Risto Stijović was born in this house in 1894. Although it has the status of a cultural asset, the house is completely ruined and has no features. The home of the famous sculptor, which in some European center would be at least a museum, in our capital it is forgotten.
In 2008, 500 euros were allocated from the budget of the Capital City for the reconstruction of Stijović's house, the reconstruction of the Medun complex, research works on the site "Duklja" and the purchase of equipment for the JU Library "Radosav Ljumović". The reconstruction of Stijović's house did not take place, although the project documentation, which includes the reconstruction and expansion of the building, was completed two years ago.
"JU Museums and Galleries of Podgorica handed over the complete project documentation, realized up to the contractor's part, which was done by the design company DEA from Podgorica, to the Capital City. The documentation has been completed and the implementation of the project could start at any moment, if the funds are allocated.
"Why did the project stop, whether due to lack of money or something else, I could not give such information"
Further implementation of the project is beyond our authority and beyond our powers," said the director of the Podgorica Museums and Galleries, Niko Martinović, emphasizing that the complete documentation was handed over to the capital city two years ago.
"We, as an institution responsible for the implementation of one part of the renovation project of Risto Stijović's house, which is the completion of the project documentation, have done our work, and now it is up to the capital city to complete it.
Why did the project stop, whether due to a lack of money or something else, I could not give such information," Martinović points out, commenting that the amount that should have been allocated for the reconstruction of Stijović's house was about 100 thousand euros.
The house of a famous sculptor (Photo: Vesko Belojević)
Sculptor animalist
Stijović was born there, in the Old Town. He began his education at the Art School in Belgrade with Đoka Jovanović, and continued it in Marseille with Adelber, then in Paris at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts, with Professor Inžalber.
His sculptures are characterized by emphasized stylization, smooth texture and soft, rounded lines, as well as a small format
His acquaintances with Emil Bernard and François Pompon, as well as his association with the Croatian sculptor Branko Dešković, had a decisive influence on his creativity, with figures of animals representing an important motif.
Under their influence, Stijović became the first and one of our most important animalist sculptors. In addition to animals, his preoccupation is female nudes and portraits. Risto Stijović's favorite materials are wood and semi-precious stones.
His sculptures are characterized by emphasized stylization, smooth texture and soft, rounded lines, as well as a small format to which the author remains faithful until the sixth decade of the XNUMXth century, when he begins to create sculptures of a monumental format. He was a member of the artistic group "Oblik", which introduced modernism of the highest aesthetic values into our art.
Memorial House
"In accordance with the Detailed Urban Plan 'Stara varoš', the construction of the new Risto Stijović Memorial House will be started, not the reconstruction of the existing one. According to the project, which was done by the design house 'Dea' from Podgorica, this cultural monument will include two buildings - one on the ground floor next to the street, and one-story in the courtyard area," says the response of the PG Bureau.
"The visual appearance of the building will be fully integrated into the ambient whole"
The Bureau replied that both buildings will have exhibition spaces, while in the courtyard there is also a work space, an area for administration, and a studio with a smaller apartment "for sculptors who will make sculptures - replicas".
"The visual appearance of the building will be fully integrated into the ambient whole, while the facades will be covered with stone characteristic of the Old Town", states the PG Bureau's response, and the date of completion of the works is 2014, when it will be 120 years since the birth of Risto Stijović.
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