Unbearable Lightness of Being: A Painting Exhibition by Paja van Kosmaj

Paja van Kosmaj AKA Aleksandar Niketić  

Born on 25 May 1968 in Smederevska Palanka, Serbia (former Yugoslavia).

This Dutch artist with Serbian roots has tried all his life to shape his inner conceptions of dimensions and universe to the outside world. 

His way to the present has been a walk through realms of painting, writing, philosophy, mathematics and music, from building knowledge to practicing. That is why he sees himself as a multimedia artist.

As for his current work, he tries to find a connection from lower dimensions to higher and the way back, embodied on a flat canvas. He calls this period 3D in 2D or Unbearable Lightness of Being after Milan Kundera. 

Until 1990 he lived in Serbia where he did a lot of graphic work such as posters for performances for diverse rock'n roll bands, theater etc. That is his period of many graphs in the style between realism and impressionism.  

In 1990 he moved to the Netherlands. In the beginning he did everything to get around. Designing logos for companies, illustration for school books, painting shop windows. Beautiful old days when everything was done by hand. 

Paintings from this time until 2010 was a period of surrealism that ended because he could not find himself in that style anymore and was looking for new ways to express his inner visions. 

In 2011 and 2012 he had two strokes and it took him almost 10 years to regain his motoric skills to be able to continue painting. This period is full of study that led to his current work.

All paintings and drawings up to this period are in private collections except for the few that are at his home because of emotional value. 

Current period starts around 2019. He does not want to describe his current style himself. This is up to you.

He has decided not to put anything into a box, so that he can have infinite freedom of movement.