The opus of Slobodan Abi Knezevic has been in constant development for over four decades. From the very beginning his basic medium of expression has been the drawing - in it the artist is most comfortable and can continue his search for what he names visual representation of an object. In looking for the essence of the apparent, the draughtsman finds his thought in the line and leads it by the line - the most abstract and general element of a drawing, an image, a representation. Even in his earliest drawings, before and during his studies, the line in Abi's works gradually lost its descriptive character and became an instrument of analysis, deconstruction and re-composition of the form and meaning. The reality of a chair, the door, the little stove doors-the known, usual and accepted objects, is set in motion by the choice and rhythm of the line which, like a laser beam or a scalpel, cuts and removes the non-essential in defining of the essence.

The rhythm and multiplication of lines and their characters and qualities in his drawings from the army, were used to define the formations, representations of moulds and unification. Hand drawn drawings of the rhythmic series of mechanic precision show how much Knezevic is dedicated to a clear articulation of the ideas he wants to transmit. That is the first moment of full establishment of the line as the basic and most significant means in the visual expression of artist's thoughts. That line becomes aware of itself and its power in outlining the thought and feeling in a measure that makes it sufficient to itself and the representation.

In the graphic medium, Knezevic further deifies the line, even abandon sprinting, just by incising, pouring and stratifying it into the fabric of the paper. He inserts it by capillary defining the format of the paper. Abi also takes over from graphic art the series and by varying the composition and the changes in their position he emphasises rhythms and facilitates the continuity and liveliness in motion.

The most recent drawings of crystallised forms and powerful rhythm, executed in black and white hardboard, totally liberate the line and stabilise it. The origin of this is, obviously, in the techniques of graphic art-there is a cliche, the plate is engraved, but not printed, only the thought and the essence of the line remain in the fabric of wood(en) dust, like a scar or a tattoo. In that way the line acquires a visible third dimension, while the fourth and the resultant have already been shown in the drawings and graphic of Slobodan Abi Knezevic, made, developed and consequently escorted "In line".

Dejan Radovanovic

Translated by Ksenija Todorovic