Suspended in Motion: The Contemporary Figurative Paintings of Milan Hrnjazovic
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- 5 min read
Contemporary figurative painting often becomes a space where perception, memory, and the complex
ities of human emotion converge. In the work of Milan Hrnjazovic, the human figure exists within fluid, swirling environments that feel both dreamlike and psychologically charged. His compositions place bodies in motion within abstract currents, where forms dissolve, reappear, and shift between representation and abstraction.
Drawing from influences that range from Renaissance painting to modern movements such as Impressionism, Cubism, and Surrealism, Hrnjazovic constructs visual worlds that reflect the instability and unpredictability of human experience. In this conversation, the artist reflects on his early fascination with science and science fiction, the formative moment that sparked his interest in art history, and the development of a visual language that merges figurative painting with abstract movement. Through this perspective, we gain insight into how images emerge from a stream of impressions and how art can reveal hidden emotional landscapes within the viewer.
Q: Let’s start with a fun icebreaker: If someone walked into one of your works, would they need a compass, a life vest, or a therapist, and why?
A: I would suggest a therapist. A recent situation illustrates why. My paintings were exhibited at a group exhibition in Belgrade, where an elderly woman spent a long time carefully studying each work. When she reached one of my paintings, depicting a couple dissolving into abstract, organic forms, she sat down in front of it and suddenly began to cry. The gallerist approached her to ask if everything was all right. She replied, “Yes, I’m sorry for the disturbance. This painting has brought back memories of my former marriage. I didn’t expect that a random painting could cause such an emotional reaction.” We are often drawn to artworks that reflect our inner world. Engaging with them can uncover suppressed or hidden emotions and thoughts. In such moments, the presence of a therapist might indeed be helpful.
Q: Can you share a bit about your background and how you came to pursue art? A: As a child, I never imagined becoming a painter or pursuing an artistic career. I was fascinated by science, particularly natural sciences, astronomy, and ancient history. Science fiction, through illustrated books, films, and cartoons, played a significant role in shaping my imagination. I began drawing instinctively to express these interests, creating images of spaceships, planets, imaginary cities, underwater worlds, and animals. At that time, I avoided drawing human figures.
A turning point came when I watched the film about Michelangelo, The Agony and the Ecstasy. It sparked my interest in art history and introduced me to the complexity of the visual arts. As I discovered the works of the great masters, I realised that art brings together knowledge from many disciplines, including science, literature, and religion, alongside aesthetic expression. My earliest artistic discoveries were Renaissance and medieval art. Later, I encountered modern movements such as Impressionism, Cubism, and Surrealism. These early fascinations continue to influence my work today.
Q: Many of your subjects appear suspended within swirling, fluid forms that almost consume or dissolve them. How did this compositional approach develop in your practice?
A: At every moment, our eyes and minds register a multitude of sensations in the form of images. My paintings emerge from such a flow of impressions. There is a kind of visual stream of consciousness that I want to freeze. I usually identify intriguing motifs, or even situations, extract them from their original contexts, and reposition them within new surroundings. The clippings overlap, sometimes generating unexpected scenery, while at other times dissolving into abstraction.
Playing with these elements is both exploratory and engaging. When carefully arranged, these fragments can tell a story; when displaced, distorted, or blurred, they may confuse the viewer or offer an alternative perception of reality. The themes are numerous: some relate to our social environment, others to the unpredictability and disappointments of human nature. I intend to establish a strong connection between the subject and its visual expression.
Q: Is the swirl something your figures are resisting, embracing, or unaware of?
A: I would say unaware of. A swirl is something to avoid. It brings uncertainty, even disaster. A swirl could be a metaphor for life itself. And life does not care about anyone’s wishes, beliefs, or expectations. Figures suspended within a swirl have no solid ground beneath their feet. Their balance is disturbed, their appearance altered, their plans destroyed. A swirl is a circumstance we are unable to predict, control, or even understand. Still, we cannot avoid it or ignore its persistence.
Q: Do you see your work as questioning societal structures, or reflecting them?
A: Some of my early works reflect these topics. Big Game, a series of photographs, depicts the provocative and bizarre behaviour of a group of privileged girls. At that time (the year 2005), I had in mind the scandals involving members of the local elite, who seemed to be beyond the reach of law and justice. The photographs were intended as a sarcastic commentary. However, we can see how such issues remain relevant.
I would also mention my painting Mother and Child from 2011, which refers to the Renaissance representation of the Madonna and the Child. The image of motherhood suggests that humanity exceeds the limitations of social status, ethnicity, or skin colour. In the majority of my paintings, human figures are mostly nude. Without clothing or other symbols of social status, profession, or prestige, they challenge preconceived notions of social hierarchy.
Q: As we come to a close, fill in the blank: I hope my work creates space for the viewer to discover unexpected truth.
At its core, the work of Milan Hrnjazovic invites viewers to reflect on the fragile balance between control and unpredictability that defines the human condition. The swirling environments surrounding his figures are not simply aesthetic devices; they function as metaphors for the forces that shape life itself: uncertainty, transformation, and emotional turbulence. By removing markers of status, identity, and social hierarchy, Hrnjazovic allows the human figure to exist in a more universal and psychological space. In doing so, his paintings open a dialogue about perception, vulnerability, and the shared emotional experiences that connect us across cultures and histories.
Through this exploration of contemporary figurative painting, viewers are encouraged to pause, reflect, and perhaps encounter something unexpected within themselves. As the artist suggests, engaging with art can reveal emotions and memories we may not realize we carry, creating a space where visual experience becomes a form of introspection.
To see more of Milan Hrnjazovic's incredible work and stay updated on his latest projects, be sure to follow him on Instagram and visit his website!
Disclaimer:
The views, opinions, and perspectives expressed by artists featured, interviewed, or presented on this site are solely those of the respective individuals. They do not necessarily reflect the views, beliefs, or opinions of Selfless Art Gallery, its staff, or affiliates.
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