Clowns
Text. Dr. Lily Fürstenow
Janos Tarko’s paintings are a riot of bright colors, featuring whimsical and humorous figurative images. The characters remind cartoons and the circus atmosphere, with simplified and distorted bodies that dominate the composition. The backgrounds are rendered in a vivid array of bold hues e.g. yellows, reds and blues, creating a striking and dynamic visual impact.
In some cases, the artist also incorporates distorted architecture, into the scenes, adding to the playful and surreal atmosphere of the works. These paintings are sure to bring a smile to anyone’s face and inject a dose of fun and lightheartedness into any space.
In addition to their whimsical and playful elements, some of the paintings depict a darker, more somber side of human experience. The distorted figures and faces take on a grimace of despair and suffering, evoking a sense of melancholy or horror. In some cases, the artist also incorporates elements of dilapidated and decaying houses with gaping holes for doors and windows that seem to moan in agony.
These pieces offer a poignant commentary on the human condition, and while they may be unsettling, they also invite reflection and contemplation on the darker aspects of life.
The exaggerated postures, figures, and facial features in Janos Tarko’s paintings serve a deliberate artistic purpose. Introducing distortions and grotesque elements, the artist is able to convey a heightened sense of emotion and expression. The uncanny figures and faces are meant to grab the viewer’s attention and elicit an immediate response, whether it be joy, horror, or sorrow. In some cases, the exaggerated features also serve to satirize or critique societal norms or values. By taking these elements to the extreme, the artist is able to create a powerful and provocative work that challenges the viewer’s perceptions and assumptions. Ultimately, these exaggerated characters and features serve as a means of artistic expression and communication, allowing the artist to convey complex emotions and ideas in a bold and impactful way.
Janos Tarko. Biography
Tarko Janos was born on 24th of february 1980. in Novi Sad, Serbia. He graduated on the University of Novi Sad, Academy of Arts, department of Graphic art in 2004. in Novi Sad. Member of SULUV from 2006. He is attending PhD studies on the University of Novi Sad, department of Painting.Winner of Forum award for fine arts 2017.
Education: basic bachelor degree, Master degree.
Spoken languages: serbian, hungarian, english
Shares the same interests in music, poetry, performances and in other fine arts.
Solo exhibitions:
