EXHIBITION AND MONOGRAPH PROMOTION
Mokranjac, Eternal Chord of Heritage – 170th birth anniversasry
Author: Vesna Stanković, Director of the Museum of Krajina
In the jubilee year of 2026, in which Serbian culture marks 170 years since his birth and six decades since the launch of the Days of Mokranjac festival, the need to revalue his artistic and institutional heritage is imposed. The music created by Mokranjac is not only a historical artifact, but a vital legacy that inspires anew and lasts through the modern era. On this occasion, the Museum of Krajina organized an exhibition and monograph Mokranjac, an eternal chord of heritage – 170th birth anniversary, by the author Vesna Stanković, as an expression of respect and as a lasting testimony to a man whose work still represents one of the most important pillars of Serbian cultural heritage today. Of particular value are the original manuscripts, musical notations and documents from the collections of the Museum of Krajina. Part of this material is presented for the first time within the framework of a representative publication and exhibition, allowing the reader a direct insight into the creative process of one of the greatest Serbian composers. His manuscripts become witnesses of the creative process and have a value that goes beyond their content. Every correction, added note or crossed out bar represents a trace of creative thinking. For this reason, these manuscripts are an invaluable part of Serbia’s cultural heritage.
Vesna Stanković, director of the Krajina Museum, museum educator, graduated from the Faculty of Philology, University of Belgrade and worked as a teacher for 27 years at the Negotin Gymnasium. She is one of the founders and members of the Nego Creative Association, as well as the president of the Negotin Serbian Sisters Circle. She participated as an author, organizer and implementer in numerous projects in the fields of education and culture, literary creation, creative and pedagogical work and preservation of folk heritage. She was the editor-in-chief of the city’s St. Sava Academy in Negotin (2003-2023). She is the author of the poetry collection Whirlpools (2014), the monodrama Nadežda Petrović – Life as love in action (2023). She is the editor of the collection Vocal Ethno-Festival of Youth VEF – The First Ten Years (2023). She is the editor and reviewer of the collection of poems Trandafir (2023), the initiator and editor-in-chief of the magazine Lightnouse – Yearbook of the Museum of Krajina (2024). She has published several professional and artistic works.