20.02.2016
Author-led tour of the exhibition "When women became citizens"
In the Grand Gallery of the Central Military Club the author-led tour of the exhibition "When women became citizens" was conducted, organised by Odbrana Media Centre and the Belgrade National Museum on the occasion of the Statehood Day.The author of the exhibition, curator of the National Museum Gordana Stanisic, began her presentation by describing the struggle for women's rights and equality with men in the period between 1830 and adoption of the hatt-i sharif (when women got the right to take off the headscarf and hijab), adoption of the Sretenjski constitution in 1835, until Balkan wars and the First World War, when women were engaged as nurses.
The author of the exhibition pointed out that the process of emancipation of women and men was slow and time consuming, involving a number of people who were for accepting the European "fashion" of a woman who goes to school and is not limited to the family circle, while the others were against it. Women of higher class preferred emancipation, since they used to coming out of the circle of the family earlier, organizing balls, parties and masked balls.
"The wives of Serbian rulers have greatly influenced the consciousness of ordinary women on emancipation. An example of a woman who quickly accepted the European understanding was Natalija Obrenovic, who was responsible for the opening of girls' schools. If we look at an example of Persida Karadjordjevic, we will see that some women refused the European 'fashion' mainstream for a long time and remained devoted to traditions", Stanisic said, adding that "in the period of one hundred years, we have the opportunity to enjoy in the drawings and graphics of women who wore from long to very short hairstyle, high heels and shoes, to richly decorated floral dresses and men's suits sets".
The exhibition "When women became citizens" consists of 54 drawings and graphics of Serbian artists who created through various stylistic epochs from the mid 19th to mid-20th century – from Anastas Jovanovic, Steva Todorovic, Paja Jovanovic and Uros Predic through Beta i Rista Vukanovic, Ljubo Ivanovic, Nadezda Petrovic, Kosta Milicevic, to Zora Petrovic, Desa Glisic, and others.
The exhibition is opened in the Grand Gallery until 17th March, and can be visited from 11 am to 19 pm every day except Sunday. Admission is free.
