Study of Unpredictability
“Abstract pictures are fictive models, because they make visible a reality that we can neither see nor describe, but whose existence we can postulate.”[1]
– Gerhard Richter
Drawing is inherently a universal form of expression, predating even writing, and serves as the foundational basis for artistic learning. Although it may appear simplified, as it is essentially a graphic representation without colour or a conceived form, it holds infinite potential. This fundamental aspect of drawing is what makes it the primary focus of Anita Miloš Tomaić’s work. She regards it as a platform for experimentation and describes it as: “the visual thinking of something that is yet to happen.” The work, titled Study of Unpredictability, consists of thirty drawings, each measuring 100 x 70 cm, created in charcoal on paper. Each drawing is part of an installation that stretches across the gallery walls, forming a visual tetris.
A study, a concept closely linked to drawing, is a detailed elaboration that involves research, active investigation, and analysis of a particular subject. Therefore, the title of the work refers to a creative process that is inherently prone to distortion, disruption, and the eventual re-establishment of order. Miloš Tomaić is more focused on the unpredictability of this process than on the final result. Expanding on this analogy, the work reflects the artist’s thoughts on the fragility and transformative nature of established systems – whether geopolitical structures, ideological constructs, social orders, or personal identities – as well as the uncertainty that potential changes may bring. When viewed as a whole, the motifs suggest a crumbling landscape, yet one without a specific meaning. It can be seen as a universal ruin, a kind of matrix, a symbolic space untethered from time or historical context. While seemingly familiar, the structural elements remain unrecognisable, fully abstracted. Referring to Gerhard Richter’s quote from the beginning of the text, the depicted scene defies clear description and can only be grasped intuitively. The longer we observe it, the image disintegrates, evoking a sense of fragmentation and disorientation. Yet, it remains unclear what this sensation specifically relates to, when it arises, and how long it will last. This raises the question of whether such changes can ever truly be anticipated or controlled?
Within the overall sense of instability of the (decaying) scene, a sense of security is provided by the solid structure of the work, defined by black frames that fragment the close-up view and create a geometric harmony. This observer is provided with an immersive experience, drawing them into the layers and autonomy of each individual piece. Metapictures[2] appear, where the gaze is unmistakably guided by subtle gestures and a strong personal style, evident in details such as bold expressive lines, traces of charcoal, fingerprints, accidental frottage, and similar elements. We observe a subtly interwoven network of clearly articulated strokes that, by linking adjacent elements, form an open composition. Ultimately, the set-up, in the form of an art installation, is realised through the intentional removal of certain fragments, creating a dynamic atmosphere and engaging with the observer’s perception. The artist invites us to use our imagination to fill and/or allocate the gaps, while encouraging reflection on our own role within such a system and, consequently, our responsibility. In the end, we must choose whether to be active participants or passive consumers?
Ivana Vukušić
[1] From the catalogue of documenta 7, Kassel, 1982.
[2] According to W. J. T. Mitchell, the metapicture is self-referential as well as intertextual. While it is profoundly centred on itself, it simultaneously creates meaning through its connection to other visual expressions. See Krešimir Purgar, “Modaliteti slikovnog pojavljivanja: temeljni pojmovi,” Filozofska istraživanja 144 (4/2016), pp. 812-814.
Anita Miloš Tomaić, born in 1991 in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, completed her Master’s degree in painting at the Arts Academy, University of Split. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Fine Arts at the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb. She works as an assistant professor in the Department of Painting at the Arts Academy, University of Split. Miloš Tomaić has participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions and received the 3rd prize in the “Ivan Kožarić” competition for young artists, organised by the Museum of Contemporary Art in Zagreb. Her works are part of the holdings of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Zagreb, Erste Bank collection, and various other private collections both in Croatia and abroad. She is also a jury member for the A4 project, organised by the Museum of Fine Arts in Split. She is a member of the Croatian Association of Fine Artists (HDLU) and the Croatian Association of Visual Artists (HULU, Split).