Name and surname: Biljana Jotic

WEB: biljanajotic.com

Contact: biljajotic.iu@gmail.com

Biljana Jotić (née Samardžić), originally from Herzegovina, was born in Mostar (1977). She completed the 7^th grade of primary school in Bileća, and due to her father’s military service, she moved to Belgrade in 1989, where she continued her education and life. Jotić graduated in Art History at the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade (MA). During her tumultuous student years (the 1996/97 protests and the 1999 NATO bombing), she volunteered in the Department of Art History library. After graduating, she continued her volunteer practice at the National Museum in Belgrade on the Digitization of Museum Collections Project, as well as at the Vatroslav Lisinski Secondary School of Music. She defended her habilitation and received the title of curator. As an entrepreneur in culture, she founded a gallery dedicated to contemporary creativity and young people (BeoArt-LiveArt, 2006-2015), which she ran as artistic director for 9 years. She is one of the founders of an association that deals with project activities with a focus on young people and women (BeoArt Contemporary 2016-). She is a member of ULUPUDS. Since 2021, she has been the acting director of the Museum of Applied Art in Belgrade, and the Museum director from 2023.

Jotić is the mother of two grown children. She advocates for improving the standards of contemporary artistic and curatorial practices, with a focus on younger generations and the issue of women. Her author’s projects have been supported several times by the funds of the Secretariat of the City of Belgrade, the Ministry of Culture and Information and EU IPA Funds.

As an independent curator, Jotić has realized over 20 solo and over 30 group exhibitions dedicated to young artists, both regionally and internationally. She initiated and realized more than 5 author’s projects, regional and international, independently or in cooperation with civil organizations and public institutions. She has been the selector of more than 10 collective exhibitions, events and festivals, judging several award-winning exhibitions, and initiating and moderating several panels on current topics about contemporary artistic and curatorial practices. More than 30 of her catalog author’s texts were published, as well as texts for the professional magazine for contemporary visual art and spatial communication, Art Life. In addition, she has opened numerous solo and group exhibitions, held more than 10 expert guides through exhibitions and is the author of more than 20 exhibition settings. She has also initiated and realized several art events with a wider program solution, Art Meetings, as well as holding open classes with pupils and students, multimedia workshops, humanitarian events and auctions of contemporary art, as well as ART tours through contemporary visual art.

She has initiated and realized regional research dedicated to female identities in contemporary visual art. A documentary film was made about her co-authored exhibition “The Mediala: Once Upon a Time,” broadcast on the national frequency of Radio Television of Serbia (RTS 3, Cultural Palette). Also, her author’s documentary series “A Woman About a Woman” directed by Boris Miljković was broadcast on the same channel.

            Her past work has been covered by numerous media sources, from television, radio and print media to new forms of Internet portals. Over 10 interviews have been published. She has had more than 20 guest appearances on various TV and radio programs, news programs and those specialized in art and culture.

            In the capacity of acting director, then the director of the Museum of Applied Art, she has actively participated in all program and other activities of the Museum, as well as in the organization and realization of domestic, regional and international exhibitions and projects. She initiated several inter-museum and inter-sectoral collaborations. She advocates cooperation between the civil and institutional, private and public sectors.

            As Commissioner and Curator, Jotić has realized the presentation of the Republic of Serbia at the 23^rd International Exhibition of the Triennale in Milan in 2022; then at the 4^th International Exhibition of the Design Biennale in London (Somerset House); the Prague Quadrennial in 2023 (along with Tatjana Dadić–Dinulović), as well as being the president of the Council for the 18^th International Exhibition of the Biennale of Architecture in Venice in 2023, on behalf of the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Serbia.

