A student takes a photo of a painting by Serbian artist Ilija Kostov at Mr Guitar last week. Pic: Hein Latt Aung

BIRDS of various mesmerising colours and shapes are on display at Mr Guitar this week.

Serbian artist Ilija Kostov introduced his impressive collection to Yangon art lovers on july 2 at the opening of his exhibition, which runs until July 13.

The exhibit, named Parallel, features over 20 paintings of birds that he said are widely accepted symbols of the link between heaven and earth.

Kostov uses powerful contrasts of colour in these particular paintings to convey the fragility and freedom of nature represented by birds.

Ko Min Thein, 25, said he enjoyed the exhibit.

“My favourite painting is Daily Bird. It reminds me of an old Myanmar saying: ‘Birds die while they are flying and men die while they are struggling’,” he said.
The painting features a number of birds in various shapes forming a man’s head.

Ko Min Thu, also 25, said his favourite painting is Shape.
“You can sense the insecurity that the birds are feeling and I think it reflects the society that we are living in today.

“The central focus of the painting is a cyclone. The birds around it are afraid and uncertain of what to do. They are waiting for somebody to save them.”

Ilija Kostov was born in 1941 in Skopje, Serbia. He graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Belgrade in 1966 and went on to earn a masters degree from the same school in 1969.

He has displayed his work at more than 200 exhibitions at home and abroad.
Most of his works are based on the survival of humans and his own life experiences.

The Yangon exhibition was organised by the Embassy of the Republic of Serbia.