About author

Born 1935 in Decani, Yugoslavia, Ilija Šoškić is widely regarded as one of the most important artists of the conceptual tradition in the former Yugoslavia. A pioneering spirit working in performance, video, photography and interactive installations, he studied Fine Arts at the Academy of Fine Arts in Bologna, and graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Belgrade. Ilija was one of the first Balkan artists to move to Italy in the 70’s, he became associated with Galleria Attico in Rome where Kounellis, Ontani and many other prominent artists were active. He also became friends with Pasolini, whose death he commemorated with a contentious installation on the exact spot of his murder. It was a politically difficult period in Italy and Ilija’s seminal performance actions criticized both the arts system and politics of that period. In 2008 he received the Duclea Montenegrin Award for his contribution to Performance Art, alongside Eugenio Barba. In 2011 he represented Montenegro (national pavilion, in the project MACCO Cetinje) and Italy (Port of Art, Central Europe Initiative Trieste) at the 54th Venice Biennale (2011). He lives and works in Rome and Montenegro, where he is a member of the Montenegro’s Council of Artists (ULUCG).