TITLE:
The Art and Politics of Statues Representing “Leaders”: A Case Study
AUTHORS:
Vladimir J. Konečni
KEYWORDS:
Statues, Statues of Famous People, Sculptures, Patriarch Pavle of Serbia, Patriarch Pavle Statue in Belgrade (Serbia), Political Influence on Statues, Sculpture and Politics, Art and Politics, Belgrade (Serbia) Statues
JOURNAL NAME:
Art and Design Review,
Vol.7 No.2,
March
5,
2019
ABSTRACT: There are two main themes in this case study of
sculpture, aesthetics, and politics. First, from the viewpoint of artistic
quality, the article discusses various failed features of the recent (2018)
bronze statue in Belgrade of Patriarch Pavle of the Serbs (1914-2009), the
prominent and widely revered head of the Serbian Orthodox Church: The work’s
hugely inadequate balance, pose, location, workmanship, and others. Second, the
article critically describes the long-term and current political forces that
constitute the social background of the design, location, and other aspects of
the statue. Some of these influences are unique to Serbia in the period
1980-2018; others seem to be shared by several countries in Europe that are
considered “transitional” from communism to neo-liberal capitalism.