Marjanovic tells how art made him a whole person
John Avant was in the midst of a gripping sermon and had his congregation of several hundred on the edges of their seats. Nearing the end of his message, he glided across the stage to a veiled structure, and revealed an 18 –foot mosaic featuring one word: unbroken.
In the audience that day was ULM art student Srdjan Marjanovic. He had been commissioned six months earlier by the church to build the mosaic, built from tiles with messages from church members telling their darkest troubles. For the first time, Marjanovic was able to see how powerfully his art could move people when people began praying near his creation.
“It was a strange moment where I really didn’t realize it was done by me somehow. It was like ‘Oh my God, what I did here was really important,’” Marjanovic said.
What Marjanovic may not realize is he’s been doing important things around ULM for the last three years, most notably through his artwork. The list of accolades in his art career is as long and vibrant as the different mediums he uses to construct them. From paintings to photography, from burnings to clay sculptures, nothing seems impossible to the 35-year-old Serbian native.
Marjanovic had two photographs published in Nikon’s 31st Annual International College and High School photo contest. He also finished second place this summer in Kappa Pi International Honorary Art Fraternaty through local chapter Delta Alpha.
The ease with which Marjanovic seemingly constructs these stunning products leads many to believe he has been doing these things all of his life, but art is actually not his first career.
Marjanovic had been a professional basketball player in Serbia. But when the Balkan Wars broke out, the Marjanovics found themselves in a country with skyrocketing inflation, no power and a need to smuggle goods into the country in order for the people to survive.
“The crisis was terrible. There was no future in that state at all, so we decided to get out,” Marjanovic said.
The Marjanovics moved to Chile, then Spain and then Clearwater, Fla. where the family opened a restaurant. Because of injuries, Marjanovic decided to end his basketball career and work in the family business.
But another crisis would strike Marjanovic. In 2008, the Great Recession swept through the U.S. and claimed the Marjanovic’s restaurant as a casualty. His parents and sister’s visas were revoked, and the family moved back to Chile.
Marjanovic stayed behind and married his girl-friend Alma, who worked at ULM.
Marjanovic enrolled in ULM in graphic design. He began his art career by shooting an event armed only with a point-and-shoot camera.
“He loves to be challenged,” Alma said, a mentality she said he learned from sports. “I’ve learned a lot from him. Determination. Never give up. Whenever he’s at his lowest and I think he can’t do it, he finds a way to pick himself up, and he just does it.”
Avant said in the weeks following the mosaic’s unveiling in early October, the church has taken to the message the mosaic brings.
“We are seeing hundreds of new people discovering that our church is actually a hospital where their brokenness can be healed in a family where they are loved. Our church will treasure the mosaic for many years,” Avant said.
Marjanovic said people should do what makes them happy, especially if it is art Like anything they have to strive to be successful.
“If you say, ‘I’m an artist so I will take it easy,’ that kind of person even with a law degree will never make it because of the attitude,” Marjanovic said.
“If you set your mind for any career, there is always a future.”
With that mentality, the sky seems to be the limit for Marjanovic. Through wars, injury and economic turmoil, a work ethic like no other drives Marjanovic.
As he continues in his artistic career he does so happy and unbroken.
