SMALL EXHIBITION HALL OF THE MUSEUM OF AFRICAN ART IN BELGRADE
The aim of this paper is to present and analyse a history of utilitarian functions of today’s small exhibition hall of the Museum of African Art in Belgrade – The Veda and Dr. Zdravko Pečar Collection. Original purpose of this building was an artistic studio designed in 1952 for the famous Yugoslav politician and artist – Moša Pijade. Over five years (1952-1957), Pijade used this building as private working space where he also arranged a private event organising a private exhibition of his paintings, which was visited by Josip Broz Tito, president of Yugoslavia. After Pijade, this space was used by Yugoslav artists Zora Petrović (1960-1962) and Boško Karanović (1962-1975). Petrović painted a number of monumental canvases in the same space where Karanović later created a well-known facade mosaic for the Museum of Yugoslavia. Another change of function of this space occurred when Zdravko and Veda Pečar wanted to open a specialised museum dedicated to African arts and cultures. In 1977, during events which celebrated 45 years of Tito’s leadership of the Communist Party of Yugoslavia, the Museum of African Art was opened in the same place (with building adaptation). Up to this date, this space, located at 14, Andre Nikolić street, had a few different utilitarian functions. There were also a number of unrealized ideas – imaginary functions, which marked this space as a place of plurality on the cultural-political scene of (Post) Yugoslav space.
