Eugene weekly., August 21, 2025, Page 13, Image 13

VISUAL
ARTS
Photo by Sarah Oliver/Domek
A PLACE FOR PEOPLE
Domek restaurant in downtown Eugene
hangs work from internationally known
Serbian-American artist Vesna Pavlović
BY WILL KENNEDY
O
ne day, not long ago, Vesna
Pavlović, a photographer and
Vanderbilt University asso-
ciate professor of art, got a
notifi cation that someone she
didn’t know from Eugene, Oregon, had
followed her on Instagram.
On her feed, Pavlović shares examples
of her work, which has been shown at
prestigious institutions all around the
world, including a solo show at the Phil-
lips Collection in Washington, D.C., group
exhibitions at the Metropolitan Arts Center
in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and in the
public collection at the National Museum
of Women in the Arts, also in Washing-
ton. Pavlović’s photograph Krajina Hotel,
Negotin is in the collection at the National
Gallery of Art.
Now, in part from that social media
encounter, two of Pavlović’s photographs
called Inside the Federal Executive Council
Building, Belgrade, Serbia, 2003-2005, hang
at Domek, the recently opened Eastern
European cuisine restaurant in down-
Ken Ludwig’s
A Fox on the Fairway
town Eugene.
On the other end of that Instagram
follow was Domek’s co-owner, Sarah Oliver,
who was introduced to Pavlović’s work
through Sarah Finlay, who lives in Eugene
but once owned Fusebox, an art gallery in
Washington, D.C.
Finlay, friends with Oliver, linked to
Pavlović through the art world, brokered
the Domek deal, and has opened RecRoom,
a small, high-end art gallery in her own
home in south Eugene.
Pavlović was born in Serbia in south-
eastern Europe, a cultural and geographic
connection to the food Oliver and her
husband, and Domek co-owner, Chef
Andrew Hroza’s menu explores.
The two pieces on permanent display
at Domek are from Pavlović’s Kolekcija
collection, photographed at the Palace of
Federation, also known as the Palace of
Serbia in New Belgrade, putting Pavlović’s
formalist lens on architecture with her eye
for spaces humans inhabit.
Built in the 1950s, the Palace of Federa-
tion, a government building, stands today
as a monument to Serbia’s socialist past,
but also, divorced from politics, a time
their work in Eugene. Finlay and Pavlović
capsule for mid-century modern design. In
are in talks to host a show at RecRoom.
Pavlović’s work, the scenes are absent of
RecRoom’s inaugural show, The Beau-
people, but with the haunting sense they
tiful Room is Empty, runs through August
just left, a mood Pavlović’s photographs
31. Presented alongside guest curator
often convey.
Steven Stewart, it’s a sister show to a
When introduced to Pavlović’s work
Freight+Volume gallery installation in New
through Finlay, Oliver knew right away
York, with the same artists presented in
that the clean lines, geometric abstraction,
Eugene at a smaller scale. It focuses on
and a restrained but warm color palette
abstract expressionism and features work
would supplement the restaurant’s mini-
from the Pacifi c Northwest, Los Angeles,
malist interior.
New York and North Carolina.
Most importantly, though, the Palace of
Among them is Terry Haggerty, a Univer-
Federation, as photographed by Pavlović,
sity of Oregon art instructor who shows
was a “place for the people, which is also
all over the world and works from a studio
how we look at Domek,” Oliver says.
in Eugene. “I want people to know that
The pieces, Oliver tells Eugene Weekly,
these artists are here in the community,”
“speak to a certain time, and a certain
Finlay says.
place. And that’s what we want to do,” she
With RecRoom, and in brokering art
says, with Domek’s menu and aesthetic.
like Pavlović, Finlay says she wants to
Oliver continues, “The thing about
bring higher-end art to Eugene and put
Vesna’s pieces, and the thing that connects
artists, whether based here or elsewhere, in
them to this restaurant, is that one of our
dialogue with the community. “Set expec-
main missions was, if you walk into Domek,
tations a little higher,” she says. “You can
you’re instantly taken from out there, and
see a world-class artist here. You can have
you’re here. Vesna’s pieces also do that.”
access to that.”
Pavlović, in a phone call from Nash-
Referring to the Pavlović photos at
ville, where Vanderbilt is located,
Domek, she says it was Pavlović’s
says that her larger Kole-
interest in what she calls
kcija collection, from
“non-places” or liminal
which the pieces were
space — in this case,
chosen, compares
beautifully designed
and contrasts the
but empty govern-
Palace of Federa-
ment offi ces — that
tion, which is also
made her think it
a landmark of
was the perfect fi t.
socialism, with the
F i n l a y s a y s,
Chase One Plaza in
“I love the juxta-
Manhattan, built by
position of these
VESNA PAVLOVIĆ, ARTIST.
David Rockefeller, a
fascinating
places,
Photo by Susan Urmy
titan of American-style
but devoid of people,”
capitalism.
contrasted, she says,
In choosing those two
“with the scene in the restau-
photographs, Pavlović says Domek
rant, which is warm, with people
“wanted to engage with that narrative.”
talking and interacting.”
Art can be a reminder of ways to “tran-
Domek is at 454 Willamette Street. Hours are 5
pm to 11 pm Wednesday through Saturday. Make
scend struggle,” she says. “And certainly
reservations at DomekEugene.com, or call 458-544-
we are in times of struggle.”
1312. RecRoom Gallery is at 4415 Hilyard Street.
Through facilitating artists finding
Hours are noon to 4 pm Sunday or by appointment.
Go to RecRoomEugene.com or email Sarah@
space in Eugene, such as Pavlović, and
RecRoomEugene.com for more information. For
in her RecRoom, gallerist Finlay hopes to
more information about Vesna Pavlović, go to
provide more opportunities for mid-career
Vesna-Pavlovic.com or search Vesna Pavlović on
social media.
and emerging artists like Pavlović to show
is
presented by arrangement with
Concord Theatricals on behalf of
Samuel French, Inc.
(www.concordtheatricals.com)
Scan for tickets!
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August 21, 2025
13