16.05.2015
Night of Museums at the Central Military Club of Serbia
For the twelfth “Night of Museums”, as in previous years, Odbrana Media Center prepared a programme for culture enthusiasts to enjoy, and they traditionally visited this representative building in large numbers.When the doors of the former Veteran House opened at 17.00, the unique performance began which involved discovering hidden messages that had been brought into the two galleries of the monumental building by exhibitions Socialist Art and Socialist Realism from Vujicic Collection and Little Stories from the Great War, which were enriched in the Night of Museums by multimedia display Promenade of Memories.
A large number of paintings and drawings from Vujicic Collection, which possesses over 500 art works of Serbian art of the 20th century, displayed at the Grand Gallery of the Central Military Club, were presented to the public for the first time. The exhibition Socialist Realism by Prof. Dr. Jerko Denegri and Jasmina Jaksic Subic was visited by a large number of art enthusiasts who recognized the mobilizing character of “engaged” paintings, sculptures, drawings, and graphics created in the times of seeking the driving forces of the new post-war society.
It was also recognized by law student from Paracin Radovan Skendzic, who began his tour of cultural places in the nigh titled “Eyes open to the night” with his friend at the former Veteran House.
- You can see quite clearly that the memories, feelings and inspirations of the artists of the post-war period were conditioned by war terrors that many of them experienced and survived, and I can almost sense that time through the dominant motifs and colours - the young citizen of Paracin said, adding that he was pleased with the programmes that were continuously organized by Odbrana Media Center in the Belgrade Central Military Club of Serbia.There was also great interest for the Little Stories from the Great War, the exhibition in the Small Gallery, which presented immediate testimonies of the regular, human, but timeless stories and sometimes sad, or even tragic, embellishments, brought about by the then largest conflict in the history of civilization. The exhibition is the result of cooperation between Odbrana Media Center, Military Museum, Osecina Museum (section of Valjevo National Museum), and the Association of War Descendants of Serbia 1912-1920.
To the joy of many visitors, the exhibition also included authentic war items: black-and-white photographs, hand-written Military Rulebook, short and long bayonets, colts, carbines, sabers, helmets, medals and other weapons and military memorabilia. It was given special value by the immediate testimonies and stories of warriors that brought us the most hidden feelings, thoughts, sorrow, hope and fears of regular people, the heroes of the time.
One of the notes that drew attention of the visitors was that of Velicko Ilic: “I passed Albania in a peasant long-sleeved jacket and with rags on my feet, 42 days of walking with two pieces of cornbread. I had a candle in my pocket, so they could light it for my soul if I died. I ate it on my way through Albania!”
- Do you see what those times were like and how difficult it was to live and survive – asked Radoje Popara, retired teacher “born in Kordun”, his 9-year-old grandson Stefan, after reading Velicko’s note.
The unique art project Promenade of Memories, envisioned as further development or addition to the exhibition in the Small Gallery, turned into a completely unexpected performance, filled with emotion and unexpected energy, created with the touch of two sensibilities, the civic one from Serbia in the beginning of 20th century and the social-realistic one, which grew into a completely new quality. The visitors truly enjoyed the dancing of the inspired members of Kolo Ensemble, who performed in traditional garments from the period of the Great War, showing all the beauty of traditional Serbian dance, accompanied by the chamber orchestra of the MoD Art Ensemble Stanislav Binicki.
A line of beautiful dances followed: Prince Mihajlo’s kolo, Queen Natalija’s kolo, Srbijanka, Jeremija, Krece se ladja francuska.. The audience left touched by clearly unexpected emotion, and Assistant Art Director of Kolo National Ensemble Vladan Zivotic also conveyed his impressions.
- Our cooperation with Binicki Ensemble has lasted for decades, and I am glad that we are here tonight to share the same emotion. Dancing, playing, singing... Those are not pictures on the wall, but living things that always touch the audience, which will, I am sure, have something to remember after this lovely evening.
For all visitors of the central Military Club, the gala saloons and the permanent exhibition of art pieces from the art gallery of the Gallery of the Central Military Club with over 1,500 works were opened until 1 am.
Those who decided to spend their Night of Museums at the Aeronautical Museum in Surcin had the opportunity to learn everything about the undertakings of two WW2 pilots – Milos Zunjic and Zoran Radosavljevic, and, in addition to the permanent exhibition of gliders, there were never before displayed items that speak of the foundation of gliding in our country.
PHOTOGALLERY
