The park of Bukovička spa is a protected natural asset and at the same time enjoys the status of a cultural and historical entity. The collection of sculptures in the spa park is one of the collections of the National Museum in Arandjelovac, the presentation of which is based on a widely understood idea contained in the term ’’open-air’’ Museum. According to this idea, the Museum presents an exceptional artistic collection of sculptures located in an open park area.
At the same time, the term ’’open-air ’’Museum also implies the intention to make the digitized museum material related to this Collection, which was arrived at through exhaustive research, available through digital platforms and networks.
In this context, this term also refers to open access to museum contents which, via the application of modern technologies, become available not only to the visitors of Bukovička spa park but also to the general public and an interested museum audience.”
The Collection of sculptures in Bukovička spa park contains 78 works of art. Three older sculptures belong to this group – “Lion” by Peter Gindert, created during the Austro-Hungarian occupation, most likely in 1916, the work of the famous Yugoslav sculptor Ivan Meštrović “Sphinx” from 1934, and the sculpture “Obelisk I” by Raja Nikolić from 1960.
Other sculptures which are part of the Museum’s Collection and placed in the park of Bukovička spa, were created at the “White Venčac” Sculpture Symposium from 1966, as part of the manifestation of a complex concept called the Exhibition of (Yugoslavian) Art “Marble and Sounds”.
In accordance with the socialist spirit of the time when art was intended “for all and sundry”, this precious collection was created by which the park of Bukovička spa was given the function of an exhibition space and therefore new meanings.
Numerous important figures from the cultural life of Yugoslavia at the time influenced the formation and foundation of this exceptional manifestation, but the greatest efforts for its establishment and development were made by the painter Aleksandar Đonović, who is also considered its founder.
(source: Slobodan Nedeljković’s private archive)
The Collection of sculptures in the park of Bukovička spa consists of the works made by established Yugoslav and foreign sculptors in the second half of the 20th century, as well as the sculptures of significant names of the contemporary art scene of the first two decades of the 21st century.
Placed in the park area, this Collection represents a special entity in which, until the second decade of the 21st century, the concept of making sculptures from Venčac marble and determining the place of the sculptures according to the author’s choice was mostly respected.
By the decision of the Municipality of Aranđelovac in 2020, the collection of sculptures was entrusted to the National Museum in Aranđelovac for safekeeping and care. Immediately after that the works of conservation and restoration of endangered works of art were undertaken as part of the “Trace in the Stone” Project and the activities on the implementation of the “Download, learn and save” Project – digitalization and presentation of the Sculpture Collection in the park of Bukovička spa – began. Both projects are co-financed by the Ministry of Culture and Information with the support of the Municipality of Aranđelovac.
The Project “Download,learn and save”
The project “Download,learn and save” involves the digitization and presentation of the museum Collection of sculptures in Bukovička spa park. Valorization of this precious cultural heritage was preceded by exhaustive research work that is still ongoing. Part of the collected material has been digitized and is now available to the public. Thanks to numerous institutions, individuals, families and companies, we have managed to preserve and present to the public significant material related to this important cultural asset.
We express our gratitude to: the Museum of Contemporary Art in Belgrade, the National Museum of Montenegro, the Museum in Smederevo, the Montenegrin Academy of Sciences and Arts, the RTS TV Program Archive, “Zagreb Film”, the “Rajko Mamuzić” Gallery of Fine Arts, the gift of the “Rajko Mamuzić” collection, Ana Viđen and Mihael Milunović, Mrđan Bajić, Radoš Antonijević, Dušan Petrović, Ružica Glišić, Tamara Rakić, Jelena Milunović, Slobodan Nedeljković, Zoran Kuzmanović and the “Kuzman” sculpture workshop from Smederevo, the Nikolić family from Aranđelovac, the National Library “Sveti Sava” in Aranđelovac, the company “Omya Venčac ” which preserved part of the old archive of the company “Venčac”, the Public Utility Company “Zelenilo” from Arandjelovac, as well as to many other colleagues and friends of the Museum.
Сајт Музеј на отвореном и сви текстови, логотипи, графика, слике, аудио материјал, материјал који је доступан за преузимање и остали материјали на овом сајту (у даљем тексту: Садржај), јесу ауторско право или власништво Народног музеја у Аранђеловцу или су на сајт постављени уз дозволу власника или овлашћеног носиоца права.
Коришћење Садржаја, осим на начин описан у овим условима коришћења, без писане дозволе власника Садржаја је строго забрањено. Народни музеј Аранђеловац ће заштити своја ауторска права, своја права интелектуалне својине и остала сродна права, као и друга права, у највећој мери дозвољеној законом, укључујући и кривично гоњење.
