The Montenegrin Pavilion has just been officially opened in Venice, at the 60th Biennale of Contemporary Art. The exhibition "It Takes an Island to Feel This Good" (It Takes an Island to Feel This Good), created by the young artist Darja Bajagić in collaboration with the curator Ana Simona Zelenović, attracted a large audience that gathered in the Venetian district of Ospedaleto, where these year presented setting.
The pavilion was opened by the Minister of Culture and Media, Tamara Vujović. She spoke about the importance of the Venice Biennale, which brings together art and culture from all over the world, she recalled the specifics of Venice and its unique beauty and the artists it inspired, as well as this year's display of Montenegro.
"The Ministry of Culture and Media, as the general sponsor of Montenegro's participation in the 60th Biennale, this year more than ever has reason to feel very proud.
"The 'Strangers Everywhere' project raises critical and relevant philosophical questions about the position of the Other, exploring how the determination of that position determines power relations in society. This process forces the Other to conform to the dominant discourse or to be marginalized. The example of the camp on Mamula Island is an example in which society creates subordinate positions and maintains them through the practice of power.The concept of the Other is not only a philosophical concept, but also a political one. about this position is crucial, which the author recognized as a value, and even more valuable, installed everything in a great work", said Vukovic and concluded:
"Believing that art will bring distant hope and cheerfulness closer - I declare the Montenegrin exhibition at the Venice Biennale open".
Commissioner of the Montenegrin pavilion, director of the Museum of Contemporary Art of Montenegro, Vladislav Šćepanović, referred to the Ospedaleto space, which he believes brings greater visibility to the country compared to Palazzo Malipiero, but also fulfills numerous other criteria needed to be noticed at the prestigious exhibition.
Šćepanović pointed out that the project of Darje Bajagić and Ana Simone Zelenović "worthily represents Montenegro at this most important world event when it comes to contemporary art".
"This work is thematically related to Montenegro and reflects the recognizability of the pavilion in a national sense, but at the same time it is also a global theme that is a reflection of contemporary society in relation to cultural heritage but also the ideology of bizarre enjoyment that introduces us to the accumulation of capital and the production of egoistic needs. It is also related to the theme of the biennale, so I can say that it has great potential for a multi-layered interpretation, but also a strong emotional impact on the observer," Šćepanović said.
DON'T MISS IT
Those present at the opening were greeted by an artist who, with her life story and project representing Montenegro, corresponds in a special way with the theme of the 60th Biennale "Strangers everywhere".
"I am pleased to share with all of you a series of works at this prestigious event - works that form the culmination of two years of research conducted in Montenegro, both in the State Archives and in the field. The collected archival material is, as you can see, integrated through images I came to Montenegro for the first time after 1990 in the summer of 2021, after I spent my formative years abroad, namely 10 years in Egypt, and the following 21 in the United States, where I received a master's degree in fine arts in 2014. of art at Yale University. Returning to Montenegro, I was enchanted by the sight of the island of Mamula," said Bajagić, who went on to present her concept, which combines archival material with characteristic referential and symbolic interventions. In Venice, Bajagić spoke about the island of Mamula and its history, as a fortress, prison, camp and, ultimately, as a luxury hotel whose slogan inspired the exhibition.
Curator Zelenović added that the exhibition is an exploration of the culture of collective memory and our connection with the common historical heritage. "Bajagić delves into these topics by exploring the intricate and layered history of the Montenegrin island of Mamula. On this island there is a former military fortress, originally built in 1853 under the auspices of the Austro-Hungarian general Lazar Mamula. During World War II, the fascist forces of the Kingdom of Italy under Benito Mussolini are repurposing this structure into a concentration camp. Recently, the fortress underwent another transformation, this time into a luxury hotel, through a process that was started in 2015 with the help of foreign investments," she summarized.
Zelenović stated that such exhibitions are of great importance in the modern age, because they indicate that the study of history goes hand in hand with the study of ourselves, and that it requires enormous courage.
"Also, it emphasizes the necessity of a brave nation to undertake such undertakings," Zelenović emphasized.
DON'T MISS IT
Šćepanović reminded that behind the entire team, which is responsible for the Montenegrin setup, there is a lot of effort, dedication, and professionalism, and he thanked them for that. The patron of the Montenegrin pavilion is the Ministry of Culture and Media, and the organizer and executive producer is the Museum of Contemporary Art of Montenegro.
"We hope that this presentation will be successful and that it will open new paths for future presentations of Montenegro," Šćepanović said.
The opening of the Pavilion of Montenegro in Venice was attended by gallerists and curators from the United States of America, Europe and the region, artists representing neighboring countries, a delegation from the Ministry of Culture and Media of Montenegro, the Museum of Contemporary Art of Montenegro, as well as the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia headed by the Vice President Government and Minister of Culture, Majo Gojković, as well as many other dignitaries.
Bonus video:
