Spiritual and cultural heritage of the Мonastery of Studenica : past, perseverance, contemporaneity : SASA Gallery of Visual Arts and Music (December 13, 2019 - March 31, 2020)

Abstract

Built in the depths of the shadowy mountains of Raška, where the progenitor of theNemanjić dynasty labored to turn a desolate hunting ground of wild beasts into a perfect city of a spiritually sublime life, the Studenica Monastery has for centuries been acornerstone and continuous source of cultural identity for the Serbian peopleWritten in it, in that silent and sacred past, like some kind of destiny codes, are all the keyfeatures of our being. The artistic play of the creators of Studenica’s buildings, their sculptural decoration and wall paintings, achieved a peculiar blend of the finest achievements ofthe opposite sides of ancient Europe – its West and its East – fueled by the desire to recognize and distinguish the people who created this sanctuary in the time of Saint Simeon andSava, for its distinctive creative and sacred identity. This tendency is recognized, among others, in the inscriptions accompanying the sculptures and paintings at the Church of the Virgin. It was here, in Studenica, that they were, for the first time in our old art, executed in theCyrillic script and in the Serbian language. At this time, in Studenica, literature in the Serbian language, with its distinctive themes and motifs, began to develop. Consequently, theStudenica Monastery has since been rightfully recognized as the strongest pillar of the later Serbian state and the cradle of the autocephalous national church whose 800th anniversary is marked by this exhibition.From Studenica, directly or indirectly, almost all of our later culture had grown and branchedout for centuries. Countless medieval rulers came back to her as a model and sought to replicate and upgrade her. Many generous endowers, like King Milutin, contributed to it, distinguishing themselves in their donorship. It has forever remained a home of prayer for monksand an inspiring refuge for spiritual rebels, all the way to Djordje Krstić, Nebojša Mitrić oracademician Ljubomir Simović. The desire to reach her with their mind and unravel her secrets has driven many prominent representatives of this very home of science and art, such asMihail Valtrović, Dragutin Milutinović, Vladimir Petković, Vojislav Djurić or Gordana Babić.Studenica has thus become and remained a reliable guidepost and a faithful companion in ourquest to find meaning and truth, searching through our own history and beyond. Followingthis guidepost, engraved deep within our own being, on the paths that for centuries led us tovarious parts of the world, the Serbian people have been crucified and scattered, lost and reinvented, but have not vanished or ceased to be what they are. The messages whispered by theancient buildings of Studenica, which we sometimes as a nation could not understand or decipher, were preserved hidden, carved into the deepest layers of our memories and feelings, serving as a spiritual anchor in turbulent times. Whether we noticed it or not, Studenica was withus when we went too far or when we stood still, trapped by fear and lack of self-respect. As aresult of this exhibition, she is still with us, again only partially tangible and attainable, inviting us to, while admiring and thinking about her, reexamine ourselves and reach a deeper understanding of who we are.SASA Executive Council