03.04.2015

A forum about national heroine Nadezda Petrovic held

Today, at the Atrium of the Central Military Club of Serbia, a forum was held on the occasion of centenary of death of great Serbian heroine and painter Nadezda Petrovic.

The central speech was given by retired Colonel Ljubomir Markovic, President of the Board of Union of Serbian warrior's descendants 1912 – 1920, and speeches were also given by writer Marija D. Nedeljkovic, professors Ilijana Opacic and Jelena Jovanovic, and President of the Art Section “Mihajlo Milovanovic” Ljiljana Stevanovic.

“Why do we mark this day? Not only because of Nadezda Petrovic, but also for us, the living, to learn from history, to draw morals from it. Children, study history, because, through it, you can see the past and the future. A man dies twice, once physically, and the second time when he is forgotten. However, there are people like Nadezda that extend their existence with their work”, Ljubomir Markovic said in his opening word, conveying his great pleasure to have seen a large number of pupils in the audience.

Writer Marija Nedeljkovic spoke about various aspects by which Nadezda had contributed to the Serbian history and art.
“By many accounts, she was the first, and just as significant: as an avant-garde painter in Serbia, and among Serbian painters who had left the studio and painted in nature. Also, she was the first to truly do artistic photography in our region. At the same time, she was the first woman to do war photography and in an artistic way”, the writer, who is also preparing a book about Nadezda, said.

The two professors addressed the guests, both proud for teaching is schools named after the “woman in pants”, as her contemporaries called her. Ilijana Opacic spoke first, reading Nadezda’s letters to her family, because those are the most striking testimonies of war – distressing, but powerful words, ones we must not forget. Later on, the audience was also greeted by Jelena Jovanovic, professor at the Medical High School “Nadezda Petrovic” from Zemun, and she quickly gave the word to her pupils who had written papers about Nadezda Petrovic.

Ljiljana Stevanovic also gave a short speech on behalf of the Art Section of the Union of Serbian warrior's descendants 1912 – 1920 “Mihailo Milovanovic”.
“The Art Section sees Nadezda Petrovic, the war painter, as an inspiration and motivation”, Ljiljana said, reminding that Mihailo Milovanovic, by whom the section is named, had gained his education in Munich together with Nadezda, in Antoan Azbe’s studio.

The event was enriched by Zoran Simonovic, theater actor and honorary member of the Union, who recited verses about love, because “that is the defence of a country”.