Conflict lies at the heart of Mihael Milunovic’s art, which encompasses painting, ink drawings, performance and installation. His visual narratives reflect on the uncomfortable realities of contemporary existence, de-contextualising everyday objects, symbols or situations to explore the ubiquity of violence and manipulation.

Born in Belgrade in 1967, Milunovic grew up in a family of artists. He attended the Belgrade Faculty of Fine Arts then went on to study at École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts de Paris, under Marina Abramovic and Tony Brown. In his paintings, human figures are portrayed with melting heads, features are replaced by geometrical forms and recurring motifs such as rockets, tanks or flags suggest the constant threat of violence. Bold colour and dynamic composition infuse his scenes with energy, heightening the sense of tension.

Milunovic has hosted solo exhibitions across Europe, including at the Contemporary Art Museum in Belgrade, and participated in numerous group shows at prestigious venues such as the China Art Museum, Shanghai, and the Contemporary Art Museum in Naples. His work forms part of the permanent collections at MUMOK Vienna, Palazzo Forti, Verona, and Musée d’Art et d’Industrie, Saint-Étienne, France, among others, and in 2018, Milunovic received the prestigious Foundations Roux & Tronchet Prize for Painting. More recently, he created the set design for Pastoral for the Planet, an interpretation of Beethoven’s 6th Symphony by La Fura dels Baus and Insula Orchestra, premiered in 2020.