Creation
Black Ink & Graphite on Paper
Drawing Dimensions: 34.3×49.3 cm
Paper Dimensions: 45.6×61.0 cm
Price of original: 400 €
Creation is a complex, densely detailed black ink drawing by Elvis Grahovac. It reflects the artist’s personal experience while thinking about the nature of the universe, creation, time, and infinity—ideas that, over time, pushed his mind toward the edge of breakdown. The work explores the relationship between art and science, and how the mind copes with overwhelming existential questions.
Infinity and Faith
On the middle right, the artist’s own face is shown caught in a wave-like pattern, expressing a mental breakdown. During intense thought about infinity, Elvis found himself turning to religion as a form of psychological protection. Even while understanding that these experiences were occurring within his own mind, he used religious imagery as a mental anchor. For him, religion has been a way to escape the endless loop of thinking about infinity—a framework that offers simple answers and symbolic exits, represented in the drawing by a gate at the center-right.
Facing Existential Questions
Next to the gate is a spiral, representing the spinning and repetition of thoughts, including déjà vu. While religion provided temporary relief, it also created a feeling of blindness, until the artist was once again drawn back to deeper, more abstract thinking. Despite the risk of mental instability, he felt the need to explore these ideas. Over time, he reached a place of acceptance, and now faces these questions without fear.
The Edge of Time
In the upper right corner, a clock represents time. Below it, the artist’s face reflects on the nature of time—especially the duration and structure of a single moment. Elvis suggests that for creation to begin, time must already exist; without it, matter couldn’t move, and energy couldn’t flow. He considers the idea of slowing time to a complete stop, which would also stop the movement of light and all forms of energy—resulting in total darkness. This theoretical “full stop” represents a moment with no time, no movement, and no existence. He questions how long such a moment would last, and whether it’s even possible to reach it. By dividing time infinitely—hour, second, nanosecond, and so on—he reflects on whether there’s ever a true, complete pause between moments, or if time always continues, however minutely.
Confronting the Infinite
On the middle left, the artist’s face appears again, this time in distress while confronting the idea of infinity. This concept has disturbed him since childhood, even causing recurring nightmares. Infinity represents an overwhelming and incomprehensible state that challenges the limits of human thought. In the bottom left corner, mushrooms symbolize expanded consciousness and altered states of perception. They represent the mind’s ability to open up and explore ideas beyond ordinary understanding.
The Pull of Gravity
Above the central face, a group of minds starts merging into one form, representing gravity’s influence. Elvis is interested in gravity because it behaves differently from other forces. It is not transmitted over time and space like light or energy, but instead appears to act instantly across vast distances. This raises questions about how gravity works and whether it can be fully understood. He visualizes the idea that time and gravity began simultaneously, giving rise to the ether—a medium through which reality operates.
The Key to Understanding
In the top left, the artist’s hands hold a key—symbolizing a moment of understanding or insight into the mystery of creation. It represents the moment he felt he understood how these concepts might be connected.
Creation is both a scientific and psychological exploration, expressed through detailed visual symbolism. It deals with the mental strain of contemplating abstract concepts like time, infinity, gravity, and creation, and how the mind attempts to protect itself from cognitive overload. Through this drawing, Elvis Grahovac documents his process of thinking, questioning, and eventually reaching a state of acceptance—offering a visual insight into the human effort to understand the fundamental nature of existence.
For more information, availability and pricing, please contact
elvisart@yahoo.com