Katalin Ladik will perform at the Festival of Minimalistic Music: Patterns and Stitches, which takes place from November 7 to 9 at Bioskop Balkan, and her performance promises to be one of the most powerful artistic experiences of this event and the season. The performance scheduled for November 8 will be complemented by a conversation with the artist, where Vera Kopicl and Silvia Dražić will uncover the secrets of her creativity.
Katalin Ladik is not just an artist; she is a living archive of expression, boundaries, and challenges. With a career spanning more than six decades, her genetic roots lie in the complex cultural and sociological mosaic of Eastern Europe (Serbia and Hungary), and her work is infused with the multilayered experiences of the multiethnic and multilingual heritage of the former Yugoslavia. An actress and performance pioneer, her works bridge the worlds of poetry, vocal art, theater, and visual forms in ways that both delight and provoke. Born in Novi Sad in 1942, Ladik relentlessly explores language, body, and sensations through sound performances, visual poetry, collages, photographs, and happenings, making each of her appearances a unique experience. She was honored with the National Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Culture of the Republic of Serbia in 2009 and received the Lennon Ono Grant for Peace in 2016 for artistic courage and peace.
Artistic courage is what often places Katalin alongside Marina Abramović; indeed, they share boldness in exploring social norms and artistic boundaries through body and performance, though they approach it differently. While Marina engages in intense bodily action, Katalin Ladik more often combines voice, poetry, and visual media into intimate, multilayered narratives addressing gender, identity, and cultural heritage. Ladik’s work is frequently eclectic and poetic, creating performances rich in symbolism and sound.
What distinguishes Katalin’s work is a relentless struggle against established artistic and social forms, especially through a feminist lens. She was among the first artists in the former Yugoslavia to introduce performance as a mode of expression, often exposing gender norms, sexuality, and power issues. Her expression is dynamic, provocative, yet poetically profound—an ode to the body as both an obedient and rebellious instrument.
Her appearance at Bioskop Balkan at a time when communication and art undergo continuous transformations represents an important beacon in the conversation about the boundaries of expression and freedom. Through a blend of traditional and avant-garde media, Katalin creates an artistic space that challenges the audience to contemplate and reconsider layers of language, body, and identity.
First day (November 7): Opening workshop „Rzewski & Rice“ led by Nataša Penezić, featuring performances of „Les Moutons de Panurge“ by Frederic Rzewski and „Ricefall“ by Michael Pisaro.
Second day (November 8): Performance and installation „Fonopoetika“ by Katalin Ladik, with a conversation with the artist moderated by Vera Kopicl and Silvia Dražić.
Third day (November 9): Six world premieres by Miroslav Miša Savić, Stanko Simić, Nataša Bogojević, Andrej Negić, Igor Gostuški, and Dragoljub Ilić Ilke.
The festival is supported by SOKOJ, Prava izvođača, Saša Marčeta Foundation, and Mačkov podrum winary.
Cover Photo: Éva Szombat