Danilo Baletić's transformers have become a symbol of Podgorica. What to call an exhibition that transfers the promotion of the author and becomes a symbol of the city, except brilliant? This is not recognized only by the Secretariat for Culture and Sports in Podgorica, and these days, after negative communication with the artist, it has been agreed that after May 1st, the sculptures will be moved to the waste site in Zeta, where they were created, at the expense of the author.
Danilo Baletić did several things with his exhibition: Podgorica was written about in the world's media for days (in a very affirmative way), with his exhibition he put Podgorica on the world map through a very unique exhibition, he gave a projection of the use of waste for the purpose of recycling and its use - which can be called the basic education of those who should think about leading this country, and in the end - it made us proud that we received a confirmation of the world we want to be a part of.
The communication of the Secretariat for Culture and Sports in Podgorica is a measure of myopia. Maybe at the start it looked like it was about the promotion of the artist. The result is evident - his sculptures have become a symbol of Podgorica. At the age of 22, Danilo put Podgorica on the world map. He managed to make the capital of Montenegro, which until then was only passing through, interesting for tourists. Podgorica's possibilities in tourism are left only to enthusiasts, and that is how they can be valorized. It completely broke the decade-long monotony Podgorica, which only succeeded in killing and demolishing its symbols.
Danilo invested 2.000 euros to install seven sculptures of transformers. "Podgorica cultural summer" participated with 800 euros. The Secretariat is asking the artist to bear the costs of removing the seven sculptures, noting that it was for his promotion. And that promotion became the promotion of Podgorica. Let me point out again that Danilo managed to make every citizen of this city proud.
Instead of the Secretariat proposing a permanent exhibition of sculptures, say on Ljubović hill, they agree to move the sculptures to the wasteland where they were created at the artist's expense. To repackage them and to be taken by those who will know how to appreciate their value and all the messages they carry. The first association is how the wax figures pale in comparison to Danilo's Transformers, which are a permanent fixture in London.
Danilo's Transformers gave this city a touch and he is an artist who needs to be supported, so that he doesn't go somewhere else so that we can admire him from afar.
The average must not measure the peaks, because then the peaks become someone else's, and we have to keep our every step forward here, so that we are also recognized by them. Because that's the only way we can recognize ourselves.
This is the continuation of the destruction and demolition of the recognition of this city by the city government. This is the attitude towards culture by the city government.
Danilo Baletić's transformers are a symbol of Podgorica and deserve to be a permanent exhibit. And it remains for us to really imagine where we are going and what will be the result? There is no record of those who left this country. About those who in the west were recognized as their need, but here they could not do anything. This really sad ending about Transformers reminded me of a girl from my generation who I already knew in elementary school would be a prodigy. Physics was her choice. She was a professor at colleges in Germany. He is the only physicist from the region who worked at CERN (minister Sanja Vlahović can only take a picture next to her), and who had the desire to return to Montenegro. At the University, they have no need for staff like her. There should be no doubt about it.
As long as we do not recognize the best among us and give them a chance to make us all better, smarter and richer, Danilov's Transformes will have a more difficult task - maybe they will protect NEW YORK.
Bonus video:
