ABOUT
David Matej Goljat was born in the 1970s and is an artist, professionally – in theory (ideologically) -and in practice (as seen through his work) (a painter and a designer). He is based in Bergen, Norway, where he owns a gallery.
DMG has always been a very active and versatile creator and artist and already as a student, he participated in various projects, he has worked for different organizations and also did some volunteer work – to fulfil his inner wishes and strives even more.
After finishing his studies of fine arts and later on of design, he worked, for a decade, as an independent designer and specifically as a costume designer at the National Slovene Television and at other TV and production houses and theatres. Through the years, he has carried out his own individual creative projects, he has been teaching and is, in essence, always on the go.
Matej, as his friends call him, is exceptional in finding his own way of creating things, with the drawing as the dominant trait, a drawing often times created in one single stroke, or as the artist himself has said: “I want to capture the energy of a given moment and “write it down” with a one-stroke drawing which, to me, again and again, represents a challenge, if not even an actual necessity. For this drawing to be created, one needs to combine and align all the senses with the movement. They begin simultaneously and then, intertwined, they move towards a common goal. There are no revisions, no pauses, and no retakes. The line is as alive as life itself.”
In the works of art of this artist, we often find people in outstanding and also unusual compositions, projecting a clear expressiveness and a clear message which sometimes aren’t too pleasant … We can sometimes see people in movement, other times as caught in a particular situation, a specific act … then there are crowds that move towards the viewer, merely observe him/ her, or are in the process of leaving … Matej, why the people? “ I’ve always been fascinated by the human body, its expressiveness, dynamics or versatility, the movement that is being created with our limbs and also by the intellect that is specific for each individual.
We the people are the ones who move borders but we also set them, we create and at the same time we destroy, we connect and we tear apart, we love and we hate … We live in a world where each of us should be more and enough perceptive of the world around us and within us, and moreover, contribute his/ her own part to making sure that the wheels of life don’t turn too quickly into a wrong direction. Yet again, it is only us, the people who can create and spread fear. And why? Simply because that is the only way the system we live in today can function and survive. My messages are a reflection of the times and the places we occupy, with all their versatility and dynamics. … I am curious and I care. That’s why.”
When creating, Matej likes to blend his distinguished signature and character “live” line, as he likes to call it, with paint, collages, prints and other media. He does that in his own subtle and specific way, in various versions and in different techniques. His work incorporates anything from ink painting, to charcoal art, pencil drawing, watercolour painting, screen printing, mixed techniques, painting with acrylic paints on canvas, wood, paper, and his most recent work also incorporates digital painting (graphics), as ipad pro is currently, according to his own words, Matej’s favourite toy … “I enjoy creating and I am a bit of a workaholic. I constantly feel the need to be active and creative, whether it be with a brush, with clay, with a wooden spoon or a hoe. I like to paint in different techniques, I like versatility, dynamics, colours, contrasts, lines … I don’t like monotonousness. It bores me.”
On DMG’s art works, we would often find typography, various texts that give a deeper meaning to the paintings, a mystical quality. The writing also appears as an art element, not an actual message for the viewer, as the writing is often times hectic and unreadable, messaging that which the viewer wants to see … Why the writing, the letters, numbers, signs? “I’ve always loved writing, poetry, signs and typography in general… I generally think a lot and I like writing. As I’m painting, I would sometimes feel that the painting needs that sort of an additional element. So I write down my feelings with my often hectic handwriting which ends up being only barely readable to me as well. Thus the typography (writing) becomes merely an art element with a symbolic weight and devoid of actual meaning.”
CV
DAVID MATEJ GOLJAT alias DMG
EDUCATION (post high school)
1995 – 2001 University of Ljubljana, College of Visual arts. I completed my studies with honours.
