The unique setting of the Jevremovac Botanical Garden made a perfect backdrop for the opening of the 9th edition of the art+science festival. A special choir performance by the artist Sanja Anđelković also marked the opening of the central exhibition, Interlacing. Until the end of October, visitors will have the opportunity to discover the works of both local and international artists, exploring the impact of humans and technology on nature and biodiversity. Additionally, they can participate in the rich accompanying program at the Botanical Garden.
At the opening ceremony, speeches were given by Danijela Vučićević, Acting Director of the Center for the Promotion of Science, Dobrivoje Lale Erić, co-curator and head of the art+science program, Vladimir Radovanović, Assistant Minister of Science, Technological Development and Innovation, and Associate Professor Tijana Cvetić Antić, Vice Dean for Science and Doctoral Studies at the Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade.
“In a time when technology is advancing very fast, shaping nearly every aspect of our lives, we face numerous challenges, such as climate change and environmental protection. The exhibition 'Interlacing' shows us how technology and humans impact biodiversity,” said Danijela Vučićević, Acting Director of the Center for the Promotion of Science.
“Science and art complement each other and build unbreakable bonds. Both require courage and inspiration, and one cannot exist without the other. Science is inherently exact, while the role of art is to free science from rigid rules. Back in 2016, the Center brought together the most relevant actors in this field and established the art+science festival, and next year we will celebrate its 10th anniversary,” Vučićević told the audience, extending special thanks to the Institute of Botany at the Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, and the Jevremovac Botanical Garden, which is celebrating its 150th anniversary, as well as to Radio Belgrade, which celebrates its 100th birthday this year.
Dobrivoje Lale Erić, head of the art+science program, added: “By approaching the Jevremovac Botanical Garden as a living stage, we aimed to highlight the subtle, often invisible relationships between the plant species preserved and nurtured in the Garden, and the richness of micro-worlds that connect, develop and complement each other within this unique ecosystem. The twelve exhibited installations intentionally establish a dialogue with the rich environment in which they are placed, attempting to reach and illuminate the suppressed layers of our relationship with nature, the questions posed by any botanical garden, and the impacts we, as humans and as a community, constantly exert on nature—of which we are a part but often perceive it as an external entity. The concept of the exhibition opens up topics, poses questions, and inspires contemplation about the context in which it is set, offering, primarily through the diverse accompanying program, many answers and guidelines."
"The collaboration between the Center for the Promotion of Science and the Faculty of Biology has lasted for a long time, through various events and projects, and has always been fruitful and inspiring. We expect the same from future cooperation, with the possibility of some new initiatives, such as residencies. I hope this exhibition will highlight for visitors the close ties that exist between society and nature, between science and art. I am certain that all visitors spending time here will be able to recognize this connection and the fact that every biological entity, every natural entity, is a small masterpiece of nature, just as art and artistic works essentially rely on nature and fundamental science," said Associate Professor Tijana Cvetić Antić, Vice Dean for Science and Doctoral Studies at the Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, welcoming attendees to the Jevremovac Botanical Garden.
"It is an honor to have the opportunity, on behalf of the Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation, to be present at the opening of the ninth art+science festival in this exceptional setting of the Jevremovac Botanical Garden. This event greatly unites everything the Botanical Garden stands for, everything the Center for the Promotion of Science does, and indeed what we do, as a ministry – bringing together science and art. The festival also demonstrates that technology and human influence, together, can significantly contribute to the progress of both society and the economy, and, of course, to innovation and science in the country and beyond," emphasized Vladimir Radovanović, Assistant Minister of Science, Technological Development and Innovation.
The mobile app Via Ventura, developed by students from the Faculty of Technical Sciences at the University of Novi Sad, will enable the visitors to explore the rich botanical world of the garden through an interactive experience as they walk the paths of the Interlacing exhibition.
The exhibition, along with over 30 diverse accompanying activities—such as educational workshops, lectures, discussions, performances and guided tours—will be open until October 31. Free admission is provided during the Researchers' Night on Friday, September 27, and on the final day of the festival, October 31. Participation in all accompanying programs is also free, but registration via the website artandscience.rs is mandatory.
The art+science festival is part of the Center's activities under the European Digital Deal project. The project, involving 13 partners from 11 European countries and led by Ars Electronica from Linz, is supported through the EU's Creative Europe program.
Find out more about the art+science festival program: artandscience.rs/kategorija/as2024
