Vanja Lazarević
I am a textile and graphic designer, writer and ocasionally a coder, originally from Serbia, currently based in Arnhem, the Netherlands.
My work often touches on political themes such as feminism, LGBTQ+ rights and immigration. I am also interested in workshop-based practices, storytelling and anything language related.
Outside of my practice I spend my time poorly taking care of my plants, (re)watching 90’s sitcoms or reading anything by Ali Smith.
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Queering the Mancave
While researching mancaves as “masculine” spaces for self-expression, I sought out to create a new safe space in which I could reconnect with my brothers, who I’ve lost touch with.
The result became a machine-quilted blanket featuring our childhood stuffed animals, inspired by pixel-based video games we used to play together, such as Minecraft and Stardew Valley.
If I Forget My Stains Will Remember
If I Forget My Stains Will Remember is a stain-filled tablecloth. The stains which decorate this work were collected during a series of naturally stain-inducing activities.
Using embroidery, I invite the viewer to look at stains from a new perspective, framing them not only as ornamental details full of personality, but also as containers for memories.
“Whenever I’m having a conversation with a friend and I run out of things to say, I catch myself reaching for the word “Girl” followed by “You won’t believe what I just heard.” I’ve seemingly built a habit of gossiping whenever I run out of things to say. According to author and historian Yuval Noah Harari this isn’t anything new – gossip has been a part of not only our social routine, but also our lives, for as long as we have existed.1 Even though my intention when gossiping is never malicious, I still feel ashamed. This leads me to wonder: Is there more to gossiping than just spreading possibly false rumors, or is gossiping just a hurtful habit we all partake in?”Spilling the Tea:
The Problematics and Benefits of Gossip
Inspired by my own tendancy to gossip, in this essay I explore gossip’s complex epistemic value by researching its history and dismanteling its sexist, racist and homophobic connotations. You can read the essay here.
Books with Covers
Books with Covers (BWC) was a weekly workshop with the aim of bridging the gap between reading and creating. In these workshops, we discussed a collection of books, compiled in a reader, and gave way to participants to interpret them in a visual format.
After each workshop, these works were compiled into carefully considered RISO-printed zines.
Marš sa Drine
This is a hand-painted protest poster made for the 2022 environmental demonstrations against lithuim, borate and other mineral mining in Serbia, specifically by the Rio Tinto (pt. Red River) corporation.
The poster was inspired by the iconic Drina cigarette packaging and contains the phrase used during the protests: Marš sa Drine (sr/hr. Get off the Drina), Drina being the river most affected by the ecocide.
Shoebox
“But what about my digital memories - my screenshots, notes, GIFs, videos? They're stored in impersonal files, devoid of any tactile sense. They don't have a scent, hold any weight or have a certain texture.”
Shoebox is a website meant to function as a digital memory box. It raises a question about how we experience and interact with our digital memories and files in relation to their real-life counterparts. Try it out here.
The Devil’s Dictionary
The Devil’s Dictionary is a satirical 19th century dictionary. With this redesign of the original I’ve experimented with different ways of pulling devilish tricks throughout the publication – such as making the wayfinding system confusing and difficult to use, or printing on black paper with black ink.
Poème d’Adolescent
Poème d’Adolescent (fr. Teenage Poem) is a French poem written by an (at-the-time) high-schooler, Anne-Marie, somewhere in the late 80’s. In this interactive website, I’ve transformed her writing into a storytelling quiz using classic CSS input types. You can try out the website here.
An Archive of Queer Gazan Palestinian Love Stories
This project serves as an attempt to archive queer stories in an occupied Gaza. These stories were all anonymously posted on Queering the Map – an interactive online space made to archive queer stories around the globe.
I am hoping that through traditional Palestinian embroidery, Tatreez, I could help archive these stores for centuries to come, perserving them inside a time capsule.