Numb Color: The Mood of Balkan Residental Areas

The series Numb Color: The Mood of Balkan Residential Areas (2024–2026) captures the static, numb state of the urban environment and outskirts of Serbia. The project aims to convey an atmosphere of isolation, visual stagnation, and frozen time within residential quarters of the socialist modernist era and their adjacent industrial zones. The primary tool for constructing this mood is a distinct method of working with color under natural light. Instead of capturing dynamic narratives, the images are resolved through strict geometric forms and a calculated color structure. The monotonous, muted palette of concrete masses and asphalt is intentionally contrasted with rare, sharp local color dominants—such as textured patches of red roof tiles or faded wall surfaces. This color contrast, combined with wide shots and the rare presence of human figures within the frames, visualizes the "friction" between the historic architectural layer and elements of forced modern adaptation (wires, antennas, and air conditioning units). Color functions here not as a decorative element, but as a means of revealing the deep psychological landscape of the Balkan region.