Biographical specification

Professional titles:

• Stage masker-wigmaker
• Art historian
• Curator

Volunteer work:

• Library at the Department of Art History, Faculty of Philosophy in Belgrade
• National Museum in Belgrade, the “Digitization of museum collections” Project
• Vatroslav Lisinski Secondary Music School, subject: History of Civilization and

  Culture

Professional practice:

• Owner and artistic director of the BeoArt-LiveArt Gallery for 9 years (realized over 15 independent exhibitions of artists of the younger generation); initiated and realized four original projects and various humanitarian drives with young artists; an auction of contemporary art; volunteer practice for students of history arts; various art workshops, etc.
• One of the founders of the BeoArt Contemporary Association founded in 2016; supported by the Ministry of Culture and the Secretariat of the City of Belgrade for several projects, as well as one of the partners in the project co-financed by the EU IPA Funds. Realized over 20 independent and group exhibitions, regional and international. More than 20 art catalogs were published in the Association’s edition. Production of the documentary series “Woman about Woman” directed by Boris Miljković on RTS 3. In cooperation with the Institute for the Study of Cultural Development, she carried out research on the position of women in culture. Organization of the international Kick Off conference in Belgrade, January 2021;
• Initiator and Artistic Director of the European project “Rise of Women in Culture in the Western Balkans,” co-financed by EU IPA Funds;
• Member of the Steering Committee of the Museum of Applied Art in Belgrade;
• From 2021, she has performed the function of acting director of the Museum of Applied Art. From 2023, she is the MAA director.

Curatorial practice:

PROJECTS:

THE RISE OF WOMEN IN CULTURE IN THE WESTERN BALKANS

The initiator and artistic director of an international project lasting 26 months (1 April 2021 – 17 March 2023) with numerous activities carried out in different territories of the region and Europe. The project is co-financed by IPA funds of the European Union (General activities: TOURING EXHIBITION “Women about Women” (Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, Slovenia, North Macedonia, in the spaces of physical and virtual reality, for which the selectors selected in advance artists with recognizable and different identities of women in the visual arts). The RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM in Zadar, gathering new, youthful energy through an open call, while the works created during it will represent a new exhibition set up in Strasbourg, the headquarters of the Council of Europe. VR technologies include new forms of curatorial practices and global visibility. RESEARCH maps issues of social diversity and women’s identities in contemporary visual art and includes institutional and non-institutional curatorial practices. DOCUMENTARY SERIES documents the thought and creative processes of female artists and curators. NFC is a network of female curators thematically organized around the concept of women in art. In addition to the above, there were numerous useful lectures and workshops that were an integral part of the project. The project was chosen as one of 13 projects in the Western Balkans from a total of 348.

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CULTURAL HERITAGE AND MODERN CREATION

Jotić is the initiator of the project with the concept of merging contemporary visual art and space that belongs to the tradition of the cultural heritage of Serbia. The author’s curatorial concept is characterized by notions of continuity (revitalization of cultural heritage spaces through contemporary visual creativity), then in the choice of atypical exhibition spaces and heterogeneity of visual expressions (as chronicles of the evidence of different experiences of contemporary fluid reality). So far, 4 exhibitions have been realized:

ART ON PAPER, the National Library of Serbia, Belgrade, 5 May – 5 July 2019. The project was supported by the Ministry of Culture and Information and the Secretariat of the City of Belgrade. The project had the concept of gathering domestic authors and authors around paper as a medium, with a heterogeneous character and in the form of a chronicle; the merging of visual and linguistic signs, i.e. an exhibition of visual works on paper in a space that inherits the word on paper, the newspaper of the new age and the faster spread of information that led to modern forms of communication. Thematic vagueness is a conscious comparison with thematic vagueness of the words inherited by this institution, without which we would not have the opportunity for widespread knowledge today.

THROUGH WATER, Ešđeg art station, 2017 – a solo exhibition with a site-specific character (the curatorial concept is based on transposing the content that the artist problematizes in the painting directly into the space, a site-specific installation by which space is moved from the canvas to the real space, the time of the event is “now and here” including the observer as an integral part of the event).

IDENTIFICATIONS, Jokanović House, National Museum of Užice, 2018 – an author’s solo exhibition with the concept of merging the two-pronged approach on the same topic and technique, drawing on paper, and on the one hand an identification through the external projection of the city and geometrized forms of closed forms (Marija Milinković) and on the other the internal projection of the modern ‘selfie’ phenomenon, which opposes the traditional way of portraiture and the problematization of narcissism and the existence of another person and interaction (Marija Tošković). The action of contemporary thematic problems is in the exhibition setting in the traditional space of the Jokanović House, as a separate part of the National Museum in Užice.

