MERSAD BERBER
	FOREWORD The diversity of cultural and historical references in Mersad Berber's paintings are a reflection of a life lived at the tumultuous intersection of Eastern and Western civilization. Driven by its ethnic divisions, his native Bosnia still seberhes, after all these centuries, for a harmony amongst its people. Yet, with extraordinary talent and depth of insight, Mersad Berber has managed to bridge the gap where so many others have failed...both in the aesthetic of his paintings and the revered standing in which he is held by so many of his countrymen of all backgrounds. Mersad Berber imparts a profound truth through his work - that beauty transcends even the deepest divisions of race, religion, time and place. He imbues that beauty with a nobility which is often lost or undervalued in modern culture. Within his multi-layered compositions swirl a vortex of pictorial language from which emerge iconic references both direct and illusionary. As conceived by this extraordinary artist, these divergent figures and forms exist in accord, whether pastoral or portentous in nature and whether inspired by times of peace or conflict. From the Romans and the Greeks to the Renaissance and the Ottoman Empire, his vision encompasses a timeline of art history. By embracing the essence of beauty, Berber creates a commonality where none is apparent. Just as the content of Berber's work cannot be easily classified by style or period, the physical parameters of his paintings cannot be easily contained within a traditional framework. The unusual construct of negative space in "Composition in Grey" exists not only within the painting but as external side panels which at once confine and expand upon the central figures. The elegance and grace of the work entitled "Lady with White Horse" is enhanced by the berhitectural elements painted directly upon the frame. This is a practice often used by the artist in which he integrates the frame into the essence of the overall composition. Most extreme is the marriage of two or more separate canvases into one composition. In the work entitled "Races in Bosnia" he has boldly joined two quite divergent scenes...one, a group of horses and riders very much more realistic than the other, a dreamlike vision of partially revealed figures. Yet it is Berber's surfaces as well, multi-layered and intricate, which defy a singular description, recalling Baroque frescoes, Old Master's etchings, and tapestries that have colored the halls of history. His paintings for the most part are mixed media, incorporating collage, modern materials and sections of works he has produced as a master print maker. His surfaces convey antiquity but are in technique very much an artistic statement of this century. Mersad Berber is indeed a man who cannot be easily defined... not by any limitations of his artistic vision nor by the impact of his world which has seen so much turmoil. That he has been able to retain a love of humanity so apparent in his work is a tribute to his strength and his character. He is an artist who has garnered accolades and admirers around the world. Mersad Berber has completed over 100 solo exhibitions worldwide in addition to numerous group shows. Since 1966, he has received more than 50 awards, among them the Gold Medal and Honorary Diploma at the First International Exhibition of the Graphic Arts in Trieste, the First Award at the 11th International Biennale in Sao Paolo, Honorary Prize at the 10th International Biennale of Graphic Art in Tokyo and the Lalit Kala Academy Grand Prize at the 5th Indian Triennale in New Delhi. His works are also included in the collections of museums across Europe.
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