Bio

B orn in a house in which, coincidentally, one of the greatest Serbian female artists of the past century lived and worked. Guess I was blessed with the creative energy of this place.
Daughter of a very unique, amusing and philosophical artist father. Mother beautiful, realistic, my support. Sister different then me, but very close.
At the age of 13, decided to be an artist.
Surrounded by artists, writers, and bohemians from my early childhood.
Privileged with a first-hand experience about how they think, talk and behave.
This influence can be traced in my work.
Later in life, it helped me understand many different personalities I met.
Graduated at the Academy of Applied Arts in Belgrade.
Searched for my own expression in art.
In a 2001 meditation, received a clear vision that, with crystals, I might be able to explore our reality.
All things on our Planet have vibrations. Crystals seemed as the right tool to explain this.

Fanatical about energy of people, places and their vibrations.
A self-discipline freak. Deep thinker. Analyzer. Mainly of myself.
Met my husband. Same vibration. Combination of a cruel criticism and a great support. I like that.
My Mantra:  It’s important to make a difference.
Worked with well-known people. Because they made a difference.
Mother of two girls. My two mirrors. They are wiping off any possibility of me becoming a self-centered artist.
My studio. An eclectic space. Parties. My oasis of peace and eternal inspiration. The place where I discovered my father’s painting on a wall, while visiting its previous owners. A synergy of energies.
Created ArtWalks. Accumulation of all topics I have been interested in so far.
Attempted to capture a movement inside a painting. Vibration within an artwork.
Confident. Know what to do next.
And life goes on…

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Artist
Statement

CRYSTAL WORKS phase

YEAR: 2001 - 2015

In a crystal we have the clear evidence of the existence of a formative life-principle, and though we cannot understand the life of a crystal, it is nonetheless a living being. (Nikola Tesla)*

I was interested in developing an artform that has vibrations and is alive. A crystal for me is a tool to explain how energy and vibrations impact people, places, events and eventually - art. I was intensively discovering my inner self during those years, through meditation and self-reflection. I named this series ‘Codex’ because we all have our personal code, which incorporates our inheritance, our genes and our own experiences into one. It’s up to us to understand ourselves as well as to take a step towards understanding our environment. In this phase of my work, which lasted 14 years, I was using crystals to show that life is about enlightenment. A crystal reminds me that we should be open, positive and better each day. As a symbol of purity, energy and light, it vibrates and makes a connection between the artwork and the viewer on a more profound level.

ARTWALKS phase

YEAR: 2015 - TODAY

Since 2015, I wanted to create an artform which was more in sync with myself, to go even deeper, searching the ‘thin line’, which distances the artist from her work, something more dynamic, alive and more connected with my inner being.

Also, I was interested in the power of words and finality of our decisions. I am aware that our life is determined by a set of key decisions we took in the past. Our decisions today will create our life in the future. My work is a constant search for a balance between myself as an artist, a woman, a mother and a spiritual being. It’s a physical and spiritual approach at the same time.

In 2005 I did an artwork examining the question: ‘Can you step into art to understand it better?’

In 2015 I came back to this topic and ask myself a further question: ‘Can Art Walk?’ I wanted to become inseparable from the artwork, to take it outside where there are no space limits. The city becomes a gallery. ArtWalks breathes the impulses of different cities and blends in their architecture.

* 'The Problem of Increasing Human Energy: With Special Reference to the Harnessing of the Sun’s Energy', Century Illustrated Magazine
(June 1900), 60, No. 2, 180.

Resume

Milena ZeVu is a conceptual artist whose creative work includes paintings, sculptures, installations and performance. She graduated at the Academy of Applied Arts in Belgrade.

From 2001-2015 she created art collections on different themes of interest in a combined technique with acrylic, cement and crystals. She involved various well-known people in her work, such as Dita von Teese, David Beckham, Ronaldo and Pele. Her works have achieved notable prices at various auctions around the world.

Her latest conceptual work is ArtWalks.

  • May 2020

    Milena used the Covid-19 pandemic to create a series of groundbreaking works using drone technology and combining it with her ArtWalks Cities series to create a thought provoking meditative artwork focusing on Presence.

  • July 2019 - February 2020

    Milena works on two projects: 'A Journey Into the Unseen', a series of 11 videos which mimics her everyday life as an Artist, and shows her creative process, as well as 'Butterfly' - a series of drone filmed videos which examine the contrast between our attitude towards Planet and the speedy, negligent way of life.

  • March 2019

    Milena paid homage with ArtWalks Performance ‘Milena’ to the Serbian artist Milena Pavlovic Barilli (1909-1945) in the Maison De Jevrem Grujic, Belgrade

  • June/August 2018

    Her work ArtWalks 139 Belgrade, was selected for the 250th Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition in London

  • 2017, 2015, 2014 and 2011

    Milena ZeVu participated at the annual auction organized by FAM, foundation of H. S. H. Princess Stephanie in Monte Carlo, with her works from the collections ArtWalks and ‘Magnificent Nature’

  • May 2016

    Milena had a solo exhibition/performance ArtWalks in the gallery STAB in Belgrade

  • July 2015

    Milena had a solo exhibition in the Naval Heritage Collection Museum in Porto Montenegro

  • 2014

    Milena collaborated with burlesque diva Dita von Teese on a project called ‘Dita in her car’ which was an homage to legendary artist Tamara de Lempicka

  • 2010

    Her work ‘Beauty has no borders’ a piece of jewelry and a sculpture was exhibited in Monaco, Singapore, Tokyo and Abu Dhabi, under the Patronage of H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco and His Excellency Sheikh Nahayan of the UAE

  • December 2009

    Her portrait of ‘Marilyn Monroe’ as part of the amfAR collection, was sold in Dubai at the charity gala

  • October 2009

    Her work ‘Armour of Light’, an impressive Bonelli Eagle sculpture, created under the patronage of H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco, was sold at the Sotheby’s led auction in Monte Carlo for the highest selling price among 54 similarly themed works

  • March 2008

    Her painting ‘PELE’, portrait of football star Pele, was signed by the legend himself during ‘Streets to Fields’ Charity Gala Event in New York, when Pele received a Lifetime Achievement Award presented to him by David Beckham

  • December 2007

    She participated at the Professional Footballer Association Centenary Gala event in UK, during which her work ‘The Crystal Bail’ was sold for the benefit of the Children’s Hospital in Manchester

  • June 2005

    Milena had a solo exhibition in the Museum of Applied Arts in Budapest (Hungary) with her work Tapittura, a massive painting/rug installation

Amongst other achievements, she has received the Special Jury Award at the Art Biennale 2002 in San Remo (Italy) for her painting ‘CLONE ME', as well as the International EMAF Award 2005 for group project Personal Cinema - Balkan Wars, which her video work ‘ONE’ was part of.

Her portrait ‘Princes Grace Kelly’ is part of the art collection of Grimaldi family in Monte Carlo.

She exhibited in London, Athens, Germany, Vienna, Monaco, Budapest, Madrid, New York, Tokyo, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Singapore.