20/20, a space in the reconstruction of the Balkan cinema, in cooperation with the Sasa Marcheta Foundation and the NuraArt agency, 2018 – a group exhibition that combines real and virtual space. The author of the concept, text and setting (the curatorial specificity is visible through the matching of the works of 10 artists who exhibited in physical reality, and who in their work problematize the issue of space in different ways and the presence of another reality, a virtual one, and the exhibition of 10 works in that new space). In addition, there is the issue of revitalization of the cult space of the Balkan cinema with contemporary visual art. By merging traditional and contemporary time, a real and virtual space is merged. Merging real and virtual space also problematizes the way the viewer and his senses interact.

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BOA (Belgrade Open Art)

A one-day interactive event with the concept WALK/TALK/AUCTION, Cultural Center of Belgrade, Pop Up space (1 June 2014 and 2015) – co-author. Immersed in social and cultural events, we four colleagues recognized three current problems in the museum’s closure, a lack of communication and the absence of market bases for contemporary creativity. We offered an answer through the concept of Open Art and the strategy of a guerilla one-day self-financed event during which 30 artists of the younger generation were presented. From the street gallery to a joint walk with the works along Knez Mihajlova Street and around the National Museum, through the exhibition in the Pop Up space of the Belgrade Cultural Center and the Art meeting to the auction as the ultimate goal.

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NOA FEST

The co-author of the art festival in Novi Sad (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019), with the concept of dynamics in program solutions that are implemented in several locations (Art Gallery and Youth Tribune, Cultural Center Novi Sad; Eđšeg Castle; the alternative Cultural Center Lab). Every year, NOA FEST gathers over 20 young male and female artists for the purpose of networking and communication. It is focused on the younger generations and the home field festival strategy is implemented with various program solutions and in several locations. From exhibitions, through Art Meetings, workshops, panels, humanitarian actions, art responds to social needs as an integral part of it.

MILAN TRIENNALE

The Commissioner and curator for the project Infinity of Structure, architect Ivan Mangov, with which the Republic of Serbia presented itself at the 23^rd Triennale Milano, organized and implemented by the Museum of Applied Art on behalf of the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Serbia.

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LONDON ART BIENNALE

The Commissioner of performances of the Republic of Serbia and curator of the artistic experiment 134/Sacred Geometry, authored by Dušan Jovović, PhD, which represents the Republic of Serbia at the 4th International Design Biennial in London (Somerset House, London). The organizer of the performance is the Museum of Applied Art on behalf of the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Serbia.

Author exhibitions and texts:

ART LIFE – chronicle on visual and spatial communications 155/156 and 157/158, 2019 and 2020:

• Notes on paper – drawings, studies and sketches, Igor Vasiliev;
• Bestiary – Road to freedom; Marija Tosković;
• Figurative-portrait entity; Aleksandar Stojnović;
• Fragmentations; Mina Radović;
• Sculptors/esses of Serbia 2020, annual exhibition of the sculpture section of

  ULUS, Cvijeta Zuzorić Art Pavilion;

• Chronicle of Reflections of our Time: Acquisitions of the Museum of Contemporary Art 1993-2019
• Visions of reality, solo exhibition by Mirjana Đošić 

CATALOG TEXTS FOR EXHIBITIONS:

