Growing up with artistic and poetic uncles, Bajević originally aspired to be a writer or a poet before turning to contemporary art, a space where you can be “whatever you want.”
In her practice, she uses various media like video, photography, painting, sound, and more. “But I always start with an idea,” she notes. She often turns to embroidery, a stereotypically female-oriented and time-consuming craft, weaving together influences from society, “women’s work,” and imperfection.
When Bajević moved from her hometown in Yugoslavia to France in the early 1990s, she noticed the plight of women in the fight for equal pay. “When I first came to France, and I heard that women are paid less for the same job than men, I was in total shock,” she said. It was this movement which inspired her new work Facts and Figures, which consists of three embroidered parts. Two of these sections feature information on the inequalities faced by women around the world, stitched over a floral backdrop. The third piece contains the quote, “There is never enough time” repeated over and over, which refers to studies comparing female and male positions in relation to time, work and money. “I’m using embroidery to tell a story,” she said. “What’s interesting about embroidery is that it is a craft that goes through class.” Embroidery is “craft and as such it always takes a lot of time.”
The three embroidered works will be hung on a wall covered with designs created in situ by pattern rollers, another labor-intensive craft. As Maja explains, “I thought it would be a good combination with the embroidery because it was typically done by men.” Both the embroidery and pattern rollers reject the pervasive perfectionism of mechanical means of production.
The work will be the centerpiece of a group show in the UBS Lounge at Art Basel 2024. Titled “Threads”, the display features textile-based works from the UBS Art Collection, including weavings, embroideries, and tapestries. Mary Rozell, Global Head of the UBS Art Collection says: ‘This presentation reflects our continued interest in collecting textile-based works. The use of textiles – traditionally and culturally a predominantly feminine craft – has recently gained more recognition in the realm of fine art. We hope to shine a light on how artists from around the world engage with this versatile medium in their practices to convey meaning and create compelling narratives.’
UBS is the proud Global Lead Partner of Art Basel.
