Archive for: Legacy Institute and Cultural Policy of Serbia

Hristifor Crnilović (Vlasotince) (1886-1963) was a painter, professor of painting, ethnographer and collector of objects of material culture and folk knowledge. He offered his great collection to the City of Belgrade to establish a permanent exhibition. From the first negotiations with there presentatives of the City of Belgrade in 1958, when it was decided that the collection had great cultural and historical value, the realization of his original idea was completed after 10 years i.e. unfortunately 5 years after his death. In accordance with modern tendencies and theories of museum and museology development as well as new visions of understanding the role of museums in the society, in addition to already established forms of activities, organization of occasional exhibitions, lectures, educational and pedagogical work, Ethnographic Museum experts have recognized potential for new ways of working with their audience through educational programmes of old crafts, various skills, folk handicrafts and old artistic techniques. This innovative form of involving the public in the process of preserving intangible cultural heritage and cooperation with other cultural institutions has also been part of the work plan of the House of Manak, from the 1990s to this day.

Art Collection of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SASA) has formed in parallel with the establishment of the institution itself. At first, art pieces have served the purpose of adorning the premises of the Academy. Gradually, the art collection has become profiled and intentionally complemented by portraits of academics and later with artwork of academics and artists. Immediately after founding of the SASA Gallery, at the end of 1970s, at the initiative of the SASA Department of Fine Arts and Music, the Art Collection was duly listed according to rules of museology. Systematic purchase of works by artists/academics was planned, according to a defined programme. Still, the largest number of works has become part of the Collection as gifts of SASA members and numerous other donors. The largest art donation were drawings and other art on paper by academic Ivan Radović, gifted to the Academy by his widow, Olga. Soon, other academics/artists began to select their works to donate, in order to be representative of their art. This is how the gifts of Nedeljko Gvozdenović, Ljubica Sokić and Aleksandar Deroko have laid the foundations for today’s Art Collection of the Arts Academy.

Aware of its singularity and based on the idea of giving and charity, Matica Srpska has always nurtured the tradition of honouring and thanking all those who have contributed to its operations from its very beginnings in the 19th century. From the founding of the Museum,through its opening to the public in 1933, to its independence and situating of the Gallery of Matica Srpska in a separate building in 1958, special gratitude was expressed to the artists, their heirs and to the collectors who contributed to the art fund. At the beginning of the 90s, under very specific social and political circumstances, a series of exhibitions entitled Gift Collection was initiated at the Gallery of Matica Srpska. The goal of these exhibitions was to fill the art fund and also to promote the act of donating to museum institutions, as a contribution to the development of national culture. At first, such practice of organizing exhibitions of gift collections included exhibits of new works and publications of single-page catalogues with a short introductory texts and lists of art works which were gifted by donors. In the 21st century, representations of gift collections were improved with better quality and content of catalogues which contained expert reviews and reproductions of all donated works. Moreover, accompanying programmes such as talks with artists, guided tours and educational workshops for children were organized during exhibitions. The gift collection series have changed, developed and improved during their three decades of existence. Today, this is an exemplary model of filling the collection of the Gallery of Matica Srpska, with a unique attitude towards donors. Over time, it has become a brand that similarly appeals to artists, their heirs and also collectors to give presents and join the Friends Club of the Gallery of Matica Srpska. Thus, this gesture of donation provides them and also their works or their collections, with a permanent place in the history of Matica Srpska and Serbian culture.The gift collections of the Gallery of Matica Srpska, as a specific model of receiving, safeguarding and presenting artistic legacies, are unique examples in Serbian museums. This model points out how necessary it is to establish a system of handing over/donating artwork, but, at the same time, it also shows the need for that system to be constantly upgraded and improved to mutual satisfaction of the donors and the institutions that receive the gift of art.