Gastarbajter

G A S T A R B E I T E R

03.07 – 27.08. 2025

X VITAMIN

Resavska 19, Belgrade, RS

Mario Grubisić

Marko Lulić

Neda Nikolić

Negra Bernhard

Nikola Milojčević

Rade Petrašević

Masa Stanić

curated by Stefan Bidner

Changes in key statistical indicators, such as the decline of the wage share, the rise in productivity and unemployment, the expansion of access to education, and so on, can be considered evidence of broader social changes whose significance must be determined and political consequences assessed.

This also shapes our current understanding of culture and art. The process of Europeanisation/globalisation may seem at first glance to erase the boundaries between cultures and their artistic expressions, but analytically viewed, the close networking does not create a large cultural pool; rather, the old cultural diversity of the world is being replaced by new inequalities. Today, economic and geographical parameters are closely linked: globalisation operates to the advantage of a minority and marginalises the majority of the world’s population.

How does the majority society within a state relate to the “foreign cultures” living within its borders? Are they perceived as a threat, a disturbance, or an enrichment? Put differently: how do minorities use their cultural difference to make themselves heard globally and to assert their own interests? Because neither immigrants, nor Roma, nor guest workers, nor refugees belong to the national ruling classes.

Cultural structures, categories, and standards are shaped by power relations. Which cultural differentiations are acknowledged, which are ignored, suppressed, or “folklorised,” depends on globally dominant structures.

If we consider art as a part of our society that simultaneously adopts an autonomous and affirmative stance, political and economic discrepancies provoke a situation in which cultural transformations take place: is art still allowed what society otherwise forbids?

The title of the exhibition “Gastarbeiter” is deliberately chosen to be politically incorrect — ironic and provocative, if you will. The focus is on the second generation of former immigrants. Almost all of them grew up bilingual in Austria, established themselves as artists, and have become an important part of both the national and international art scenes.

Stefan Bidner

Mario Grubisić (Austria/Croatia, 1976)

As is typical for Grubisic, his objects exhibit minimalist traits, though unlike what is often the case in Vienna, he does not remain stuck in pure minimalism. Instead, he consistently breaks away from it in pursuit of new forms. He works extensively with quick applications of color and gestural brushwork, which at times may appear as an assault on monochromatic aesthetics. In other works, he employs monochromatic techniques, only to turn them on their head through a deconstructivist approach, leaving it up to us to decode the art historical references he so skillfully integrates. His objects, in particular, follow this methodology: they are often composed of several “found footage” items which, through deliberate placement and combination, begin to interact with one another—and frequently with the space and the visitors of the exhibition as well. Grubisic’s approach thus entails not only a response to the ever-evolving narrative of art history, but also displays a nearly fox-like lightness through which he manages to reach a transcendental form, allowing for vastly different experiences and associations among viewers.

Marko Lulić  (Austria/Croatia, Vienna 1972)

The artist engages with architecture, monuments, public space, and the legacy of modernism in both Eastern and Western Europe on multiple levels. He works with references, (mis)translations, and transfers. Based on formal aspects as well as cultural, social, and political themes, he assigns entirely new meanings to objects or places through subtle shifts in material or terminology.

Neda Nikolic (Austria/Serbia,  1988)

In her work, Neda Nikolić explores the relationship between architecture, spaces of memory, and contemporary visual language, creating paintings that oscillate between personal associations and broader social contexts. Through a rich palette and geometric forms—often inspired by children’s playgrounds and everyday environments—she reexamines the notions of home, shelter, and belonging in the contemporary world. Her paintings, executed in acrylic on canvas and wood, merge spatial illusion with real and imagined settings, creating zones of silence, uncertainty, and visual tension.

Negra Bernhard (Bosnia and Herzegovina / Banja Luka, 1986)
Negra Bernhard paints scenes inspired by personal experiences, memories, and dreams.
Situated somewhere between East and West, her painting is a reflection on what unfolds within her and around her. Her work oscillates between sarcasm, uncertainty, and a sense of alienation toward the world we live in, with the aim of exploring what connects us. In 1992, she moved to Austria with her family. She lives and works in Vienna. From 2017 to 2022, she studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna in the class of Professor Daniel Richter, graduating with distinction.

