Jasmina Cibic’s art reveals the structures of “soft power” often employed as methods of psychological control by authoritarian regimes, and the way in which national culture can be used for political aims. Cibic plays a double-game, at once decoding mechanisms of power whilst building her own allegorical structures. Now on display at Mercer Gallery, her video work Tear Down and Rebuild presents a scripted debate about the idea of demolition, redesign and nation-building set in Belgrade’s historically-charged former Palace Of The Federation. We spoke to the artists about her inspirations, why challenging systems of power and control is so important in her work and what’s next in her career.
A: Your work focuses on the idea of ‘soft power’. What was it about this idea that initially made you want to explore it in your art?
JC: It’s fascinating to observe how, throughout history, the reinforcement of national identity through the appropriation of art and architecture is a well-established strategy. My practice has been dedicated to researching some of the most intriguing case studies of how culture has been used by ideological and political interests. I also revisit the potential of art and culture as active agents within these dynamics.
A: You encourage viewers to consider the strategies employed in the construction of national culture. Why is this an important topic that people should be thinking about?
JC: Amid the current global socio-political, climate, and migration crises, the concept of the nation-state is increasingly being scrutinised as a legitimate model for the future. This prompts us to question what constitutes national cultural capital within the contemporary condition, how it is shaped, by whom, and for whom. Coming from former Yugoslavia, the collapse of which plunged all its nations into a renewed self-discovery of what merits to be read as ‘nationally specific’ – I have been prone to question the relationship between cultural production and national identity crisis throughout my career.
A: How do you view the role of art and artists in defining a political or national culture?
JC: With cuts in cultural funding and education, we are now confronted with a critical question posed by various cultural authorities: what ‘merits’ funding, whether through public or private capital? Across the creative sector, we’re witnessing a great deal of second-guessing, self-censorship, and pragmatic decisions to meet funders’ criteria. History shows this is a recipe for disaster, stifling critical thought. It has never been more essential for cultural institutions to remain free, develop public programs, and nurture new audiences — something they can only achieve by delivering meaningful content.
A: Your film Tear Down and Rebuild was shot inside the preserved modernist architecture of the Palace of the Federation in Belgrade, Serbia. It discusses what happens to buildings that no longer serve contemporary political narratives. Could you tell us a bit about how this project came about?
JC: The project was part of a trilogy exploring how a new aesthetic language is forged during moments of violent political and ideological change — when a clear visual break is necessary to signal a new direction, both to citizens and the international community. The film was shot in the former Palace of the Federation, originally built for the first conference of the Non-Aligned Movement, founded in 1961 to protect and advance self-determination and solidarity among developing countries during the Cold War. Today, the building acts as a time capsule, with its walls reflecting past visions of potential futures. I infused the space with a dialogue between four characters, inspired by historical debates on dismantling cultures that had lost their ‘ability to represent’—a pattern we continue to witness today.
A: What do you hope people will take away from the show at the Mercer Gallery?
JC: My film was created with the intention of being a platform for discussion—an invitation for people to reconsider the cyclical nature of history and its obsessive tendency to constantly fix and rewrite itself.
A: How did you begin working in film? Why is this an effective medium for expressing your ideas?
JC: I began working in film when specific locations became integral to my work — places that were difficult to use as performative sites for a live audience, such as international airports, parliaments and international organizations. The idea of creating theatrical structures within these spaces and then filming the resulting mise-en-scènes felt like a natural next step in my creative career.
A: Do you think you have a “signature” technique or approach? What is it?
JC: All my works are context-specific, closely responding to the environments I engage with, which leads to diverse outputs — whether films, photographic works or installations. However, the common thread running through everything I create is a simple yet vital question: How can art still serve as a critical tool of inquiry? How can we produce poetic works that invite audiences to nurture or reignite their personal resilience in the face of contemporary socio-political challenges?
A: Who, or what, have been your biggest creative influences?
JC: I love practices that succeed in world-building, whether they explore deeply personal systems or operate on a global scale.
A: What’s next? Are you working on anything new?
JC: I recently completed a series of photographic portraits of flower arrangements created in collaboration with key stakeholders from human rights and international law institutions, including the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the International Criminal Court (ICC), the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), the UN Human Rights Advisory Committee, and the UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies. I invited these individuals to select a flower for an arrangement intended for a conference addressing the human rights issue they personally considered most critical. Photographed in the style of historical vanitas paintings, the series highlights the fleeting nature of justice and the fragile balance between progress and decline in the protection of fundamental human rights and the rule of law. Next up I am taking the idea of compressed culture as a rite that is performed across a number of very specific locations… more soon!
The Mercer Art Gallery, Power & Identity: Five Women Filmmakers continues until 30 September 2024, Mercer Gallery, Harrogate. Free Entry. Find out more.
Words: Emma Jacob
All images courtesy of the artist.
