GRAFFITI: TKV
author: Jana Nikolić
August 2006

translation into English: Danijela Tomazović
November 2009

Sometime over a year ago, stencil graffiti began to emerge in the city. I don't have in mind those political promo templates, but discrete individual author's contribution to the enrichment of the city. From the start it was clear to me that it was some “female” action: the motifs choice, the way of stylization, even dimensions of those templates which are not epopeec, manlike, but somehow more like when you have some spectacular earrings under the hair let loose, so they are not really visible but you know they are there and you feel wonderful. They don't carry engagement, political or social, as much as they carry atmosphere, current personal note, as if they are some kind of blog written with art. All that TKV made so far were personal notes and by default made beautiful the surfaces they were on. There is continuance in her work, she always pleasantly surprises with the new series of characters. In the beginning there was Amelie Poulain, autoportrait in three stripes shirt saying “TAJ FAZON” [1], even Virginia Wolf as far as I can remember. By the time I started to carry a camera and later a phone with a good enough camera, many of them got painted over. Just as Klimt's “The Kiss” is now painted over, in some street, somewhere sideward from Svetogorska Street . Does she make a new template on the same place because someone gave her basically a new surface or she looks at it differently? It is clear that each of her templates nicely “fits” in its place; they are not endless in number, when you see them somewhere in the city you feel as if you are following some secret path.

Based on the motifs choice (Frida Kahlo, Munch, Klimt) and the way they are stylized, I came to the conclusion that this girl for sure has some kind of “formal education”. For this one on the post box I am not sure if it is hers, I didn't find it in some other place to see if there is a signature, incorporated in the template or written afterwards in spray.

In the beginning of March, in Kontekst Gallery in Cultural centre “Stari grad”, street art workshop was held. Templates were workshop theme and the instructor was TKV. I wasn't there, but I got some phone numbers and emails, so I am hoping for an interview with her soon!

[1] Can be translated as “it's like that” or “it's like that, huh?”

Theme: GRAFFITI
Graffiti in Fruškogorska Street
In Love With the Street Art
Ljubljana
Street Art in Portugal