On the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the birth of the famous Serbian painter Milić Stanković, known as Milić of Mačva, an exhibition was opened in the House of Jevrem Grujić that presents the first 30 years of the work of the “Serbian Dali”
The exhibition was opened by the Minister of Culture of the Republic of Serbia, Maja Gojković.
Expressing satisfaction with the exhibition organized in honour of the jubilee of the great artist Milić of Mačva, who made Serbian culture and art famous all over the world, Gojković pointed out that this painter of authentic expression was also unique in that, wherever he created and exhibited, his homeland and Marča always carried in his heart.
The authors of the exhibition, Branka Conić, director of the Jevrem Grujić House, and Andrea Milojević, art historian, pointed out that the exhibition is an opportunity to emphasize the work and creativity of the Serbian Barbarogeni once again, who hides the disheveledness of Dali and the versatility of Leonardo, and invited visitors to look carefully at the abundance of symbols and the multi-layered messages hidden in his works.
At the exhibition, which will last until the end of March, visitors will be able to see over 60 of Milić’s paintings, as well as numerous personal items, photographs, drawings, and art installations.
Some of the works have never been shown to the public, but there are also recognizable ones such as: “Past repeated”(Ponovljena Prošlost) or “Dedication to the dust of Leonid Šejka” (Posvetu prahu Leonida Šejke).
The exhibition is organized in cooperation with the famous artist’s family and private collectors, under the patronage of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia.
According to the farmer dream book, for children born at the end of October, and beginning of November, it was written – that if he does not develop into a soldier, he will become an artist. On one such October in 1934, Milić Stanković was born in a corn field, separated from his mother by a sickle.
Born in Belotić in the Mačva area, he grew up in the countryside with his mother Desanka and father Radovan. He spent his time playing in the fields, in the barn, in the old warehouse, and in the summer swimming in the nearby river, he made his own toys from objects and pumpkins, and his vivid imagination helped him overcome his leisure time.
He deeply absorbed the world around him with all his senses and showed interest in everything that surrounded him, creating from early childhood numerous theories and definitions of everything he was surrounded by, which he later elaborated in poems, texts, interviews, cycles of paintings and drawings and philosophical thought that he expressed through all media.
During high school, Milić pronounced the “Painter’s Oath” to himself in the mirror! He said: “I must be a painter! I will be a painter and I will only live from painting!”, accepting his fate.
At the art academy in Belgrade, he proved to be an excellent student and soon received a non-refundable scholarship. He organized over a hundred solo exhibitions held all over the world – from North America to Brussels, Rome, Paris and Vienna. He used his knowledge of architecture, which for a time he studied in parallel with the Academy of Fine Arts, to build three towers, in Belgrade, Belotić and Zlatibor, which were places of creation, gathering and socializing, and today places of memory and preservation of his image and work.
The works of one of the Serbian artists who marked the 20th century can be found in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, the Vatican Museum in Rome, the History and Art Museum in Geneva and many other galleries and private collections, including the collection of David Rockefeller.
He was a member of Mediala, a movement and group that emerged in the mid-1950s, together with Olja Ivanjicki, Leonid Šejko, Pedjo Ristic “Jesus”, Vladimir Veličković, Djordje Kadijević and many others.
In addition to the Ministry of Culture of the RS, the exhibition was supported by the following companies: Dunav Osiguranje, Elixir Foundation, Publikum, DPC, Alma Quatro, Avakum, Clockwork Production and Valiant communication agency.
The exhibition will last until the end of March 2024.
WORKING HOURS OF THE HOUSE OF JEVREM GRUJIĆ: Thursday and Friday from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
It is possible to schedule a group or school visit on all days of the week.
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