Julija Pesic

Julija Pesic is a University of Toronto researcher focused on performance art, cultural anthropology, and cultural studies. Her doctoral dissertation project investigates cultural specificity and global dynamics in the artistic work of Marina Abramovic, a Belgrade-born, New York City-based performance artist, now best-known for her record-breaking 2010 MoMA retrospective. This exhibition drew over 850,000 visitors within three months with its central event The Artist Is Present — a 736-hour and 30-minute live performance — in which Abramovic invited each audience member to sit opposite to her in the museum’s atrium. Julija’s doctoral project is awarded by Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Doctoral Fellowship in 2019/21 and 2020/21. In 2018/19 and 2017/18, Julija received the Ontario Graduate Scholarship, including the Metal-Trebbin-De Boni Scholarship for the strong academic record. Julija is also an alumna of Harvard University’s Mellon School of Theatre and Performance Research. Before immigrating to Canada, Julija completed BA honours in South Slavic Literature and MA in Dramatic Literature at the University of Belgrade with expertise in subversive humour in contemporary European drama. Her research work comprises performance art as well as interaction of literature, theatre, and film.

Selected work

Publications (Articles in Professional Journals)

Pesic, Julija. “Absurdity and/or Reality: Grotesque and Tragicomic Realism in Balkan Spy (1983)”, in  Contemporary Southeastern Europe: An Interdisciplinary Journal on Southeastern Europe. Graz, Austria: Centre for Southeast European Studies, University of Graz, 2018, 5(2), 21-37.   http://www.contemporarysee.org/sites/default/files/papers/pesic_balkan_spy_.pdf

Пешић, Јулија. “Следство, иновaција, синтеза: Драме Душана Ковачевића и њихов однос према традицији српске комедиографије”, у: Душан Ковачевић: Хумор је светлост, Уредник: Михајло Пантић, Библиотека града Београда, Београд, 2018. стр.171-203. [TN: Pešić, Julija. CONVENTION, INNOVATION, SYNTHESIS:  DUŠAN KOVAČEVIĆ'S PLAYS AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO THE TRADITION OF COMEDY GENRE, Published in the corpus of academic articles Dušan Kovačević: Humor je svetlost/ Dusan Kovacevic: Humor is Light /, Edited by Mihajlo Pantic, Belgrade City Library, Belgrade, 2018, p.171-203.]

Пешић, Мр Јулија. „Поступци остваривања трагикомичног ефекта у комаду Душана Ковачевића Лари Томпсон – трагедија једне младости“, у: Зборник Матице српске за књижевност и језик, Нови Сад, 2011, књига 59, свеска 1, стр.147-158. http://www.maticasrpska.org.rs/stariSajt/casopisi/knjizevnost_59-1.pdf [TN: Pešić, MA Julija. THE TECHNIQUES FOR ACHIEVING TRAGICOMICAL EFFECTS USED IN DUŠAN KOVAČEVIĆ’S LARI TOMPSON – TRAGEDIJA JEDNE MLADOSTI, Published in the journal Zbornik Matice srpske /Matica Srpska Journal for Literature and Language/, Novi Sad, 2011, p. 147-158, No. UDC 821.163.41-2.09 Kovačević D. 792.027.2]

Мајсторовић, Јулија. „Душан Ковачевић: Модели драмске илузије“ у: Књижевност и језик, Друштво за српски језик и књижевност Србије, Београд, 2009, LVI 1-2, стр. 47-68. [TN: Majstorović, Julija. DUŠAN KOVAČEVIĆ: MODELS OF DRAMATIC ILLUSION, Published in the journal Književnost i jezik /Literature and Language/, LVI/1-2, Belgrade, 2009. p. 47-68, No.: 821.163.41.09-2 Kovačević D.]

Artistic Projects

A Plastic Body — Recycled Mind: A Selfie is Present, Multimedia Installation with Ecological Purpose, 50th Anniversary of Centre for Drama, Theatre, and Performance Studies Exhibition, Chestnut Residence and Conference Centre, University of Toronto, May 2017

In the Clutches of Hypertext: How to Read Dictionary of the Khazars by Milorad Pavic In-Between algorithms (Life/Death), The Fields Institute for Research in Mathematical Sciences University of Toronto, October 2016

Plastic Self-Extension — A Guide to Residual Confession: Performing Garbage and Consumerism Luella Massey Studio Theatre, University of Toronto, December 2016

When the Silence Speaks – Live Language Performance, Centre for Drama, Theatre, and Performance Studies, University of Toronto, 2014