illustrations colors

In our new column Meet a local we present interesting individuals from different professional fields living in Belgrade. The idea is to get to know some locals and their favorite neighborhoods and venues in the city.

  1. Please introduce yourself to our readers:

My name is Rialda Dizdarević Obuljen. I was born and raised in Novi Pazar, Serbia, lived briefly in Nis and settled in Belgrade prior to moving to Waterloo, Canada. I am an Illustrator and since my work is primarily digital I work with tools such as Procreate App on iPad, Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and Affinity Designer. My work explores various ways of expressing emotion through colors, shapes, and raw textures. For showing emotion visually, I often rely on intimate and quirky moments of everyday life. My compositions are schematic, playful, and familiar inviting thus the viewer to identify the essence of my illustrations.

I worked as an illustrator on series of projects that include editorial illustrations for printed and online magazines, online promotional illustrations, fashion editorial illustrations, and music cover artworks.

Exhibition “Fragments”, No Concept gallery, Belgrade

2. Has there been a new project lately?

My exhibition called “Fragments” launched on August 24th. “Fragments” are a series of illustrations that were made during the 20/21 lockdowns spent in my flat in Canada. This collection mainly explores the concepts of freedom and intimacy. For this visual research color and texture are used as main tools for expressing emotions. The main characters of these illustrations are depicted as too large for their formats and as such, they represent the feeling of being constrained inside the margins of our own homes. These disproportions work closely with vibrant palettes and bold lines to conjure up all the feelings of unease and compression. Here, simple but powerful compositions with fewer details pave the way for shapes and colors to be the main narrators of the emotional core of the series.

You can visit the exhibition at the N.O. Concept Gallery at Poenkareova 3 until September 6th.

Exhibition “Fragments”, No Concept gallery, Belgrade

3. What do you like about Belgrade?

People. Most definitely people. The welcoming spirit and smiles of its residents are what make Belgrade such a special place that always calls you back into its arms.

4. Where do you like to go out?

I don’t think I have a favorite spot to go out. I like to take long walks along the streets of the old town and just look at the beautiful architecture around the city. Every time I do this, I get to see something new – a house I never noticed, the smell of the fig tree I forgot was there, or a building whose upper floors facade I never looked closely into. I just find it fascinating how many times this city can surprise us.

5. Name 3 of your favorite restaurants in the city?

Kafana Hercegovina – a restaurant with traditional food I always love to go back to. Every dish is good and tastes like home.

New Balkan Cuisine (Iva) – This is a new discovery for me that quickly became one of my favorites. Here you can find traditional food with a twist. A great choice if you want the taste of home with an artistic touch.

Majstor i Margarita – Who doesn’t like a great pizza place? 🙂

6. Where do you drink coffee?

To be quite honest, I usually like to make my own coffee. I have a little brewing ritual that I like to take at the start of every day. However, there is one place that stuck with me since I was a student – Koffein. The coffee is really good and they always have a friendly smile to hand it over to you.

7. Where do you spend your leisure time?

Either walking around the streets of Belgrade or hanging out with my friends at Kozmeticar. Since it’s in our neighborhood it quickly became the meeting point for when we just want to meet up and chat about everyday things.

8. Name your 3 favorite locations in Belgrade and justify your choice.

The old part of Vracar Historical – Lots of amazing buildings and small streets to explore and as a bonus – there is always a chance to meet a friendly face and have an unexpected chat while roaming the neighborhood.

Kalenic Pijaca – Love the colors, the smell of ripe fruits and flowers that can be found at this lovely market. One of the most colorful and lively places in Belgrade for sure!

Meduza Bar – A place with so many memories and friendly faces. This place will always partly feel like home to me.