Aleks Zain

Belgrade, Serbia

Aleksander Zain is a multidisciplinary artist working in the fields of contemporary dance and choreography, performance art (long durational), and video art. His practice is body-based, and the core of his work is the need and interest in pushing the boundary of physical capabilities, as he strongly believes that the human body is much stronger than we’re taught.

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Audio-Visual
Dance
Digital Art
Performance Art
Visual Arts

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Aleksander Zain, born in Belgrade in 1992. Educated in painting and visual arts since early childhood. Studied Philosophy at the University of Belgrade. During studies changed course towards more immaterial forms of art – performance art, contemporary dance and choreography, video and sound work. Holds certificates of MAPA (Amsterdam) and Small Academy of Physical, Process, and Devising Theatre (Belgrade). Aleks has also been a part of the Puzzle Dance Education program, organised by Stanica-Station for Contemporary Dance, which gave him the opportunity to work with some of the best and most innovative Serbian choreographers. Aleks performed in festivals such as Venice International Performance Art Week, Queer Zagreb, and Kondenz. He’s an author and co-author of a number of performance art pieces, video works, and choreographies.

Some of the artists he had an opportunity to work with/learn from are Jane Fabre, Lynsey Peisinger, VestAndPage, Julian Hetzel, Igor Koruga, Marko Milić, Marija Farmer, etc. He’s been a part of The Cleaner exhibition (Marina Abramović retrospective) in the Museum of Contemporary Art Belgrade in 2019/2020. His current dance training consists of regular contemporary dance classes with pedagogues Ana Obradović (Perpetuum Dance Company) and Anisja Gavrilović (Armiani Dance Studio), solo work in the studio, and cross-training (running, bodyweight, and weight lifting).

Besides artistic work, Aleks also developed a movement therapy system called ‘Use, Empower and Accept’ made especially for people with gender dysphoria, as he experienced it himself. Regarding this workshop system, but also on many other projects, Aleks collaborated with human rights organisations in the Balkans, such as ERA (Equal Rights Assembly), XY Spectrum, Udruga Domino, TransMreža Balkan, Asocijacija Spektra, TransKvartir, Talas TIRV, etc.

He’s been a resident artist in Nelimarkka Museum residency program in Finland, March 2019. He performed in the Netherlands, Italy, Finland, Austria, Bosnia, Croatia, Montenegro, and Serbia. His work has been exhibited in Amsterdam, Washington DC, and Belgrade.