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Studio Visit: Miron Milic Explains the Dark Humor in his Drawings and Murals

Miron Milic has always believed that nothing is sacred and that there are no untouchable subjects or themes that art shouldn't or couldn't address. So the first thing that came to mind when the Zagreb, Croatia-based artist entered the world of street art was to paint a self portrait. Aware of the culture of anonymity in street art, he instinctively wanted to go against the grain, baring himself with an almost mocking image. Painted on a small electric plant in a busy residential neighborhood of Zagreb, this piece illustrates Miron Milic's artistic ideals in a nutshell.

Miron Milic has always believed that nothing is sacred and that there are no untouchable subjects or themes that art shouldn’t or couldn’t address. So the first thing that came to mind when the Zagreb, Croatia-based artist entered the world of street art was to paint a self portrait. Aware of the culture of anonymity in street art, he instinctively wanted to go against the grain, baring himself with an almost mocking image. Painted on a small electric plant in a busy residential neighborhood of Zagreb, this piece illustrates Miron Milic’s artistic ideals in a nutshell.

A fan of visual expression from early age, Milic’s turbulent childhood shaped his path to becoming an artist. The artist vividly remembers hearing the sounds of air strike alarms as a kid in the early 90s, during the Croatian War of Independence. After four months spent in a shelter with his family, life took a huge turn. He and his family moved around Europe to find a new start, and the young Milic dealt with his new life by visualizing ideas, concerns, opinions, or fears on paper. Around that time, he realized that everything can be turned into art and everything can be seen in a humorous way. This had a therapeutic effect on him.

Once his family settled in Zagreb, he finished the school of applied arts and later on graduated the Academy of Fine Arts at the University of Zagreb. It took some time for the public to accept his comic-like visual language, which he often infuses with dark humor. But being a fan of honesty and unconstrained sketching, he refused to adapt to what was expected from a classic academic painter. It was his first experience with street art during MUU 2009 in Zagreb that gave him international exposure and earned him a following. He has been participating in various street art festivals ever since.

Nowadays, Milic paints and draws nonstop, literally sleeping with his sketchbook. He finds beauty in imperfections and mistakes, and has an appreciation for what some might call ugliness. His academic training comes in handy when he transfers his small-scale drawings onto walls for his large-scale murals. Sad, funny, and sometimes shocking, a clash of elements is what makes his work appealing.

Recently, Milic finished murals in Ljubljana and Rijeka, and is now heading to Moscow to participate in a City in Words event there. After that he’ll continue working in his studio, getting ready for his solo show in September at Lauba in Zagreb.


Mural in Zagreb, Croatia.


Mural in Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina.


Mural in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

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