• WOMAN WITHOUT A PREFIX, Nina Milović’s first solo exhibition, Headquarters Gallery, 2023
• IN REFLECTIONS, Architecture Biennale, Giardini, Venice, Italy, 2023
• 134/SACRED GEOMETRY, International Design Biennial in London, Somerset House, United Kingdom, 2023
• The 45th SALON OF ARCHITECTURE/SALON OF DIALOG, Museum of Applied Art, Belgrade, Serbia, 2023
• BORIS PODRECCA, Аrchiculture, Museum of Applied Art, Belgrade, Serbia, 2023
• ON THE GLASS ROAD, introductory text for publication, 2022
• SENSUALITY, solo exhibition by Natalija Miladinović, Council of Europe Building, Strasbourg, France, 2022
• TURNAROUND, 44^th Salon of Architecture, 2022
• INFINITY OF STRUCTURE, Triennale Milano, 2022
• WOMAN ABOUT WOMAN, author’s regional exhibition, NGVU, Belgrade (Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, Slovenia, North Macedonia), 2021
• SCULPTURES OF SERBIA 2020, Revue exhibition of the sculpture section of ULUS, Cvijeta Zuzorić Art Pavilion, September 2020
• SEASONARY, Vesna Opavski, solo exhibition, KC Trebinje, October 2020
• VISIONS OF REALITY, Mirjana Đošić, solo exhibition, Kruševac Art Gallery, September 2020
• PLANE REFLECTIONS, Miona Marta Marković, touring solo exhibition, 2020
• INTRO FLORAL, Dominika Morariu, introductory text for the catalog written for the solo exhibition that was to be realized in the gallery of KC Novi Sad, April 2020
• TRAPS OF PERCEPTION, solo exhibition of Ivan Milenković, KC Leskovac, February 2020
• NOTES ON PAPER, Igor Vasiljev, KC Novi Sad, Art Salon, 2019
• FRAGMENTATIONS, Solo exhibition of Mina Radović Cultural Center Novi Sad, Art Salon, 2019
• PORTRAITS, FIGURATIVE-PORTRAIT ENTITY, Aleksandar Stanojević, solo exhibition, KC Inđija, Vojnović House Gallery, 2019
• STARTED SPACES, the first solo exhibition of Vanja Vujin Ivošević, Vračar Municipality Gallery, 2019
• RHYTHM OF THE CITY, solo exhibition by Marija Milinković, SULUJ gallery, Belgrade, 2018
• FIGURE THROUGH THOUGHT, solo exhibition by Jovana Jarebica, Natalija Miladinović and Una Nikolić, 2018
• THROUGH WATER, Ivana Živić Jerković, solo Site-specific exhibition, Eđšeg Castle, Novi Sad, introductory text
• SPIRITUAL, solo exhibition by Natalija Miladinović and Zdravko Janković, Atrium of the City of Belgrade Library Gallery, 2018
• PETRIFIED DREAMS, solo exhibition by Đerđi Ačaji, Lucida gallery, Belgrade, 2018, KC L
• 20/20, author’s group exhibition, space in the reconstruction of the Balkan cinema, 2018
• THE FALL OF MAN, Kristina Pirković, Art for All Gallery, Belgrade, 2018
• IDENTIFICATIONS, solo exhibition of Marija Milinković, Smederevska Palanka National Museum, Contemporary Gallery, 2018
• THE GREAT WAR, Nemanja Okiljević, King Peter’s House and Kombank Hall (announcement of the Peter the Great film), 2018
• THE NEED FOR REMEMBRANCE, solo exhibition by Koštana Đurić, Suluj Gallery, Belgrade, 2017
• YOUTH PALETTE, selector exhibition as part of the festival, KC Vrbas, 2017
• ART ON PAPER, National Library of Serbia, May-July 2017
• MEDIALA: ONCE UPON A TIME, co-authored group exhibition, RTS gallery, Belgrade, May 2017
• FIGURES ON PAPER, author’s group exhibition, National Museum of Užice, 2017
• TABLEAU VIVANT, author’s group exhibition, UK Parobrod, 2017
• NARRATIVES ON PAPER, author’s group exhibition, Modern Gallery, National Museum Smederevska Palanka, 2017
• ART ON PAPER, author’s group exhibition, gallery FLU Gallery Kosovska Mitrovica, 2017
• ALL THE SEAS ARE MINE, solo exhibition by Gordana Tomić, Maritime Museum Gallery, Porto Montenegro, Montenegro, 2017
• PERPETUUM MOBILE, solo exhibition by Jelena Vićentić, Božidarac Gallery, 2017
• THEORY OF UNITY, ambient exhibition of Vojislav Radovanović, Salon 77, Niš, 2017
• RETROSPECTIVE EXHIBITION, solo exhibition of Canadian artist Dragica Gaćanski Didi, Art Salon KC Novi Sad, 2017
• THE STORY OF ORIGIN, solo exhibition of Vojislav Radovanović, Jovan Popović Gallery, Opovo, 2016
• METAMORPHOSES, solo exhibition of Vojislav Radovanović, Art Salon, the House of Culture, Čačak, 2016
• PROJECT: GARDEN OF PARADISE, solo exhibition of Vojislav Radovanović, Art Salon, KC Novi Sad, 2016
• PURGATORY, solo exhibition by Filip Baralić, National Museum of Užice, 2015
• OČIJUKANJE, solo exhibition by Branka Đurašković, SKC Novi Belgrade, 2015
• IN MEMORY OF DEJAN PRENDIĆ PRENDA, memorial exhibition, Zaječar National Museum, 2014

