2nd Art Camp 2003

Second international art camp is an artistic summer voluntary camp which was held in Kosjeric, Serbia for the second time successively. It lasted form 27 th of July until 6 th of August 2003.

Camp’s activity is primarily 3 art workshops: visual arts, music and poetry. The workshops comprise 21 participants from foreign countries (7 participants per each workshop) and citizens of Kosjeric that found the workshops interesting. From abroad came 20 young artists from 11 countries (Belgium, Denmark, Italy, Malta, Slovakia, France, Germany, Sweden, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, and Great Britain), from Serbia and Montenegro and a lot of volunteers from Kosjeric, Valjevo, Lucani and Belgrade who heard of camp and decided to become involved. On the third day of camp the fourth workshop started spontaneously and developed into a children arts and crafts workshop. It gathered kids from Kosjeric who were moved and motivated by everyday visual arts workshop activities on open.

Visual Arts Workshop

This workshop was led by academic painter from Uzice – Jelena Tijanjic. Visual Arts Workshop mainly consisted of people that are in branch of art (art professors, painters, designers) and art students.

Using Kosjeric Cultural Center ‘s space they’ve accomplished 20 canvases, 10 graphics, some photographs, installations, made assorted performances in different parts of the city, and sculptures using different kind of media. Besides, they fulfilled wall painting themed “friendship” in the central business mall in Kosjeric.

All required equipment and materials were given to the joining children arts and crafts workshop who exhibited their works (about 50) in the hall of Kosjeric Cultural Center on 5 th of August. The exhibition was open to the public for the following month.

Poetry Workshop

This workshop was led by Tijana Matijevic from Belgrade with the help of Jelica Pajic from Lucani. The workshop was placed in famous local artist Liza Maric – Krizanic’s gallery where her work takes a permanent display.

Poetry Workshop took directions both from creative and educational point of view. Educative part of the workshop consisted of debates on poetry problems in Serbian literature. On the other hand, reading and studying Baudelaire’s poetry as one of the finest example of masters in its field, built a connection among participants from different backgrounds. As a starting point creative part of the workshop began with lectures on haiku poetry after which participants happened to create their own. The idea of producing some poetry related visuals or installations arose because of the very nature of haiku poetry that is considered to be influenced by a visual element – picture. Final products of revealed idea were presented together with Visual Arts Workshop exhibition. But what by large represents the outcome of Poetry Workshop is the published mini collection of haiku poems written by participants, as well as “ renga-haiku ” serial of poems that was hand printed on the wall painting in the city’s central business mall that was carried out by Visual Art Workshop. Since the theme of the wall painting was “friendship” that too was the main idea presented in chores of “ renga ”. Those poems were written in different languages representing a powerful tool of great communication and unity of different cultures and languages that were involved in the camp.

Music Workshop

Music Workshop was led by Dejan Resanovic from Belgrade . On the very first day, an orchestra was formed that practiced music in the oldest historical site in Kosjeric called “ Han ”. After ten hour daily practice (with mini concerts held in Han) they made a final musical performance on 5 th of August on open in the city’s central business mall. The show consisted of 13 music compositions from different parts of the world. Local Folklore Orchestra was the special guest on concert and some of their members joined the workshop’s bend.

The final day (5 th of August) was devoted to closing performance. It started with the exhibition opening and presentation of mini collection of haiku poems in the Cultural Center ‘s hall and ended with public presentation of wall painting and concert on open in the city’s central business mall. The exhibition was visited by somewhere about 50 people and more than 100 came over for a final concert.

The working day had 7 hours of activities. Besides that, we held several cultural and entertainment programs with the goal of making the camp more interactive between participants and local community. Further, the most attractive were intercultural evenings where participants presented their countries, then party under masks, karaoke, music evenings, sport matches and all open for public. We’ve also visited concert of local artist Bilja Krstic in Pozega, made an excursion to Mokra Gora, Sirogojno and Seca Reka village. On the first and last day we organized psychological workshops (introducing and good bye greetings).

Twenty families, which welcomed participants into their homes, with all 20 participants from the city and region were intensively working together and living the camp together.

In a friendly atmosphere among participants coming from 12 different countries, the borders vanished, intercultural heritage made richer and strong social bonds were created between participants and local community. Too, exchange on professional level made an outcome on further personal affirmation to every individual participating on camp. For most, that was the first experience so far.

The works of art produced in such a way have granted the community. Besides the pecuniary complement they surely stand an ability of a small community to answer the needs of particular idea realization into a project and, so that it would feedback trough affirmation of cultural and social potentials, as well as tourist bloom.

In the project realization besides K-Town group local municipality participated too with which this project strengthened cooperation and affirmed trust for future camps and other projects between the two. Local Folklore Group and Cultural Center Kosjeric are the two institutions that helped in giving their space and staff. Important off site help gave Center for Antiwar Action from Belgrade and Young Researchers of Serbia from Belgrade .

During the camp, K-Town group got 4 new members who are interested in helping the organization for the next planned camp. Collaboration with VCZ (Voluntary Centre Zagreb), which deals with summer voluntary camps (that was carried out for the first time this year in Split ), was somewhat inspired by last year Kosjeric International Art Camp. These two camps have common leader, Tanja Bjelanovic, and two common participants moved by both sides to continue from Kosjeric to Split .