Dusan (Dushan) Ristic

An ethnic Rrom (Gypsy) (a stateless people), born in Yugoslavia (a state that doesn't exist) in 1970. Education: 2004 Fine Arts graduate of the University of Belgrade (Serbia and Montenegro) 1986-1989 studied with Prof. Milomir Romanovic, Valjevo (Serbia and Montenegro) 1990-1991 studied with Prof. Svetlana Knezevic, Belgrade (Serbia and Montenegro) 1991-1993 Shumatovachka (standard preparatory school for University of Belgrade art department) 1992-1993 studied with Prof. Gradimir Petrovic 1993 following formal training began working in various media: clay, plaster, wax, fired clay, photography, cardboard, light, installations Exhibitions: 1995 1st prize at national students drawing competition Student group exhibitions 1994-1998 1997 Introspection, Belgrade and Novi Sad (Serbia and Montenegro) 2000 exhibition for International Rroma Day, Central European University, Budapest (Hungary). break 1998-2000, 2001-2003 2003 returned to classic oil-and-canvas medium Other creative activities: Founded: 1996 - independent Rromani artists group Prosopon (ancient Gk: personhood) 1996 - 1999 periodical Prosopon 2001 international (8 East European countries) Rromani professional artists group G for joint exhibitions and promotion of Rromani artists work 2000 - Galbeno Co. (see www.galbeno.co.yu ) 2000 - Amala Summer School for Rromani and Serbian Culture 2000 - 2001 Rromani Crisis Network 2002 - 2003 Beograd Saptac periodical Organized: 2001, 2003 international Rromani artists retreats 1996 artists retreat at spiritual center Lelic Violinist/singer, co-founder of the band Kal 1997 (see www.lejazzetal.com/kal), webmaster, record producer, teacher, newspaper editor, 1997-2002 With Rromani Cultural Center in Belgrade and the Rromani theater Vareso Aver in Budapest, presented four plays in Rromanes, serving as translator, set designer, center manager, and publicist. I translated the plays Blood Wedding by Lorca, Jacques or Obedience by Ionesco, Cirkusiada by Jovan Nikolic (Rrom), and Bahanalie by Goran Stefanovski. 1999 went to Rajko Djurics School for Rromani Culture and Language in Berlin (Germany) for a month and was inspired to begin conscious Rromani activism, drawing also on my earlier experiences: my father was an activist, educating people to say Rroma instead of Tzigani (Gypsies), founding a local Rromani activist theater, and producing the first Rromani-language radio broadcasts (news and discussion) in 1978. At 9 years old, I began my first Rromanes-Serbian dictionary.  

Contact Artist

Phone: 510.652.2766        

E-mail Me

Web:

http://www.galbeno.co.yu/dushan