Frida Kahlo was a Mexican painter and cult figure without whom the story of painting in the last decades of the 20th century is unimaginable. Judy Human is an internationally recognized advocate for the rights of persons with disabilities (PWD), who is considered by many to be the progenitor of the PWD movement. positions in the Clinton and Obama administrations. Both had polio, Frida's right leg was thinner than her left, and Judy could not walk. But they are not talked about as disabled people, but as successful, strong and brave women.
Wanting, through their example, to draw the attention of all women with disabilities that disability cannot and is not an obstacle on the way to success, the non-governmental organization (NGO) "Mozaik" from Nikšić decided, as part of the project "Empowering WOMEN - Visible", to the people of Nikšić on the wall of the building "Desetka" presents a mural with the image of Frida Kahlo and Judy Human.
"The mural was created from the creative process of the members of the organization, in cooperation with our creative team. Through this project, we tried to show the strength of women, especially the strength of women with disabilities and their possibilities and capacities, and to simply show our community these famous women that we chose for the mural," said the director of "Mozaik" Blagoje Šturanović.
Three artists are working on the mural: one with a diploma, academic painter Milena Krivokapić, and two without a diploma, but whose brushes lie as if they have a doctorate - journalist Irena Rašović and student of the "Art Center", Zdenka Tomanović.
"It was really challenging to take on this job - first because of the surface and because it is important to fit the entire visual whole into the public space with the mural, then because of the beautiful story behind this mural, women who, despite their personal and social circumstances, managed to leave a work that affects the entire society, and the people who are in charge of its realization. Because of all that, all these challenges are also a real pleasure", said Krivokapić and added that she must also mention the "scaffolder" Goran Mastilović, because without him "higher heights of the wall would not be available to them".
As a sign of support for the project, but also for people with disabilities, the president of the Municipal Assembly (SO) Nikšić, Nemanja Vuković "crossed brushes" with Milena and Irena and contributed, at least for a short time, to the creation of the mural.
"We perceive people with disabilities as our associates, friends and partners and we try to meet them as much as possible, to be their support, to respect all their suggestions, proposals, ideas, but also to send a message together about the problems with which they face, from existential ones and every other, and to help them solve and eliminate them", said Vuković.
He added that the local administration helped people with disabilities in the past period not with words, but with deeds, and reminded that the NGO "Mozaik" gave municipal premises for use, that they helped open the "Adapt" Club, donated a vehicle for the transport of PWDs, and provided social service. He pointed out that the infrastructure is being adapted for PWDs, as well as that the Municipality building is adapted to the visually impaired by installing tactile strips.
"We perceive all their initiatives and proposals as extremely binding and we try to meet all their initiatives, to support what they are doing, because they are doing good, useful things and I think our interests coincide here. I believe that through good cooperation, through joint investment and continuous efforts, we will make Nikšić a city where people with disabilities will have all the conditions for living, working and functioning smoothly", Vuković pointed out and promised that the local administration will always be there to help PWDs.
According to Šturanović, as part of the "Osna WOMEN - visible" project, the first PWD fashion show will be held in Nikšić at the end of May, and the production of an art film about women with disabilities from Montenegro is also planned.
The project "EMPOWERED WOMEN - visible" is supported through the program "CSOs in Montenegro - from basic services to policy formulation - M'BASE" implemented by the Center for Civic Education (CEO) in partnership with the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES), Center for the protection and study of birds of Montenegro (CZIP) and the Politikon network and in cooperation with the ministries of public administration and European affairs of the Government of Montenegro. The project is financed by the European Union and co-financed by the Ministry of Public Administration.
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