2001 – 2003 University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, Department for Design of Textiles and Clothing
WORK HISTORY
For more than 20 years, I have closely cooperated with a number of organisations, as a artist and a designer, mentor (painting and drawing, screen-printing…), organiser, advisor, lecturer…
Some of the organisation and companies: Society of Designers SLO (Ljubljana), CANKARJEV DOM, the National Cultural Center (Ljubljana), POP TV (Ljubljana), RTV SLO, National Television (Ljubljana), MOL – DEPARTMENT FOR CULTURE, City Council of Ljubljana, (Ljubljana), ZPM (Lj-Bežigrad, Lj-Center), Youth Institute of the Republic of Slovenia (Ljubljana), Various Primary Schools & Social Work Centers, ŠKUC (Ljubljana), MINI THEATER (Ljubljana), SEZAM (Ljubljana), SONČEK (Ljubljana), ŠOU, Student Organisation (Ljubljana), TOURIST OFFICE LJUBLJANA (Ljubljana), School of Applied Arts – Famul Stuart (Ljubljana), KIBLA – Cultural Center (Maribor) …
SOME OF PREVIOUS EXHIBITIONS AND PROJECTS
DMG Atelier & gallery (founder & leader), Bergen, Norway (since 2019)
DMG gallery & shop (founder & leader), Bergen, Norway (since 2015)
LOOK AT ME (project author & leader), City Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia (2013)
Costume design (Janezov Pasjon), Glej Theater, Ljubljana, Slovenia (June 2013),
BAM Ljubljana (art & design exhibition / project author & leader), one of the most wanted Christmas ART event in Ljubljana – center, Ljubljana, Slovenia (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019)
Costume design at RTV SLO, National Television, Ljubljana, Slovenia (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013),
Costume design for different production companies / television advertising, printed advertisements, Ads… (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013),
Eurosong 2012, (costume design – visual look of the Slovenian team – Eva Boto…) Baku, Azerbaijan (May 2012)
Eurosong 2011, (costume design – visual look of the Slovenian team – Maja Keuc) Dusseldorf, Germany (May 2011)
Costume design for National / State celebration – Republic of Slovenia, Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia (June 2010)
Costume design »Bob leta«, Theater Maribor and RTV SLO, Ljubljana, Slovenia (January 2011)
Costume design for musical »Ljubim te spremeni se«, City teater Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia (October 2010)
Costume design for Sunday evening Show (broadcast) »AS TI TUD NOT PADU«, ( First prize for best Slovenian TV Show 2008, 2009, 2010) POP TV, Ljubljana, Slovenia (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010),
»To delo pervo moje« National group exhibition, Koroška galerija likovnih umetnosti, Ljubljana, Slovenia (December 2007),
Unicef Slovenia, Artist creating dolls for Unicef / »Adopting a doll and saving a life…« Ljubljana, Slovenia (2007, 2010)
Eurosong 2007, (Costume design – visual look of Slovenian team – Alenka Gotar…) Helsinki, Finland (May 2007)
Alternative fashion week London, London, Great Britain (2006),
dmg studio, founder & leader, Ljubljana, Slovenia (2005),
DIFRIENDSIGN, exhibition… presentation and coming out with my own label DMG, Gallery EQURNA, Ljubljana, Slovenia (2005),
d’gallery, founder & leader, Ljubljana, Slovenia (2004, 2005),
Fashion Week Skopje, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia (2004),
FASHION SHOW, West meets East, St. Petersburg, Saint Petersburg, Russia (2003),
FASHION SHOW, SKIN, Cankarjev dom, the National Cultural Center, Ljubljana, Slovenia(2003),
FIRST PRIZE »INOUT«, installation in four floors FDV, Faculty of Humanities, Ljubljana, Slovenia (2003),
BIO 18, exhibition, Bienale Industry Design, Evrope, Ljubljana, Slovenia (2002),
BLUE EYE, AIC colour & textiles, exhibition print on textile, Galerija Rotovž, Maribor, Slovenia (2002),
STUDENT ARENA; Cankarjev dom, FDV, Ljubljana, Slovenia (2001, 2002),
SMALL GALLERY CD; exhibition »Typography as a microstructural system on a painting foundation«, Cankarjev dom, the National Cultural Center, Ljubljana, Slovenia (2001),
»TRANSGENERATIONS« festival of contemporary arts – selector for the arts section and exhibition director, Cankarjev dom, Ljubljana, Slovenia (2001, 2002, 2003),
»FAIRY TALE WORLD« artists workshops coordinator, mentor, Cankarjev dom, the National Cultural Center , Ljubljana, Slovenia (1999,2000,2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005),
»FLOWERS IN YOUR EYES«, exhibition, Ljubljana, Slovenia (2000)
»VISITS AT ST. FLORIAN« project author, leader, classical music concerts and sculpture exhibition, Ljubljana, Slovenia (2000),
»LJUBLJANA’S ART MARKET« (Founder / project author & leader) conceptualisation and execution, Ljubljana, Slovenia(2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018…),
FORTRESS KLUŽE, exhibition, Bovec, Slovenia (2000),
INTERIER DESIGN AND PAINTINGS, Club Heaven, Škofja loka, Slovenia (2000),
PROJECT »YOUR IDEAS IN THE STREET«, YOUTH INSTITUTE of the Republic of Slovenia, Ljubljana, Slovenia (1999),
CAMP »Give us your ideas«, YOUTH INSTITUTE of the Republic of Slovenia, Kranjska gora, Slovenia (1999),
FIRST PRIZE for best commercial photography and slogan, PEPSI (1999),
… I have also participated in a number of different group projects and exhibitions.
…