Ivan Grubanov's Flags of Former Yugoslavia at Ipercubo, Milan

Ivan Grubanov's first solo show in Italy, 'Skin Nation Class', opened at Ipercubo gallery in Milan. The exhibition features a polyptych of six square canvases made with black mirrors and discarded flags of the former Yugoslavia, echoing his 2015 Venice Biennale project 'United Dead Nations'. Grubanov uses the flag as a tool to transfer color onto the canvas, representing the past; the color stain symbolizes present repercussions; and the black mirror distorts reality, suggesting a possible future. The gallery space, located on Corso di Porta Ticinese, is filled with the smell of paint and smoke from Grubanov's technique of smoking the canvas surfaces, a process he began years ago with 'Smoked Screens' that evoke battle smoke screens. Co-founder Matteo Graniti explains this as a metaphor for obscuring the true nature of conflict. Grubanov's work, started fifteen years ago, offers a cynical contemporary commentary against the idea of history as a teacher of life, contrasting with news of renewed defense spending, xenophobia, and territorial identity. The artist notes that his works are not well-liked in Serbia as they make people uncomfortable. The show also includes 'Motto Paintings' featuring national mottos.