Maja Vuksanović, born in 1992 in Bar, deals with conceptual art and mixed media, where photography is the constant center of her expression. She completed basic and specialist studies in graphic design at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Cetinje, where she graduated in 2016 with a module in applied photography.
She presented her work at numerous independent and collective exhibitions in Montenegro and abroad. She exhibited independently in the Center of Contemporary Art of Montenegro - Perjanički dom in Podgorica, in the Stockwerk gallery in Graz, in the Caritas Center of Montenegro in Bar, as well as in the F64 gallery in Podgorica. Her works were part of renowned events, such as the Biennial of Photography in Novi Sad, the Biennial of Youth, the Styrian Photo Biennial and the "Altes Kino Leibnitz" Biennial in Graz. She also participated in the programs of the Interlink, Minorities (organized by the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung), Cosmopolis in Belgrade, Photo Fest in Bar, as well as in several projects dedicated to young Montenegrin artists.
Her works have occasionally appeared in student exhibitions, professional workshops, international forums and artistic residencies. During 2019, she stayed at the Kulturvermittlung Steiermark residency in Graz, which further enriched her visual language and research approach.
In her work, Maja explores the subtle relationships between man and space. He uses photography as a means to record emotional moments, fragmentary narratives and visual structures that carry intimate and universal stories. Her artistic expression rests on the combination of documentary and poetic, creating layered scenes that invite the viewer to enter the quiet but powerful worlds of her visual storytelling.
"CONNECTIONS" - MAJA VUKSANOVIĆ
"Connections" record authentic moments of their own travel experiences. Most often, these are scenes of street life, in which people and the environment are inextricably linked. Borders are erased, and different lives intersect in the same space. They reveal neglected aspects of everyday life, as well as intimate moments in public spaces.
Facades, textures, faces and shadows build mutual tensions that turn everyday scenes into dynamic scenes full of drama, unexpected symbolism and psychological intrigue. The approach to the subject is always spontaneous, in a natural environment, where I witness sudden and unpredictable moments, unconscious expressions caught in the simplest situations. All the details serve as symbolic links that shape experiences and identities, enabling a deeper understanding of the complexity of society, but also draw our attention to places we often miss in the rush of life.
The places depicted in the photographs become stages of personal stories, which are constantly changing, shaping the space as an entity that actively influences people's lives and experiences.
Visual contrast plays a key role in emphasizing the relationship between people and their environment. Sometimes the emphasis is on a portrait, a view or a gesture - then the subject is in the center of attention, and the environment is often suppressed in order to emphasize an emotional moment, a character or a specific experience of the circumstances. In other works, the focus is on objects, details and textures, which in the context of a larger story become metaphors for social circumstances and cultural connections, bridges between us and others.
"Through these photographs, I myself become a part of everyday life, ordinary scenes, the spontaneous dynamics of city life and the harmony of community, within which life is reflected and the invisible connections that connect people and space are revealed," said Vuksanović.
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