Matija Bobičić: Kingdom

A solo exhibition by Matija Bobičić (b. 1987, Maribor, Slovenia), a contemporary painter whose work explores the intersection of Balkan folklore, science fiction and global pop culture. Drawing from childhood memories of 1980s American cartoons and hip-hop culture, as well as the cultural landscape of post-Yugoslav Slovenia, Bobičić creates a distinctive visual language in which mythological figures, futuristic warriors, animals and pop-cultural archetypes coexist.

At the centre of his practice is an interest in the way folklore evolves through culture and technology. Balkan myths and symbols are brought into dialogue with science fiction, video games, contemporary media and global popular culture. The wolf, a recurring figure in his work, draws on Balkan folklore as a symbol of strength, loyalty, freedom and the untamed spirit of nature.

Bobičić's paintings combine bold contours, flattened figures and vivid fields of colour with a playful, almost childlike visual language. Beneath their colourful and humorous appearance, the works explore questions of cultural identity, power, nostalgia and the influence of global popular culture on the Balkans. He has exhibited across the United States, Europe and Asia, including at Art Taipei, Marvin Gardens in New York, Breach Gallery in Miami and Allouche Gallery in Los Angeles.