Nebojša Despotović's Solo Show Blends Painting and Raw Studio Objects at Boccanera Gallery

Serbian artist Nebojša Despotović (Belgrade, 1982) presents his solo exhibition 'Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea ovvero Freie Kartoffeln' at Boccanera Gallery in Trento. The show features paintings on canvas and PVC alongside raw studio objects—scraps, rags, stones—that the artist incorporated without altering them, preserving their gestural energy. For the first time, Despotović gives physical form to previously intangible aspects of his creative process, assembling leftover materials from his archive. The exhibition layout includes a theatrical PVC backdrop (Time to come) and wall paintings that guide viewers toward tactile surfaces. Smaller works and objects follow an unintentional, layered process, while large-format paintings provide narrative structure. The title juxtaposes the poetic 'Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea' (a folk song covered by Paolo Conte and George Harrison) with the ironic 'Freie Kartoffeln' (free potatoes), referencing van Gogh's The Potato Eaters and the artist's own 'poor' materials. Despotović cites influences from Lissitzky, Malevich, Nico Pirosmani, and Manet's Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe. The exhibition catalog launch is scheduled for April 11 at 6 PM at Boccanera Box in Milan (via Ventura 6). The artist describes his practice as a critique of contemporary art materials and a celebration of wonder through humble means.