigali, RWA
2015 - (G) – Post Conflict - Nichido Contemporary Art / Tokyo JP
2014 - (G) – Post Conflict – Kinz + TillouFine Art / New York USA
2014 - (G) – Unseen Foto Fair – Amsterdam NL
2014 - (D) – Anatomy of Forgiveness – International Criminal Court / Den Haag NL
2014 - (D) – Anatomy of Forgiveness – Het Nutshuis / Den Haag NL
2014 - (G) – Clever Eyes - Photo Romania Festival / Cluj-Napoca RO
2014 - (G) – Reflektor - Styrian Cultural Mediation / Graz AT
2014 - (G) – Ficção Geográfica – ZIP’UP – Zipper Galeria / São Paulo BR
2013 - (G) – Pirelli Photo Biennial - Oscar Niemeyer Museum / Curitiba BR
2013 - (G) – Young Art Night – Van Abbe Museum / Eindhoven NL
2013 - (G) – Unseen Foto Fair / Amsterdam NL
2013 - (G) – Wit – Nederlands Fotomuseum / Rotterdam NL
2013 - (G) – Familie Over de Vloer (fotoweek), Galerie Pennings / Eindhoven NL
2013 - (S) – Clever Eyes – LhGWR / Den Haag NL
2013 - (G) – Pirelli Photo Biennial – MASP / Sao Paulo, BR
2013 - (G) – Play & Replay – Photo Biënnale Mulhouse / Mulhouse FR
2013 - (G) – Pla(t)tform Fotomuseum Winterthur / Winterthur CH
2012 - (G) – R.E.A.L. – LhGWR / Den Haag NL
2010 - (G) – Eindexamenexpositie - Trouw gebouw / Amsterdam NL
2010 - (G) – Eindexamenexpositie - AKV. StJoost / Breda NL
2008 - (G) – VNVA – Tropenmuseum/Amsterdam NL
PUBLICATIONS (selection):
2019 Volkskrant (3 nov)- Op fotofestival Noordelicht wordt de noodklok geluid, Arno Haijtema
2019 Noordelicht International Photography Fetival -Taxed to the Max
2019 Professionele Fotografie (Pf) #6 - Onzichtbare Visuele Wereld, Diana Bokje
2019 LUMC - Kunst laat het LUMC zien
2019 Kunstcollectie AMC - Een gebouw dat kunst ademt
2018 Diversion - ‘Het Grote Schuldenpreventieboek’
2018 Nihilsentim Entalgia (feb 14) - Lana Mesic: Untold stories, Sofia Silva
2018 Pf - Souls, Ties and a Pile of Carrots
2018 360° (4 may) Le Poids du Monde - Anatomy of Forgiveness
2018 Bieler Tagblatt (4 may) - Anatomy of Forgiveness
2018 La Liberte (5 may) - Anatomy of Forgiveness
2018 PHotoESPANA - XXI Festival of Photography
2018 AVROTROS, Opium - Opium Torenkamer Expo
2018 British Journal of Photography - The Talent Issue
2018 Professionele Fotografie (Pf) #2 - De fotograaf wordt kritisch denker, Diana Bokje
2018 DeCorrespodent (20 jan) - Vroeger had je hobby’s. Nu moet je een obsessie hebben - Lynn Berger
2017 Menzis - Jaarverslaag 2016
2017 Het Parool (2 feb) - While meditating on war
2017 NRC (22 feb) - Hoe verbeeld je de nasleep van oorlog? - Ilya Rabinovich
2017 Telegraph (17 may) - This woman left a huge pile of money next to a London Canal
2017 DailyMail (18 may) - Artist drops 15 000 pennies at the Regents Canal
2017 Mirror (18 may) - What happens when £300 in 2p coins put by side of London canal
2017 NRC (22 may) - Dit gebeurt er als je 15.000 muntjesop straat achterlaat
2017 Unseen Magazine (autumn) #4 - Groslch/Unseen residency
2017 Volkskrant (20 sep) - De pareltjes van Unseen, Merel Bem
2017 Professionele Fotografie (Pf) (22 sep) - Unseen amsterdam
2017 16th Donggang International Photo Festival (Korea)
2017 Fotografie (nov/dec) #6 - De Kunst van het falen
2016 Prospects & Concepts - Mondriaan Fonds Toont Talent
2016 Vice (may) #3 – Up close and personal Issue “Dear Kublai Khan”
2016 Pagina99/Lightbox (15 apr) - anatomia del Rwanda costretto al perdono
2016 Unseen Magazine (autumn) #3 - Playing with the idea of photography as a form of trickery
2016 Volkskrant (13 dec) - De 20 mooiste boeken van 2016, A. Heijtema & M.Bem (Clever eyes)
2016 VrijNederland (22 sep) - Dit moet je zien op Unseen
2016 Volkskrant Magazine (24 sep) - Voor de verzamelaar, Merel Bem
2016 Liberation (30 sep) - Unseen, fous d’artifices, Clementine Mercier
2016 Clever Eyes, Lana Mesic
2016 DeStandard (17 dec) - God is overal (Clever eyes)
2016 De Kracht van Rotterdam - Kippensoep en andere stadsverhalen
2015 deVolkskrant (4 dec) - Genieten van de reis die de ander maakt – Jeanne Prisser (Dear Kublai Khan)
2014 YiP Art Photo Auction
2014 Volkskrant (23 apr) - Uitgelicht: Momenten van vergeving in Rwanda, Toine Heijmans
2014 Filosofie (24 apr) - De onmogelijkheid van vergeving, Leon Heuts
2014 NRC Next (3,4 may) - Een lichaam van staal, Steven Verseput
2014 NRC Next (28, 29 jun) - Ik stap als kunstenaar uit het vliegtuig, Merlijn Kerkhof
ONLINE:
Feature Shoot - http://www.featureshoot.com/2016/09/the-stories-of-hope-and-reconciliation-in-rwanda/
Calvert Journal - http://calvertjournal.com/news/show/6595/photo-of-the-week-lana-mesic-rwanda-genocide-aftermath
Vice - https://www.vice.com/read/dear-kublai-khan-v23n3
Vizikultura - http://vizkultura.hr/anatomija-oprosta/
Filosofie - http://www.filosofie.nl/nl/artikel/40799/de-onmogelijkheid-van-vergeving.html
New Dawn - http://newdawnpaper.nl/portfolio/lana-mesic-anatomy-of-forgiveness
CBC Canada - http://live.cbc.ca/Article/485527-Portraits-of-Reconciliation-in-Rwanda
A Pattern a Day - http://www.anamappe.com.br/blog/2015/09/why-do-people-photograph/
Beelddragers - http://www.beelddragers.nl/nr-23-lana-mesic/
Landscape stories - http://www.landscapestories.net/issue-14/ls_14-014-lana-mesic?lang=en
Ms. Deane - http://www.beikey.net/mrs-deane/?p=7063