Domovina" is a Serbian poem written by Ljubivoje Ršumović.
Back in 1975, Ljubivoje took up the quill as a weapon of protest against the prevailing tide of art and poetry that romanticized weaponry and the ominous shadow of militarization looming over Yugoslavia's vibrant cultural heritage. Through his poetry he called to arms, not for war, but for the preservation of authentic values and the sanctity of human life.
Like all Serbs, but with Russian roots and heritage, I learned this poem in school when I was in the first grade. And 24 years later, I wrote this poem in the capital of Serbia - the poem's title "Homeland" is visible from many places in Belgrade. During the painting process and the unveiling, I had the opportunity to communicate with the poet, whose many poems I had memorized in school. It became an honor beyond measure for me to receive his permission to write his work on such a large scale, and it's incredibly significant that our thoughts and ideas aligned. The video below is a result of our collaboration and its narrated by Ljubivoje.
Back in 1975, Ljubivoje took up the quill as a weapon of protest against the prevailing tide of art and poetry that romanticized weaponry and the ominous shadow of militarization looming over Yugoslavia's vibrant cultural heritage. Through his poetry he called to arms, not for war, but for the preservation of authentic values and the sanctity of human life.
Like all Serbs, but with Russian roots and heritage, I learned this poem in school when I was in the first grade. And 24 years later, I wrote this poem in the capital of Serbia - the poem's title "Homeland" is visible from many places in Belgrade. During the painting process and the unveiling, I had the opportunity to communicate with the poet, whose many poems I had memorized in school. It became an honor beyond measure for me to receive his permission to write his work on such a large scale, and it's incredibly significant that our thoughts and ideas aligned. The video below is a result of our collaboration and its narrated by Ljubivoje.
This whole project was supported and financed by Nelt, which is leading company in logistic services, consumer goods distribution, pharmaceutical products and trade marketing.
This mural is located in Belgrade, Serbia in art cluster called "Silosi". Art, education, culture, recreational activities, fashion shows, music festivals and uncompromisingly powerful social gatherings form the unique identity of this area, all within just 1.5 kilometers from the city center which is curated by a wonderful woman and visionaire Ana Cetkovic.
This mural is located in Belgrade, Serbia in art cluster called "Silosi". Art, education, culture, recreational activities, fashion shows, music festivals and uncompromisingly powerful social gatherings form the unique identity of this area, all within just 1.5 kilometers from the city center which is curated by a wonderful woman and visionaire Ana Cetkovic.
The first early sketches were made in early September of 2022, but at that moment all odds were against me and my team and we could not transfer this sketch to wall. But after being patient enough, in August of 2023 everything was settled for a work, which was finished in four days.
The initial calligraphic sketches underwent multiple rounds of redesign. At each stage, my professional aim was to enhance legibility while preserving the classic Old Cyrillic aesthetics. This specific style is something that I've developed throughout the years and I've even made a book that covers most of the stylistic details and tricks that were used in this project.
The initial design was projected onto the wall and traced with chalk. However, the actual letters were handwritten using a wide brush. Once the paint had dried, we proceeded to wash the entire mural with a sponge and water, revealing the clean and crisp-sharp calligraphic letters.
I did my best to capture the whole process with my film camera and cell phone. During the painting, my wife Valeria and my colleague Luka Prstoyevich, a professor at the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad, assisted me.
SMM coverage:
Congratulations to all the team that made this project!
Thanks for watching and see you soon.
With respect,
Viktor Pushkarev
2023
Thanks for watching and see you soon.
With respect,
Viktor Pushkarev
2023
