National Lament 

National Lament is an on going project begun during Matijevic's time spent as an artist in resident at Elsewhere Studios in Paonia, Colorado.  These sculptures were constructed with community volunteers while at the residency. The intension of creating these works was to test how strangers could find a way to trust one another in a very intimate setting. These “shrouds” as the artist calls them, are the hyper-realistic renderings of the volunteers’ bodies in the way that they sleep. Matijevic has found the process creates sacred moments with these individuals before, during, and after the casting is complete by seeing herself as a facilitator of a vulnerable experience, not just as an artist is to a model. When the casting is complete, the volunteers were provided the opportunity to speak of their experience and see themselves out of the shroud. The artist recorded their testimonials of the events which often ended in very personal reactions to seeing their bodies for the first time as others see them. 

 

These castings are open for commission as an experiential with the artist.