Awardees Stefan Todorović, Jovana Vujović and Goran Ćetković

Artists Stefan Todorović, Jovana Vujović and Goran Ćetković are this year's laureates of the traditional award of the Association of Fine Artists of Montenegro - "Milunović, Stijović, Lubarda".

Jovana Vujović was awarded for the sculpture "With Myself" and as she points out, the award was a real surprise for her, considering that this is her first year in the Association.

"The award is particularly significant for me, because I exhibited in the company of great Montenegrin artists. The work I presented belongs to the cycle 'With Myself' and I will hang out with it for a long time," said Vujović.

Goran Ćetković, awarded for the painting "Philosopher", said that the award from his colleagues represents a special recognition for his work so far.

"I was always aware of my quality, but I received even greater satisfaction from the confirmation of the professional public. My award-winning work represents the spiritual spheres of man. That portrait is in good communication with the background - where the main character comes to the fore even more through the blue verticals", said Ćetković.

Stefan Todorović was awarded for the drawing "23".

"The award named after three great men places you in a special context. I am glad that it comes from my colleagues and that it is my first award in Montenegro," Todorović said.

The traditional exhibition opened last night in the Art Pavilion in Podgorica marked the seventy years of the Association of Fine Artists of Montenegro (Cetinje, 1946). Yesterday, on the birthday of ULUCG, a protocol was signed in Cetinje on the cooperation of this association with art associations from Slovenia, Croatia, Macedonia and Serbia. A novelty in the work of the association will be the exchange of exhibitions, information, freer and better treatment of artists and works of art.

Pavle Goranović, Minister of Culture, opened the exhibition in front of a large art audience.

"Since its foundation - in 1946, the activities of the Association have left an authentic mark in the Montenegrin cultural space, but also beyond... In this gallery space, there was almost no setting that did not inspire the audience and arouse the interest of the profession. Many of those exhibitions were the beginning of a creative journey, occasions for further reflection and the presentation of significant names of Montenegrin art. In addition to contributing to the promotion of the high artistic reach of Montenegro abroad, such a mission of the Association is fully aligned with the fundamental directions of the development of Montenegrin culture, this is confirmed by the exhibition before us, as a cross-section of the current creativity of authors of diverse sensibilities. The strength of spirituality and the persuasiveness of the expressions of the artists represented is undoubtedly a reflection of the exceptional creative potential of the Association and the indispensable role it has played all these years", said Goranović, confident that the Association will continue its successful mission, in which the Ministry of Culture and its institutions will be a reliable partner.