2004. Gallery Palette, Belgrade, Srb.
2006. Caffe – gallery Nu Blu, Novi Sad, Srb.
2006. Gallery SULUV, Novi Sad, Srb.
2007. Caffe – club Route 66, Novi Sad, Srb.
2009. Sah – club – gallery, Fiume, Rijeka, Cro.
2009. Hair- studio-gallery, La Part, Novi Sad, Srb.
2009. Art Club, Feszek, Budapest, Hu.
2009. College For High Education of Vojvodinian Hungarians, Subotica, Srb.
2010. Gallery Lukijan Musicki, Temerin, Srb.
2010. Caffe – Gallery Izba, Novi Sad, Srb.
2011. Caffe – Gallery Izba, Novi Sad, Srb.
2011. Cosmosapiens Art Kafe, Novi Sad, Srb.
2012. Gallery SULUV, Novi Sad, Srb.
2013. Caffe – Gallery, Ocajne Domacice, Novi Sad, Srb
2014. Novi Sad fair, Art – Expo, Novi Sad, Srb.
2014. Caffe – Gallery Frida, Novi Sad, Srb.
2014. Gallery SULUJ, Belgrade, Srb.
2015. SKCNS Factory, Novi Sad, Srb.
2015. Gallery, Sivac, Srb.
2016. Klein house art gallery and social bar, Subotica, Srb
2016. Center for visual arts Zlatno Oko, Novi Sad, Srb.
2016. Gallery of Mls, KCNS, Novi Sad, Srb.
2016. Gallery Krug, Becej, Srb.
2017. Caffe- Gallery Grunf, Subotica, Srb.
2017. Caffe – Gallery Izba, Novi Sad, Srb.
2017. Gallery S, Kikinda, Srb.
2017. Erlin Gallery, Budapest, Srb.
2017. Contemporary gallery of Subotica, Subotica, Srb.
2017. The Gallery of cultural center of Backa Palanka, Srb.
2018. Gallery SULUV, Novi Sad, Srb
2018. Gallery Pogon, Night of the Museums, Novi Sad, Srb.
2018. Kc Lab, Novi Sad, Srb.
2018. Memorial gallery Dusan Starcevic, Smederevska Palanka, Srb.
2019. Gallery Caffee, Pancevo, Srb.
2019. Gallery GH36, Berlin, Germany
2019. Shock Gallery, Novi Sad, Srb
2019. Gallery of the Cultural Centre of Zrenjanin, Zrenjanin, Srb.
2019. Gallery of the House of Vojnovic, Indjija, Srb.
2020. Gallery of American Corner, Novi Sad, Srb
2021. Contemporary gallery of Subotica, Subotica, Srb
2022. Cultural cente of Novi Bečej, Novi Bečej, Srb.
2022. Bar – gallery, Vjeran Pas, Belgrade, Srb.
2022. Gallery ALUZ, Zrenjanin, Srb.
Group exhibitions:
2001. The Faculty of Philosophy, Novi Sad, Srb.
2002. Graphic Biennale, Belgrade, Srb.
2003. Novi Sad fair , Novi Sad, Srb.
2003. Apolo Center, Novi Sad, Srb.
2004. The 4th International Biennale of Ex-libris
„La Mariposa“, Guadalope, Zacatecas, Mexico
2005. Gallery SULUV, Novi Sad, Srb.
2006. Hungarian Cultural Association Petefi Sandor, Novi Sad, Srb.
2006. Hummingbird Centre for Performing Arts, Toronto ,Ontario,
Canada
2006. Novi Sad Theatre, Ben Akiba, Novi Sad, Srb.
2008. Painting Colony, Stepanovicevo,, Srb.
2010. Gallery of art Rajko Mamuzic, Novi Sad,Srb.
2013. Painting Colony, Sremski Karlovci,Srb.
2013.The night of the museums, Pancevo,Srb.
2013. 34.meeting of the aquarelists, Zrenjanin
2014. Reanimation, SKCNS Factory , Novi Sad
2016. Culture – creative center, Pixel, Koprivnica, Cro.
2016. Novi Sad Theatre, Ben Akiba, Novi Sad, Srb.
2016. The Faculty of Philosophy, Novi Sad, Srb.
2016. Forum, Novi Sad, Srb.
2016. Gallery of Mls, KCNS, Novi Sad, Srb
2016. National Museum of Pancevo, Pancevo, Srb.
2017. Open university of Subotica, Subotica, Srb.
2017. Dom omladine, Belgrade, Srb.
2017. Cvijeta Zuzoric Art Pavilion, Belgrade, Srb.
2017. Gallery of Mls, KCNS, Novi Sad, Srb
2017. Filter No stream festival, Novi Pazar, Srb.
2017. Contemporary gallery of Subotica, Subotica, Srb.
2017. Gallery SULUV, Novi Sad, Srb.
2018. Open university of Subotica, Subotica, Srb
2018. KCNS, mls, Novi Sad, Srb.
2018. KCNS, mls, Novi Sad, Srb.
2018. Gallery of contemporary art, Biennale of paintings, Sombor, Srb.
2018. Gallery Ravnikar, Ljubljana, Slo.
2018. Gallery of the city theatre, Becej, Srb.
2018. Gallery of Edjseg, Novi Sad, Srb.
2018. Festival of the serbian underground, SKCNS Fabrika, Novi sad, Srb.
2018. 50 godina izlagačkog programa mls, KCNS, Novi Sad, Srb.
2018. KCNS, Novi Sad, Srb.
2019. Gallery GH36, Berlin, Germany
2019. Gallery of the city theatre, Becej, Srb.
2019. City museum of Senta, Senta, Srb.
2020. Gallery of Prometej, Novi Sad, Srb.
2020. Gallery SULUV, Novi Sad, Srb.
2022. Rektorat Univerziteta u Novom Sadu, Novi Sad, Srb.
2022. Gallery of Mls KCNS, Novi Sad, Srb
2022. Caffe – Gallery Frida, Novi Sad, Srb.
2022. Gallery of American Corner, Novi Sad, Srb
