My name is Milan Kovačević, I am an MA graduate at the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Zagreb, University of Zagreb, Light Design. I started light designing more then a decade ago, and I’m permanently employed in Youth Theatre of Zagreb. I have worked with many acknowledged directors and deigned lights for more then 30 professional productions in Croatia and abroad.
10 years ago I was chosen to work as light technician in a big production by Jan Fabre, ‘Requiem for a Metamorphosis’. This was an international project in which many young artists were given a chance to develop her/his skills learning from one of the best living directors.
I was both honored and thrilled to be given such a chance. It gave me opportunity to meet other people with similar interests and work intensively on developing my passion and profession. I had a general feeling I was respected, as well as all other members of the production, I felt we were all equals, no matter what level of experience or our role in the production was.
I developed a great respect for Mr. Fabre, both as an extinguished artist and as a person. The energy he puts into his art is amazing, which goes together, of course, with the great level of responsibility. High standards that Mr. Fabre puts in all of his work demands a lot of discipline, and discipline, if it’s to work, demands authority. Authority, on the other hand, can sometimes be taken hard or even be misunderstood, especially among artist who posses a high level of individuality and awareness of personal freedom. From my own point of view, as an aware individual and artist, I was not endangered by the authority of mr. Fabre. I respected his ways of transmitting his knowledge and sharing his ideas, no matter how different and extravagant they may have seemed at moments. Therefor it is hard for me to accept the accusation that have been put on Mr. Fabre. Sometimes, when you reached the level of personal success and artistic acknowledgement, like Mr. Fabre did, it causes jealousy on personal level. As the old quote goes: The people who know the least about you, always have the most to say!
I strongly condemn any level of mobbing, but everything has to be waged double times. Such accusation are a big stain to someones work and have to be thoroughly questioned. Living in the era of political correctness, we might have forgotten to approach each situation with great caution and peculiarities it brings. It is easier just to take sides and judgments based on the first information that comes along.
But I can only speak for myself, and following my personal experience, I ‘m giving my full support to Mr. Fabre. I strongly feel the accusations will be discarged, and that his art will continue to flourish at the joy of old and new audiences!
Milan Kovačević
