Miodrag Đurić (Dado)

About

Miodrag Đurić, known as Dado, was a Montenegrin-born artist who spent most of his career in France, renowned for his surrealist and art brut-influenced works exploring themes of violence, mythology, and human suffering. Born in Cetinje, Montenegro, in 1933, he demonstrated early artistic talent amid wartime occupations and family hardships, including the early death of his mother. He studied at the School of Fine Arts in Herceg Novi and later at the Academy of Fine Arts in Belgrade, where he was encouraged by mentors like Marko Čelebonović. Moving to Paris in 1956, Dado was discovered by gallerist Daniel Cordier, who launched his career with a pivotal solo exhibition in 1958. He settled in rural France, first in Courcelles-lès-Girsors and later in Hérouval, where he married Cuban artist Hessie and raised five children, creating a vibrant artistic community.

Surrealism fused with art brut and free figuration, featuring dreamlike, grotesque, and violent imagery with mythological and personal themes.