Gallery 73 on Banovo brdo is one of the oldest private galleries in Belgrade - it has existed since 1973, it is extremely active - apart from exhibitions, it also organizes other cultural programs, among which the Čukarički art salon stands out.
This December 18th, the 38th road will be opened, and it almost didn't happen.
The context is as follows: as before, five members of the Art Council-selectors invited five visual artists of different generational, stylistic and poetic orientations to present their works.
Series "16"
Thus, Professor Branimir Karanović invited, among others, Jovan Rakidžić to send his work, which he did. He sent a drawing from the "16" series, which he exhibited this November at the Gallery of the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad. The works are dedicated to the lives lost in the tragedy caused by the fall of the canopy at the railway station in Novi Sad.
Drawing from the series "16" by Jovan Rakidzic
After a few days, he was told that the drawing was "inappropriate" to send, with a suggestion to replace it with some other work.
"Of course, I did not agree to that, I withdrew my work and will not participate in this year's Salon," wrote Jovan Rakidžić on his FB profile as the conclusion of the post about the event.
Professor Branimir Karanović told "Vreme" that he saw Rakidzić's exhibition in Novi Sad, that he thought it was "exceptional" and that "the drawings were perfect" and "not even a bit pamphlet-like", but that he still suggested Rakidzić to send another work.
Namely, says Professor Karanović, the director of Gallery 73, Mirela Pudar, warned him that according to their Rulebook, it is not allowed for the works to be ideologically colored, and that the zigzag line in Rakidžić's drawing, which represents the canopy of the railway station in Novi Sad, could be interpreted that way.
Artist support
"I didn't agree with that, but I understood her reasons and the need to be careful about those things because the municipality of Čukarica donates both the award and some programs of the Gallery, so that's why I suggested Rakidžić to send another work. By the way, I think it's inevitable that artists react to reality, that it's always been like that. At the May exhibition of the Graphic Collective, I also exhibited works that had a red palm and Miletić Square in red. I think that art should never be away from reality, on the contrary," says Professor Karanović.
The news that Rakidžić's work was returned prompted several other artists to announce that, as a sign of support, they would withdraw their works from the Salon. There was a danger that this year's Čukarica Art Salon would be cancelled.
Was it because of this that Rakidžić was informed that he could still participate with the work from the "16" series.
"But I refused," says Jovan Rakidžić for "Vreme".
He emphasizes that "he is not angry with anyone", that he exhibited three times independently at Gallery 73, that his daughters, who are painters, exhibited there, that he was a member of the Art Council of the Gallery, that he is friends with Đorđe Kadijević, its founder, "but regardless of all that, I cannot possibly change my decision."
"My intention with the '16' series is clear, just as my emotion is clear. If even for a moment it could be suspected, if someone sees something questionable in my drawings, then it is best to stay away," says Jovan Rakidžić, an artist who has 70 solo exhibitions, 25 awards, and who is one of the founders of the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad.
"I think Salon needs to overcome this scandal, and I wish it all the best," says Jovan Rakidžić.