Nikola Milojčević (Serbien/Kraljevo, 1997)  Translated into new forms, the objects emerge from what is usually overlooked or discarded. Urban scrap and industrial waste lie at the heart of Nikola Milojcevic’s artistic practice, and the Serbian artist reshapes them through various stages of labor—hammering, welding, pressing, cutting, and grinding. The metals collected from scrapyards are stripped of their original function and turned into exhibition pieces—former utility gives way to a space for quiet contemplation. Nikola Milojcevic’s approach to art is marked above all by diversity and an uncompromising attitude. The sculptures he exhibits along Vienna’s Danube Canal during the summer months highlight the contrast between industry and urban cultural landscapes. Despite their metallic nature, the works blend organically into the surrounding greenery. Without romanticizing, material drawn from the city becomes an object for nature.

Rade Petrašević (Austria/Bosnia and Herzegovina, 1982)

He works with figurative pseudo-narratives in which classical painting techniques and genres—such as oil on canvas, still life, or nude drawing—coexist effortlessly with highlighter aesthetics, rough stereotypes, easily recognizable commercial symbols, and plastic shower curtains. Petrasevic’s impatient and striking style remains rooted in the tradition of painting, while also embracing a humorous and relaxed approach to the grand themes of art history. In scenes that often appear deceptively simple and innocent, the artist playfully engages with stereotypes and clichés, allowing for open exploration of sexuality and fetish, bodily transformation, and the tension between the private and the public. Bright colors, simple forms, and cheeky titles invite immediate associations and multiple readings, conveying a sense of universal accessibility, warmth, and intimacy.

Maša Stanić (Serbia/Belgrade, 1992)
Masa is a photographer, filmmaker, and social media blogger. She documents youth and their subculture with a consciously humorous, provocative, and exciting approach. Crowds, incidents, altered states of consciousness, conflicts, grotesque and sometimes surreal after-parties are captured through her eyes, phone, and camera. When the pandemic broke out, Stanic realized her work would no longer be accessible, threatening her access to creative expression and being. These new obstacles prompted her to reflect on their impact on communities dependent on social interaction and the way of life she had observed. How would they affect the culture she is part of?

Stefan Bidner is an Austrian curator, exhibition maker, and editor. He is the co-founder and artistic director of the contemporary art fair Parallel Vienna, co-operator of the Vienna Art Foundation, and the director of the exhibition space ‘Büro Weltausstellung’. He has also edited numerous publications related to contemporary art.  In 1994, Bidner co-founded the ‘Verein Medien. Kunst. Tirol’ (Media. Art. Tyrol Association) together with Thomas Feuerstein. This association was dedicated to intermedial communication transfer. Throughout his career, Bidner has supported and collaborated with artists such as Peter Kogler and Hans Weigand. From 2004 to 2010, he served as director of Kunstraum Innsbruck. Since 2013, he has been involved with the Vienna Art Foundation and has been leading the exhibition space ‘Büro Weltausstellung’. In the same year, he co-founded the art fair Parallel Vienna with Daniel Haider and Max Lust. This event has grown to become one of Austria’s most important art fairs, hosting around 500 artists and attracting over 18,000 visitors annually. Bidner has curated and organized a wide range of exhibitions, both solo and group shows, in Austria and abroad. His work includes early exhibitions at the University of Innsbruck, major exhibitions at Kunstraum Innsbruck (2004–2010), different projects under the Vienna Art Foundation, and international shows such as ‘Eulen nach Athen tragen in Athens. Artists featured in different  exhibitions include Franz West, Erwin Wurm, Elke Krystufek, Sylvie Fleury, Jonathan Meese, Heimo Zobernig, Brigitte Kowanz, Renee Green,  Gelitin, Dan Perjovschi, Marcus Geiger,Marco Lulic,  John Bock, Tobias Rehberger, Christian Jankowski, Hermann Nitsch, and many others.