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 the Nemanjić 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 a cornerstone and continuous source of cultural identity for the Serbian people Written in it, in that silent and sacred past, like some kind of destiny codes, are all the key features 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 of the 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 and Sava, 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 the Cyrillic 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, the Studenica 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 branched out 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 monks and an inspiring refuge for spiritual rebels, all the way to Djordje Krstić, Nebojša Mitrić or academician 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 as Mihail Valtrović, Dragutin Milutinović, Vladimir Petković, Vojislav Djurić or Gordana Babić. Studenica has thus become and remained a reliable guidepost and a faithful companion in our quest to find meaning and truth, searching through our own history and beyond. Following this guidepost, engraved deep within our own being, on the paths that for centuries led us to various 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 the ancient 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 with us when we went too far or when we stood still, trapped by fear and lack of self-respect. As a result 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