A very important moment, a truly essential one!
A few decades ago, in the Balkans, a term emerged: “revision in art.” It did not develop, branch out, delve deeper, or reveal new things, for various reasons. But from that period—when that spiritual intonation was imposed upon these regions—Jordan Manasjeski began to receive cosmic vibrations for his creative work. He started moving beyond time, beyond reality, beyond the clichés imposed upon us as a civilisation.
His path, spanning 55 years, is in fact a journey of complete revision of art on a global scale. Why do I say this? We live in an area where the oldest European civilisation developed. In that European civilisation, one can trace cubist elements; one can see abstract forms as paintings on ceramics, as images and shapes on artefacts—these are material objects upon which the spiritual archetype of this region is formed. Jordan bridges this in a mystical, esoteric way; he absorbs it completely.
Tonight’s gathering is not just a jubilee, nor merely a breakthrough in European and world art—a “revision.” On the contrary, at this moment, we may not even realise that world and European art are returning here, to the roots, to the essence, to the truth. I must emphasise that we stand at a significant crossroads—a crossroads of alienation, trivialisation, commercialisation, and the showbiz-ification of art, which is leading to its total devaluation. Yet, it is also a crossroads at which, or through which, a new spiritual, non-commercial art of a new civilisation will emerge.
This civilisation, conceived here in these lands, is the reason why this gathering is, in fact, a manifesto of new essential art that will present itself to the world—unless it is destroyed. But even if it is destroyed, the spiritual current will remain, a current that does not arise from the “serviced reality” imposed by today’s materialistic world, but from cosmic values.
It must be emphasised that the world is currently experiencing a great flood—a deluge of serviced reality. We are in danger of becoming faceless beings, stripped of spirituality and vision, beings devoid of creativity.
Tonight, the presence of Jordan—embodied through this monograph—serves as a signpost to the future salvation of humanity. I say this most sincerely, most convincingly, and with the deepest faith. Believe me, we are facing a profound crisis: humanity is becoming dehumanized. This is not merely a monograph; it is a manifesto for salvation. These paintings contain, unite, and celebrate all our inner virtues, our volcanoes, our constellations within—mirroring the constellations beyond.
This work bridges all times and all spaces. It is painting that will give rise to a new civilisation—a civilisation of revised art.
Jordan does not simply create; he interprets the world. He seeks the vision of God’s creation, approaching the very essence of existence—not just any existence, but a different existence, one we hesitate to embrace because of our entrenched conformism.
This is asceticism; these are paintings-prayers, addressed to all the stars within us and to ourselves. This is a moment when we must choose: either we follow the path that Jordan has walked for 55 years—devoted to a dematerialised, floating, levitating way of creating—or we do not. This is a moment when, with true optimism and miraculous faith, we feel and believe there is hope.
A little about his almost shamanistic ritual of creation: this is not just painting—which is, in itself, very important! This is something even more significant. It is not painting enslaved to terms and definitions imposed upon us centuries in advance. We have our own iconography, our own language for speaking about art, our own way of building the genesis of our creative ecstasy.
In that state of almost spiritual invisibility, we surrendered to theories, aesthetics, and philosophies—most often imposed from the West. Through this imposition, we accepted the role of being artists, creators, interpreters of the second order. Interpreting those coming from so-called centers—which, incidentally, are not true centers at all—and we welcomed this secondhand status, interpreting and producing what was imposed upon us as value.
Jordan is one of the few who reminds us that true values reside within ourselves; they are not to be found in civilisations imposed upon us as the only, the most worthy, or the most respectable.
No, we have had authentic art for millennia; we possess the archetype. But what we lack is the industry of producing so-called art that is stored and deposited in banks, later to be converted into capital. That does not interest us.
His painting has its own rhythm, almost akin to hesychasm, meaning that every one of his works is connected to the heart, to inner speech, to the depths he carves into. And this is crucial—it is connected to his complete abandonment of egocentrism, which is so characteristic of the civilisation imposed upon us.
His painting is entirely devoted to what flows within us, to what lifts us above the gravity of our vanity and our preoccupation with material things, guiding us back to where our true home is. He has no need for working with brushes, for retouching, for re-examining, or for aesthetic evaluation—there is simply no need. This is a kind of interpretation, a reworking of reality itself. He stands above reality, moving through spaces beyond.
I see all his paintings as published in a manifesto—a spiritual manifesto of this nation—and I must emphasise: this is not a monograph; this is a spiritual manifesto that will be studied for decades to come. He moves, he calls out to us from that place, offering us what is truly valuable. He offers us humanism; he offers us humanity in all its dimensions—not just one, but in its vast multidimensionality, its incredible richness, its capacity to multiply and encompass all, reflecting the divine nature within.
This painting cannot be compared to the art that has been imposed upon us; it stands apart. It is present in major museums in the West and recognised with awards because instinctively, people sense that much of what surrounds them today is interpreted as elitism, as spectacle, as mere performances—like bananas taped with duct tape—art that ultimately leads us nowhere. And people sense that in Jordan’s painting lies something that brings us closer to our very reason for being—and that is love. His painting is the language of love—expressed through colours, through strokes (and I emphasize strokes), because he works directly in response to impulses, to the pulse of his heart. He creates the music of the soul, and that music will continue to resonate even when humanity no longer exists, because it belongs to a new galaxy.
His painting, his opus, is only now beginning to become the subject of serious study and is part of a profound creative lineage in this region—not to name them all—but it is, in fact, the new galaxy that has already come into being. That galaxy is illuminated not by color, rhythm, or composition, but by the inner light that radiates from these paintings. These works are the light of a galaxy—we can freely call it Jordan’s galaxy. I am grateful to live in a time when, before me, stands an opus of Divine providence; when, before us, is the voice of love in its absolute form.
I am grateful that Ljupcho found the immense, titanic strength to create this manifesto. I am grateful that Jordan exists—and will continue to exist—for he is spirit, not merely body. I am thankful because that light has touched me, and believe me, at a recent promotion in Bitola, people left with tears in their eyes—tears of purified souls. This is a moment of great importance for our survival; Jordan is the one who shows us the way to our soul, to our true home.
I thank him, and I am certain that he exists in many constellations. From all those constellations, he brings us the most beautiful gifts, and will continue to do so.
Ohrid, 31.05.2025
Vlado Gjoreski Rafiko
Translated by: Daniela Spiroska