THE FIRST retrospective exhibition of famous painter Dado Đurić in Belgrade, organized by the Gallery of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SASA) in cooperation with Foundation “For Serbia People and State” and Foundation “Blue”, was ceremonially opened on 21 December 2024, in the presence of many lovers of painting and art. This event is a special moment in the history of Belgrade art scene because for the first time it provides a comprehensive insight into the life and work of one of the most important artists from these territories, whose artistic expression marked the second half of the 20th century.
The exhibition “Dado: History of Nature 1953‒2000” authored by Amarante Szidon, maps all stages of the artist’s work, from Belgrade period which marked his shift towards finding his own artistic expression, his work in France and exhibitions in the USA, to the last years, when graffiti and children drawings became part of his graphic expression, while murals, sculpture and digital collages were the media preoccupying him.
“I am very happy to open the first retrospective exhibition of my father’s paintings. It had to take place here, in Belgrade, because Dado invented his specific style here, in the environment so familiar to everyone, in the mid-1950s, creating two great pictures ” The Cyclist” and “The Holy Virgin”. I am grateful to all those who have made it possible to present these works, soe of which are real jewels. One of them is, for example, “Late Shoemaker” from the 1970s, or three pictures so far unknown to the public, from the Museum of Contemporary Art, which date back to the 1950s. Those are: “Monkey Family”, “Bikini”” and “Ringspiel”, said Amarante, Dado’s daughter.
Exceptional significance of Dado’s creative work was also confirmed by the display of his paintings in numerous international collections, including one of the most important collections of Centre Pompidou, the National Museum of Modern Art of France.
“Today I am unveiling, not without emotions, the paintings of the artist with a unique vocabulary, already established throughout the years he spent in Belgrade, before his arrival in France in 1956. Through the choice of paintings and this journey, we can measure the depth and variety of strong works with extremely modern accents. Dado is one of the few artists who, like Picasso, managed to invent his own, unrepeatable style, while at the same time inventing once again”, said Laurent Le Bon, President of Centre Pompidou, adding: “I am very happy that Centre Pompidou owns such a valuable collection of Dado’s pictures, particularly an outstanding collection of drawings, some of which are displayed for the first time here, in Belgrade. Dado’s work has always circled all over the world and it will continue to do so, which he knew very well when he said that “the value of a picture can be recognized only 10, 30, 40 or 50 years after its creation. Dust must fall on the canvases so that we can be evaluate their quality”.
The guests were also addressed by the Director of the SASA Gallery, academician Dušan Otašević, who expressed double pleasure because of Dado Đurić’s exhibition, as well as by academician Miodrag Marković, who officially opened the event.
Supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia, the exhibition can be seen until 2 March 2025. There are more than 50 works by Miodrag Dado Đurić from many museum and private collections, some of which have been displayed in public for the first time.
The display is accompanied by the documentary video-material, as well as the bilingual catalogue published by the SASA, and the monograph published by Foundation “For Serbia People and State” and Foundation “Blue”.
The exhibition is open until 2 March 2025. The SASA exhibition salon is open every day (except Monday) from 10 am to 9 pm, and from 10 am to 4 pm on Thursday. The entrance to the gallery is free.
