Moja majka je želela da postanem dama
My mother wanted me to become a lady
Ongoing since 2023

The starting point of the project is the question: What is a lady? Through observation and physical transformation, I explore various forms of femininity in all their complexity. The project focuses on female stereotypes, as these are omnipresent, more or less imposed, and influence early identity development. At first glance, they seem unrelated to the person I am today. However, these stereotypes are relevant because they reflect the expectations placed on me.

Inspiration for the female figures created within this project can be found in many places: one source is the contemporary post-Yugoslav culture, which has been heavily influenced by the turbo-folk culture of the 1990s, while others are the cultures of the ex-Yugoslav and Balkan diaspora in Austria. Finally, the female roles are also influenced by feminist and queer culture in the German-speaking world and the Viennese art and cultural scene.

"My mother wanted me to become a lady" opens a visual dialogue and questions the relationship between gender expressions and their aesthetics. In addition, social categories such as class, educational level, origin, and material conditions are also addressed.