[syndicate] fwd: EXCEPTION, EXHIBITION attacked by violent nationalists IN BELGRADE

[Andrej Tisma]

Dear Syndicate members, I really regret the events in Belgrade about the 
show of young Albanian artists from Pristina. The show was really good. It 
was previously held in Novi Sad, Serbia, the town where I am living and it 
caused no problems at all. I reviewed that show in the main daily newspaper 
Dnevnik - those who understand Serbian can read it here 
http://www.dnevnik.co.yu/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=35423

The only thing that provoked reaction and violence in Belgrade, same as some 
verbal protests by a group of Serb refugees from Kosovo in Novi Sad, was the 
big poster of Adem Jashari at the show. He is presented in the Warholian 
pop-art style, with Kalashnikov in his hand (opposite to the Presley's 
portrait with gun). Of course that art work is an irony of making a Kosovo 
famous warrior a pop-star. But ordinary people in Belgrade reacted to the 
image of Jashari, in the same way people in Sarajevo could react to posters 
of Ratko Mladic exhibited in an official art gallery. I am blaming those 
people for not making difference between art and political poster, but in 
the same time I can understand their reaction. In any case the show should 
have been better protected by police, because such reactions were expected.

Also I do not agree with qualification in Marina's text who says it was a 
"group of Serbian nationalist  forces" who attacked the gallery. There were 
not any "forces" but a group of very young people from the patriotic, 
nationalist "Obraz" organization, who were holding banners protesting 
against exhibiting Adem Jashatri's image in Belgrade, who is still 
considered in Serbia as former leader of UCK (Kosovo Liberation Army) 
terrorist movement of Kosovo.

I hope the show will be held in Belgrade soon, with better measures of 
protection, because the wounds of recent wars are still alive, irritated 
recently by strong aim of Kosovo secession.

Best,
Andrej


>
>
>  _____
>
> Von: Marina Grzinic
> Gesendet: Freitag, 08. Februar 2008 17:48
> An: 'claudia westermann'
> Betreff: grz: pls fwd EXCEPTION, EXHIBITION attacked by violent 
> nationalists
> IN BELGRADE
>
>
>
>
>
> IN SUPPORT OF THE PROJECT
>
>
>
> EXCEPTION
>
> Contemporary art scene from Prishtina
>
>
>
> ARTISTS: Artan Baljaj, Jakup Feri, Driton Hajredini, Fljaka Haljiti, 
> Fitore
> Isufi Koja, Dren Maljici, Aljban Muja, Vigan Nimani, Nurhan Cehaja, 
> Aljketa
> Dzafa and  Ljuljzim Zeciri
>
>
>
> CURATORS:
>
> Vida Knezevic, Kristian Lukic, Ivana Marjanovic and Gordana Nikolic
>
>
>
> The Exhibition EXCEPTION, Contemporary art scene from  Prishtina (Kosova)
> that  has  been scheduled to open on the 7 of February 2008 in Belgrade at
> KONTEKST Gallery  (to be on display until 15. February 2008) was forced to
> CLOSE just before the opening.
>
>
>
> The Serbian police that had to intervene just before the opening estimated
> that it can not guarantee safety to the  artists, curators and the public,
> after an organized  group of Serbian nationalist  forces attacked the
> gallery space and even destroyed the work Face to face by Dren Maljici.
>
>
>
> The curators:  Vida Knezevic, Kristian Lukic, Ivana Marjanovic and Gordana
> Nikolic have asked PUBLICLY today (8 of February 2008) the Ministry of
> culture of Serbia and the city of Belgrade to react firmly against such
> nationalist forces in order to protect the artists and the exhibition in 
> the
> future. The curators insist on the right to present the project in 
> Belgrade
> in the near future.
>
>
>
> The exhibition was presented previously at the Museum of Contemporary Art
> Vojvodina, Novi Sad (22.01 - 05.02.2008.  The exhibition is a joint effort
> of two organization Kontekst, Belgrade and Napon, Novi Sad.
>
>
>
> SUPPORT and inquiry:
>
>
>
> KONTEKST galerija
>
> Centar za kulturu "Stari Grad"
>
> Kapetan Misina 6a
>
> 11 000 Beograd
>
>
>
> www.kontekstgalerija.org <http://www.kontekstgalerija.org/>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>


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