30.04.2015
Memorial plaque in honour of Nadezda Petrovic unveiled
On the occasion of marking the centenary of death of great Serbian heroine and painter Nadezda Petrovic, a memorial plaque “Nadezda Petrovic – military nurse” by Mirko Mrkic Ostroski was ceremonially unveiled today at the Central Military Club of Serbia. The relief was unveiled by academic Vladimir Kostic, President of SANU, and the importance of the life and work of the Serbian artist, who created in early 20th century, was discussed by Director of Odbrana Media Center Stevica Karapandzin, art historian Nikola Kusovac, writer Milovan Vitezovic, and author Mirko Mrkic Ostroski.
Today’s ceremony was also attended by Serbian president's wife Dragica Nikolic, Acting Assistant Minister for Defence Policy Major General Sladjan Djordjevic, and numerous guests.
According to Colonel Karapandzin, the memorial plaque unveiled today is a part of a project dedicated to renowned personas and marking of important jubilees from Serbian history, and he was the initiator of this idea.
- The only experienced and true relation between the past, present and future has been established long ago with the relation in which only those who know and honour their past can be determined in the present and plan the future – Colonel Karapandzin stated, announcing the plans for setting up bronze reliefs dedicated to Vladislav Petkovic Dis, Holy Archimandrite Pajsije and Deacon Avakum, General Jovan Dragasevic, Stanislav Binicki and Koca Popovic at the hall of the Central Military Club by the end of the year.
Reminding of details from the biography of the renowned painter and heroine, academic Vladimir Kostic stressed that she died knowingly sacrificing her life, replacing the war between colours and shapes from art capitals of Europe with the commitment to the calling of a volunteer nurse at the Valjevo hospital in the midst of the Great War.
- What she left as a legacy in the artistic field, the artistic work remains completely separate, unique and incomparable. Pointing to this sad dissonance, someone who could have been among the key figures that could have brought the courses of modern art to Serbia, the best that the European culture, not its politics, could offer at the time, to which she was contemporary herself, she, however, chose to radically break her own course, for her loyalty to her people, and exposed herself to the plague of diseases of the poor, and to the inevitable death – academic Kostic stressed.
Speaking of Nadezda Petrovic as of a “girl-giant” of her times, art historian Nikola Kusovac stressed that, in almost a decade and a half of her work, she left a truly significant mark, on which the entire Serbian modern art is based. - In the time when she created her art, she was better that those who were the pride of Europe. Her expressionism could outshine, as it still does, the masters of German expressionism, in the likes of Kirchner or Pechstein – Kusovac stressed, adding that this memorial testifies about our great sacrifices and great artistic capabilities.
At the today’s ceremony, writer Milovan Vitezovic spoke about the meting of two great Serbian women – Nadezda Petrovic and Desanka Maksimovic in front of the gates to the Valjevo hospital, depicting the tragic nature of the times when the meeting occurred.
Author of the bronze memorial plaque Mirko Mrkic Ostroski expressed his pleasure to have been given the chance to display his works at the Central Military Club, and thanked for the support of Status Stil Company that made it possible for the work to be done in bronze.
After the ceremony of unveiling the memorial plaque, at the Gala Hall of the Central Military Club, actress Biljana Djurovic performed the monodrama “Nadezda Petrovic”, directed by Bozidar Djurovic.
