The Leonid Šejka’s Cabinet of Curiosities

Abstract

Bogat opus likovnih dela,ali i literarni spisi umetnika Leonida Šejke nastali su tokom pedesetih i šezdesetih godina 20. veka u Beogradu. Stvaralaštvo ovog umetnika, iako jednog od osnivača i aktivnih članova grupe Mediala, veoma je ka- rakteristično i predstavlja jedinstvenu pojavu na čitavom jugoslovenskom prostoru ovog doba. Služeći se koncep- tom kabineta čudesa, fenomenom karakterističnim za rano moderno doba, u ovom radu ponudiće se jedno od mogućih tumačenja sveukupnog Šejkinog stvaralaštva i aktivnosti. Analizirajući njegova likovna dela, zapise i osvrćući se na neke od zaključaka istoričara umetnosti koji su se do sada bavili analizom pojedinačnih dela i serija radova, ili feno- mena osobenih za njegovo stvaralaštvo, pokazaće se kako se Šejkin opus, te način života i razumevanja sveta, treba- ju sagledati u celini, kao konstantan put ka kreiranju svoje- vrsnog modernog kabineta čudesa. Šejkino umetničko po- našanje uporedivo je sa pojedinim modernim umetnicima 20. veka i poetikama koje se neguju u kontekstu dadaizma i nadrealizma. Najzad, ovakav Šejkin pristup otvorio je put i mnogim savremenim umetnicima-kolekcionarima na pro- storima bivše Jugoslavije, koji danas otvoreno koriste mo- dele postavke kabineta čudesa.

A rich opus of artworks, but also the literary writings of the artist Leonid Šejka were created in Belgrade during the 1950s and 1960s. Although he was one of the founders and active members of the Mediala group, this artist’s work is very characteristic and represents a unique phenomenon in the whole Yugoslav area of this period. Using the concept of the cabinet of curiosities (Wunderkammer), a phenomenon characteristic of the early modern age, this paper presents one of the possible interpretations of Šejka's overall creativity and activities. By analysing his artworks and writings, and referencing some of the conclusions of art historians who have interpreted his individual artworks and art series or phenomena specific to his work, this paper shows that Šejka's opus, way of life and understanding of the world should be viewed as a whole, as a constant path to creating some kind of a modern cabinet of curiosities. Šejka's artistic behaviour is comparable to the work of some modern artists of the 20th century, and the poetics that were nurtured in the context of Dadaism and Surrealism. Finally, this approach of Šejka's opened the way for contemporary artists-collectors in the former Yugoslavia, who today openly use the settings of the cabinet of curiosities.