The wallpaper Modern Baroque unfolds a multilayered aesthetic and conceptual tension. Uzunovski, whose work is characterized by an investigation of natural and perceptual phenomena and who places strong emphasis on the relationship between humans and their environment, positions his practice at the intersection of art, architecture, and ecological reflection. His artistic career is internationally visible: among other achievements, he participated in the 53rd Venice Biennale and is considered one of North Macedonia’s influential contemporary artists.

Modern Baroque draws on motifs that at first glance appear aesthetically appealing: marble-like structures reminiscent of classical and baroque architecture, as well as the ornamental, often symmetrical visual language of baroque garden design. These visual references to historical forms of representation create an atmosphere of ordered beauty and cultural refinement. Into this imagery, however, Uzunovski weaves a radical counter-motif: the photographic source material depicts a landfill in North Macedonia, a site of ecological strain and social reality. The wallpaper transforms this scene of decay and excess into an ornamental pattern whose disturbing origin only becomes apparent upon closer inspection.

This tension is characteristic of Uzunovski’s thinking: his works explore how perception is constructed and how aesthetic forms shape our view of the environment and society. By translating the image of the landfill into an aesthetically appealing system, he raises questions about responsibility, visibility, and denial. What does beauty mean when its source is a landscape of waste? What role does design play in a world marked by ecological crises?

Modern Baroque is therefore not merely a decorative element but a deliberately placed aesthetic interstice: it invites viewers to reflect on everyday structures of consumption and the hidden sites of our waste. Uzunovski succeeds in transforming what is harsh, raw, and socially suppressed into a poetic yet critical visual language—one of the hallmarks of his interdisciplinary, research-driven approach.

Text: Heike Maier-Rieper, 2026

Translated with DeepL (free version)