Washington Studio School Gallery
The Lost Lamb & Tavern Tales
Ivica Trajkovic
WSS Master Certificate Student
On View: July 11 - July 29
About the Exhibition
Exhibitions like this one are what we all work so hard for. Getting a chance to celebrate a Master Certificate Student's accomplishments is no small feat; it is a grand event. As Ivica told me in conversation: "It isn't about the diploma- it's about the experience, and everything I learned in the process". Truth!
Ivica's journey started three years ago, with a sense of fortitude and the best kind of stubbornness. He is the type of artist who sees the work before it's made- with strong conviction and intention. The work is autobiographical. Painful at times, it confronts us with the truth behind a contentious personal history involving political and social upheaval. Immigration and displacement forces the immigrant to start over completely, carrying with him the weight of memories and echoes of homes. As Thomas Wolfe said, there is no road to go back home. We can physically visit, but it will never be the home we left- rather a distant echo of it, misshapen and barely recognizable.
What this body of work also celebrates is creativity. We get to witness the "cooking" of an idea, fearless execution, and the joy of experimentation. Ivica allows for the marriage of a concept and technique where relevant while also focusing the work in subject, and developing a thesis.
We sincerely hope that you take the time to consider decisions made in individual works and learn from the scope and breadth of Ivica's experience.
- Reem Bassous
Executive Artistic Director
For Inquiries and Sales please email WSS at admin@washingtonstudioschool.org
About the Artist
Ivica Trajkovic is a Washington, D.C.-based multidisciplinary artist, originally from Vranje, Serbia, whose work explores the complexities of the human condition. Driven by the rhythms of music, personal memory, and cultural folklore, Trajkovic creates textured, mixed-media compositions that move seamlessly between flat canvas surfaces and three-dimensional sculpture. His process is highly intuitive, translating auditory and visual triggers into tactile landscapes made from paint, charcoal, wood, wire, and thrifted objects.
Trajkovic’s unique creative perspective is shaped by a diverse academic and technical background. He holds an Associate Degree in Economics from the University of Nis, Serbia, and a Web Design Certificate from the STMC Training Institute in Vienna, Virginia. To deepen his studio practice, he entered the Master Certificate program at the Washington Studio School in Washington, D.C., where he has been developing his signature contemporary style since 2023.
Trajkovic’s work has been featured in numerous solo and group exhibitions across the nation's capital. Notably, he has showcased his art for three consecutive years at D.C.’s city-wide festival, Art All Night, as well as in the Washington Studio School Master Certificate group exhibition hosted at DCTV. His evocative, soul-mapping pieces have captured the attention of international collectors, with his work now held in private collections throughout Washington, D.C., Amsterdam, Serbia, and Italy.