Painting colony

Since 1998 In 2008, the Painting Colony was organized in the Ethno-park in Sovljak. In ten years, about 70 painters participated in the colony, and about 120 new paintings were created. Each of the artists who participated in the colony presented one of their works to the organizer, the Cultural and Educational Center.

On the occasion of the jubilee, 10 years of the Colony, at the end of 2008. In March 2009, a retrospective exhibition of works was organized, and 27 of the most successful paintings created during the 10 years of the colony’s organization. could also be seen by visitors to the Gallery of the Cultural Center in Šabac.

The jubilee of the Painting Colony “Sovljak” was also marked by the printing of a catalog for which the introductory text was written by academic painter Dragan Martinović. This text talks about the beginnings and development of the painting movement in the municipality of Bogatić. Artistic life in Mačva is unequivocally linked to two personalities who created from nothing what brings us together and binds us today.

In the early 1950s, the youthful dreams of two friends – Milić Stanković from Mačva and Milivoj Martinović – began to come true through the enrollment of the former at the Academy of Fine Arts, and the latter at the theater. The desire for Macva, the land of talented people, to become a hub of cultural events began to come true. Martinović’s interruption of acting studies brought him back to his parallel love – painting. Milić’s graduation meant that something had to be done with Mačva and Mačvani. In the attic studio of Milivoj Martinović, fans of the palette gathered more and more often: Dragić Sokić, Vita Jurišić, Dejan Kojić, Petar Berić, Boban Berić – Dutin, Bata Vešić and many others who, unfortunately, did not persevere. These meetings were obligatory on the big holidays, when Milić comes to Mačva to visit his parents and bring news from European metropolises. In the deceptive summer of 1968, Milić started the construction of the soon-to-be-famous Radovan Tower, which was attended by the elite of the Yugoslav culture at the time, as well as the participants of the first Fest with Kirk Douglas at the helm. Many great names of various arts walked through that strange building.

In addition to the famous Hlebska, the Mačvan Painting School was a gathering center for art lovers from all over the world. The curious eyes of the boys – boys Mikan Aničić, Dragan Martinović, Jeremija Studa and Purca from Šabac were curiously waiting for Milić’s invitation to join. Macvani exhibited in Rome, Vienna, Geneva. The youngest are taking Milić’s path, enrolling in the academy. The winter evenings of 76 are spent in the recently conceived Ethno-park in Sovljak, the creators of which are Milić and Martin. Four painters – Dragić Sokić, Vita Jurišić and both Martins, it is remembered as the first convocation of the art colony, accompanied by the support of Zdravko Jerotić, Dragoslav Dakić – the then representatives of culture. Dragan Djuričić, who came to his native Bogatić in the mid-1980s after completing his studies, stands out from the active art section of teacher Rad Torbica. His gentle face and painting met with the rare favor of the authorities. For years, on the first Sunday in August, when “Hajdučke večeri” are also held, he gathers painters from Mačva in Sovljak, and it becomes a tradition. Due to his premature and sudden death, the colony does not lose its momentum because Dragan Martinoviæ, Nenad Stankoviæ – nephew of Milić from Mačva, member of the guild Dragan Djaković and Branko Stanković, a historian from Bogatić, were often present, and made themselves available to the Cultural and Educational Center as the main organizer. This team decides to refresh themselves with the hope that the presence of students and guests from other areas will be a motivation and a driver. For several years, the colony in Sovljak has been visited by other artists from the former Yugoslavia. In this way, artists as guests become promoters of the beauty of the Mačva region and the art colony in Sovljak. A special value is given to this colony by the inhabitants of the village of Sovljak themselves, who support the proverbial image of Mačva hospitality by occupying it.

Author: Dragan Martinović.

At the tenth painting colony, from 3 to 8. August 2008 five academic painters participated: Anamarija Varatabedijan, Neda Cakić, Nenad Marić, Savo Petković and Goran Stojanović. The maintenance of the Colony, along with the Bogatić Municipality Assembly, was financially supported by the Ministry of Culture. The media sponsor was Regional Television “Šabac”, which in its program reported on all activities during the duration of the colony, representatives of the organizers and the painters themselves were guests in the program, and after the end of the Colony a half-hour reportage was shown on this Television.