Artist Proof: Milica Aćimović is a 25 years old philologist from Belgrade (Serbia). She is very passionate about the art of words, but visual and performing arts have been following her since she was a child. She started taking dance classes at a primary school folklore dance group at the age of 8. Fifteen years later and after countless performances around Morocco and Europe (France, Italy, Switzerland, Netherlands, Greece, Ukraine), she had to finish her folklore dancer career. Nevertheless, she couldn’t give up just like that. Now she’s dancing again, as an Irish step dancer at Erin’s Fiddle troupe in Belgrade.
Considering visual art, she’s entirely self-taught - a true experiment in progress. She got interested in digital art for the first time in 2004 and hasn’t stopped ever sinnce. Her work consists of illustrations and matte works covering wide range of themes, focusing mostly on portraying emotions.
AP: What plays a bigger role in your artwork, where you live now? or where you were raised as a child?
Milica: Whole my life I’ve been living in Belgrade and that surely affected my work. But, during my childhood I’ve been fortunate… blessed to spend summers at the country side. People there live less stressfully and the energy they have is something I’ll be always carrying within me. Who knows, maybe one day I find myself having a cozy home at a country side.
AP: Describe your artistic style in 5 words or less.
Milica: Experimental, romantic, symbolic, reflecting
AP: What inspires your art?
Milica: It can be anything that makes a strong impression on me. For example a book, or a song, particular verses, or people I meet. There’s always certain something that finds a way to my subconscious mind that has to be reflected through my work, sooner or later.
AP: Do you remember your first experience of making art.
Milica: Wow, I do, and it was long time ago. I think I was three or so. I remember I drew man and a woman holding hands. Two stick-figures but we all have to start from somewhere. :D
AP: What was your most recent experience of making art?
Milica: Recently, all I’ve been doing is sketching. It’s a perfect practice when you don’t have time to do complex, detailed works. That way, you don’t lose the “rhythm” so, when you get time for something more complex, it’s easier to apply what you learned while sketching.
AP: Whose art are you digging right now? Who do you want to give a shout out to?
Milica: I have to mention two artists because it would simply be a blasphemy if I mention only one of them. They are Jace Wallace and Lois van Baarle.
AP: What are some art related things that you can’t live without? Tools of the trade, events etc.
Milica: Art wise, I don’t know if there’s a thing I can’t live without. Even if all is taken from me (tools or whatever), nobody can take away my urge to create.
AP: What motivates you to get out of bed every day and create art?
Milica: Earth itself is exciting enough, all other motives come as a bonus.
AP: Do you listen to music when you work? If so, name a few of the tunes you rock out to.
Milica Most of the time I do but I get so carried away that I actually don’t hear what I’m listening to. Yet, on my playlist there’s always something neo-classical, metal, Celtic, also there are movie/game soundtracks, cartoon tunes and some gems from 80s and 90s.
AP: When you aren’t making art, what do you like to do? What are some of your obsessions or hobbies?
Milica: Actually, arts are my hobbies (whether it’s painting or dancing). I live in a country where these forms of expression are highly underrated and/or underappreciated. So, that’s what I do in my free time. Or I go out and grab every possible moment to spend some time surrounded by nature.
AP: As an artist what are your thoughts on social media and the internet?
Milica: Both of them are tools so it all depends of how one uses them. I believe internet is, at the moment, the freest media of all, compared to newspapers, magazines, television etc, because we’re still able to see or hear what common (or less common) people do. Art wise or not. For me, it was like a window to the world, especially world of art.
AP: If you had the ability to time travel, what advice would you have for the artists of the future?
Milica: To never lose touch with their humanity.
AP: Tell us something about yourself that Google doesn’t know about (yet).
Milica: I’m 5’4” tall.