Selection practice and judging:

• BIENNALE OF ARCHITECTURE IN VENICE 2023, President of the Council
• BIENNALE OF DESIGN IN LONDON, commissioner of performances and curator of the project
• PRAGUE QUADRIENNALE of stage design and stage space, Prague 2023, co-commissioner and co-curator
• TRIENNALE MILANO, representation of the Republic of Serbia at the 23^rd International Exhibition
• 44^th SALON OF ARCHITECTURE, MAA, Belgrade
• RISE OF WOMEN IN CULTURE IN THE WB, touring exhibition, documentary series, residency exhibition, research
• SCULPTOR/ESSES OF SERBIA 2020, a traditional exhibition of the ULUS Vaar section
• YOUNG GRAPHICS, selector, Eđšeg Cultural Station, Novi Sad 2019
• TRADITIONAL EXHIBITION OF DRAWINGS, judging, KC Šabac, 2019
• PALETTE OF YOUTH, 2017 selector
• BIENNIALE OF WATERCOLORS, jury, SKC Novi Beogard, 2018
• NOA FEST 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
• BOA 2014, 2015

Moderator practice – Panels:

• ENCOUNTERS, Council of the 44^th and 45^th Salon of Architecture, MAA, 2023
• IDENTITIES OF WOMEN IN CONTEMPORARY VISUAL ART, participants: Dubravka Đurić, Aleksandra Lazar, Iana Stantieri, Ivana Ivković, moderators Maša Elezović and Biljana Jotić, online
• HAVE MERCY, GOD, Art Café with Gordana Belić as part of her doctoral exhibition, Menjačnica gallery, Goethe Institute, Belgrade, June 2020
• YOUNG GRAPHICS, Eđšeg Cultural Station, Novi Sad
• DADO AND LJUBA, Crossbreeding, KC Novi Sad Art Salon
• HERITAGE OF MEDIALA’S SPIRIT, RTS gallery, 2017
• MOSAICS DANAS, Youth Tribune, KC Novi Sad
• SCULPTURE TODAY, Eđšeg Cultural Station
• AUTISM AND ART, Youth Tribune, KC Novi Sad
• CONTEMPORARY NARRATIVES ON PAPER, Eđšeg Cultural Station
• CULTURAL HERITAGE, YOUTH AND THE MARKET, KC Novi Sad Art Salon

Exhibition openings: 

