26. June – 17. July 2022.
The exhibition was displayed in Novi Sad from “Štrand”, along the Quay, to the Silk Factory
Nationalism is an obstacle to the development of humans as individuals and of society as a whole.
ABOUT THE SEARCH OF EUROPE
“In Search of Europe” is a story about the creation of post-war Europe and the Europe we have yet to create.
The exhibition reminds us of the historical, moral, and political dilemmas that the post-Holocaust Europe was faced with, and touches on the complex social changes and processes that shaped post-war societies and defined the fundamental European values of civil rights, respect for human dignity, and democracy, and thus enabled the creation of Europe as we know it today. At the same time, addressed to both the individual and the entire European society, it poses questions about what kind of Europe we want tomorrow.
Passers-by walking along the panels, or stopping at the “reflecting stations”, are an inseparable part of the exhibition, the central part of which is dialogue, reflection, and exchange with and among citizens.
Conceptually, it is divided into three parts:
Facing the Past,
Reconciliation,
Democratic Reforms – EUpilog.
PRODUCTION
Production: Terraforming
Author: Miško Stanišić
Curators: Nevena Bajalica, Benjamin Fischer and Petra Ardai
Art Director: Andrea Palašti
Design: Darko Vuković
Print: Atom d.o.o.
Organization and realization: Terraforming team – Ljiljana Ćumura, Snežana Vranić, Violeta Vojkan
Contact: www.terraforming.org
Special thanks:
The exhibition is supported by:
Foundation “Novi Sad – European Capital of Culture”,
Friedrich Ebert Foundation and
the Swedish Embassy in Belgrade
Danilo Kiš
Nationalism is an ideology of banality. Nationalism is a totalitarian ideology. Nationalism is, above all, paranoia. Collective and individual paranoia. As a collective paranoia, it is a consequence of envy and fear, and ultimately a consequence of a loss of one’s individual consciousness.
From an interview for the periodical “Ideje”, 1973.
Willy Brandt
History, as bitter as it may be, is a reality that each and every day continues to affect our present and our future.
In an address in Jerusalem, 7 June 1973
The Germans must bear responsibility. But responsibility is not the same as guilt. Those who do not feel guilty and are not guilty of the Nazi crimes nevertheless cannot escape the consequences of a policy, which a far too large part of the German people had willingly joined.
In his book “Verbrecher und andere Deutsche” (“Criminals and the other Germans”), 1946
The Holocaust was an unprecedented crime that forever changed the face of Europe.
Simone Veil
The destruction of the past is perhaps the greatest of all crimes.
“The Need for Roots: Prelude to a Declaration of Duties Towards Mankind,” 2003.
Presenting a partial truth by distorting, manipulating, and politicizing the history of the Holocaust and other crimes is worse than telling complete lies.
Loe de Jong
The unintentional diaries kept by countless people will give posterity an accurate impression of what ordinary people experienced during the years of war and occupation.
Statement in the radio program, December 1945.
Faced with the horrific crimes of the Second World War, we established common European values of civil rights, respect for human dignity, and democracy.
Melina Mercouri
This past must emerge from the museums in order to become a source of inspiration.
UNESCO in Mexico, July 29, 1982
The culture of remembrance, and all other elements of our national cultures, are an inseparable part of the shared European experiences and cultural heritage.
Panels
The panels were held in CS Svilara in parallel with the panels that were realized in cooperation with the organization ASA FF from Chemnitz, Germany, whose exhibition “Open Process” was set up in the neighboring hall.
2. July
SATURDAY
18.00 – 19:00
PANELISTS
- Prof. Dr Aleksandar Jerkov, director of the University Library “Svetozar Markovic” in Belgrade,
- Dr Vojislav Klačar, President of the Association of Fine Artists of Serbia (ULUS) and Professor at the Faculty of Contemporary Arts in Belgrade,
- Sunčica Marković, Deputy Director of the Cultural Center of Novi Sad, cultural worker,
Curator and moderator: Miško Stanišić, Director of the NGO Terraforming
The exhibition in total and the event I was able to physically attend surpassed my expectations. The amount of care that went into it as well as the ability to quickly respond to unforeseen changes are examples of Terraformings vast experience!
The level of debate and the ability to find common ground among such diverse participants was impressive.
I want to further engage in Terraforming’s work and ambitions!
Benjamin Fischer
program manager at Alfred Landecker Foundation, activist, and former president of European Union of Jewish Students, Germany
participant of the “The End of the War – Reconciliation” panel
7. July
THURSDAY
18.00 – 19:00
PANELISTS
- Nevena Bajalica, co-founder of the NGO Terraforming from Novi Sad, member of the delegation of the Republic of Serbia in the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance
- Dr Vlatko Ilić, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade, theater director and author,
- Maximilian Max Czollek from Berlin, poet, writer, co-founder of the Coalition for Pluralistic Public Discourse
Curator and moderator: Benjamin Fischer from Berlin, program manager at Alfred Landecker Foundation, activist, and former president of European Union of Jewish Students
I really enjoyed my stay and the discussions. It was an open debate with space for critical and progressive thinking and an exchange on the similarities and differences between our respectives contexts.
The discussion but also the encounters surrounding the encounter. This openes a window to the political and social realities of Serbian society and allowed me to confront my own internalized stereoptypes
Maximilian Max Czollek
poet, writer, co-founder of the Coalition for Pluralistic Public Discourse, Berlin, Germany
My overall impression of the program I attended and participated in is that the issues addressed within it are still not only relevant, but also crucial in the context of present global political and ecological crises. What appears to be a matter of how we remember the past, proves to be once again decisive for our future.
More needs to be done in regards to the better understanding of how the turbulent last decades shaped current social conditions in our region, and the framework of the culture of remembrance provides needed conceptual tools for us to do so.
Novi Sad, and Serbia in general, needs more programs like this one.
Dr. Vlatko Ilić
Associate Professor at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade, theater director and author, Serbia
СРЕДА, 13. јули
18.00 – 19:00
PANELISTS
- group of young people from Novi Sad
- Nevena Bajalica, program manager in NGO Terraforming,
Curator and moderator: Petra Ardai, theatre-maker, teacher and scenario writer, artistic director of the Amsterdam and Budapest-based art collective “SPACE”,
In my opinion the most important moment of the workshop and panel that I have led with young people of Novi Sad was how the participants felt and articulated how the history of Europe influences their daily life. We dissected and redefined the meaning of ‘ being European’. The participants concluded that the notion of ‘being European’ needs to be redefined in a continuous dialogue between generations, minorities, ethnicities, newcomers and locals.
I have found it very inspiring how the participants, young people of Novi Sad, engaged in a playful but challenging way of defining Europe through memories, senses and dreams. By that our public conversation surpassed the border of a regular debate, surpassed the obvious. It was political but also personal at the same time. We truly engaged in a search of Europe.
Petra Ardai
theatre-maker, teacher and scenario writer, artistic director of the Amsterdam and Budapest-based art collective “SPACE”, Netherlands
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