“Anatomy of the square”, 2024.

This body of work began during the COVID-19 pandemic, a period that coincided with a deeply challenging personal immigration process. In 2017, at the onset of the Trump presidency, I was arrested at home despite being legally married to an American citizen. The new administration’s aggressive stance on deporting undocumented immigrants, especially from countries associated with terrorism, placed Bosnia, the country of my passport, under scrutiny.

This marked the beginning of a years-long odyssey through deportation court, a journey repeatedly delayed by the pandemic. The mental isolation I experienced during this time echoed my past as an unwanted immigrant during the Balkan War of the 1990s. It wasn’t until 2022 that I finally resolved my case and obtained my green card.

The square, traditionally a symbol of stability and permanence, became a challenging space for deep study and creation during this period. As the world grappled with the lack of human connection and the increasing reliance on digital communication, I embarked on a new beginning. I chose small-scale watercolor paper as my medium, dedicating myself to a daily practice within the confines of the square.

My intention with these works was to blend trapped memories with new mental and physical forces. Identity, a recurring theme in my work, holds particular significance given my life experiences, which have often placed me on the margins of society. The discipline required to paint within the square mirrored my daily struggle to heal and cope. These paintings evoke both anxiety and discomfort, as well as a sanctuary of safety and optimism, reflecting the dichotomy of my experiences during this time.

Having never worked with this medium before, I sought to explore what was possible within the “square.” The landscapes and figures that emerged do not necessarily exist in reality, but they might possess a universal recognition and meaning, provoking both calm and unease.

The squares serve as a visual diary of my internal state during this period. They function as film stills, capturing daily moods and emotions from my isolated world, as well as the larger world outside, which was engulfed in political upheaval and the drama of the pandemic.

In this creative process, I combined the softness and ghostliness of watercolors with the rough, raw quality of charcoal. Each square, whether part of a diptych, triptych, polyptych, or full wall installation, engages in a conversation with the others.

Recurring motifs in this body of work include round shapes with a spiritual, almost optimistic quality—like a light at the end of a tunnel—empty landscapes, self-portraits, phalluses, and cartoonish fantasy bunny shapes. Together, they express the complexity of my experience and identity during this transformative period.