• ARCHITECTURE BIENNALE, Giardini, Venice, Italy, 2023
• The 45^th SALON OF ARCHITECTURE/SALON OF DIALOG, Museum of Applied Art, Belgrade, Serbia, 2023
• WOMAN ABOUT WOMAN, author’s regional exhibition, NGVU, Belgrade (Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, Slovenia, North Macedonia), 2021
• BORIS PODRECCA, ARCHICULTURE, MAA, 2023
• ON THE GLASS ROAD, MAA, 2022
• Bohuš-Lugoši FOUNDATION, Budapest, MAA, 2022
• SENSUALITY, solo exhibition by Natalija MIladinović, Council of Europe Building, Strasbourg, France, 2022
• TRIENNALE MILANO, Milano, Italy, 2022
• THE THREAD OF ART, Gradimir Smuđa, MAA, 2022
• 44^th SALON OF ARCHITECTURE, MAA, 2022
• BUILT ENVIRONMENT: AN ALTERNATIVE GUIDE TO JAPAN, MAA in cooperation with the Embassy of Japan, 2022
• ITALIAN DESIGN DAY, in cooperation with the Embassy of Italy in Belgrade, MAA, 2022
• MAŠIĆ: retrospective exhibition of visual communications by Slobodan Mašić, Cultural Center in Paris, 2021
• GHETTO: Everything, everything but craft, MAA, 2021
• FASCINATE ME, exhibition of handmade hats and fascinators by Dragan Smiljanić, MAA, 2021
• SKIN AND STONE, Mina Radović, solo exhibition, City Gallery, Kotor, 2021
• SEASONARY, Vesna Opavski, KC Trebinje, October 2020
• NOTES ON PAPER, exhibition of studio drawings and sketches by Igor Vasiljev, Art Salon, KC Novi Sad
• STRENGTH OF THE LINE, solo exhibition by Ljiljana Stojanović, Gallery 73, Belgrade
• SPIRITUAL, solo exhibition of Natalija Mialdinović and Zdravko Janković, Belgrade City Library Gallery
• THE FALL OF MAN, solo exhibition by Kristina Pirković, Art for All gallery, Belgrade
• FIGURE THROUGH THOUGHT, Jovana Jarebica, Natalija Miladinović, Una Nikolić, House of King Peter, Belgrade
• STONE SLEEPERS, solo exhibition by Đerđi Ačaji, KC Šabac
• THE GREAT WAR, solo exhibition by Nemanja Okiljević, King Peter’s House, Belgrade
• IN THE RHYTHM OF THE CITY, solo exhibition of drawings and installations by Marija Milinković, SULUJ gallery, Belgrade
• THE NEED FOR REMEMBRANCE, solo exhibition of paintings by Koštana Đurić, SULUJ Gallery, Belgrade 

Professional guiding and an open class:

• Boris Podrecca, Archiculture, Museum of Applied Art, Belgrade
• LJUBA, a retrospective exhibition of Ljuba Popović in the SANU gallery, 2019
• Between real and virtual reality, space in the reconstruction of the Balkan cinema
• Serbian painting of the 20^th century, 1900-1950, Dom Vojska Gallery
• Young Graphics, Art salon, KC Novi Sad
• Mosaics today, Youth Tribune, KC Novi Sad
• Young sculpture, art station Ešđeg, Novi Sad
• Contemporary narratives on paper, art station Ešđeg, Novi Sad

The media:

Documentary films and series

• Mediala: Once Upon a Time, RTS 3
• Documentary series “Woman about woman – female identities in contemporary visual art,” director, directed by Boris Miljković, YouTube

• Architecture Today, RTS 2
• Criticism in action, 19^th art bienniale in Pančevo, 2020;

Interviews: (printed editions of magazines, daily or weekly newspapers):

• PRESERVING CULTURAL HERITAGE THROUGH APPLIED ARTS, Diplomacy&Commerce, Belgrade, 2023
• ABOUT THE RETROSPECTIVE EXHIBITION IN LJUBA, SANU, conversation with the author Slavica Batos, Pečat (interview on 12 pages in two parts, 2021);
• OLD VALUES OF NEW VISUALITY, interview with journalist Sonja Ćirić, Vreme, 2018;
• Interview with Miljana Kralj, Novosti, 2023 and 2022
• Intreview with Marija Petrović, Тelegraf Biznis, 2023.

Guest appearances and contributions:

– NOVA S, morning program

– Studio B, Browsing show, Good Morning Belgrade, Morning with Sanja, News;

– News Prva TV

– RTS, Serbia Today, Morning Show, Cultural center, Cultural News, News 2, ‘That’s How

  Things Are’ Show

– PINK, Morning Show with Srđan and Jovana, reporting in the Morning Show with Filip

– RTS 2, All the Colors of Life Show

– TV Happy, Morning Show, Telemaster

– RTV, Novi Sad postcard, News

– TV PRVA, Explosive Show

– RADIO BEOGRAD 2, Cultural Circles

– N1, Three Dots

Announcements or reportage: Politika, Novosti, Vreme, Story Magazine, Prestige, RTS, Novosti, Elle, etc.

Texts published texts in the catalogs of solo exhibitions, author exhibitions, manifestations and festivals mentioned above (over 30)