22.08.2025.
Exhibition launched in commemoration of Military Museum Day
An exhibition titled Images of War in the Works of Bogosav Vojinović – Pelikan was officially opened at the Military Museum gallery, commemorating Military Museum Day and the 110th anniversary of the defence of Belgrade and the Albanian Golgotha (Serbian army’s retreat through Albania).
In his opening remarks, Acting Assistant Minister of Defence for Human Resources Siniša Radović, expressed his appreciation for the opportunity to inaugurate the exhibition at the Military Museum, an institution established to “preserve the memory of the heroic struggle of the Serbian people” and entrusted with the important mission of preserving authentic testimonies and artistic works of former fighters, such as Bogosav Vojinović – Pelikan.- His paintings were conceived as monuments, carrying a powerful message: freedom must never be surrendered or taken for granted. It is not given, it is fought for and won – said Assistant Minister Radović, emphasizing that the paintings depict the horrors of war and the immense sacrifice made by the Serbian people and army for the future of their homeland. He added that these paintings call on future generations to honour their ancestors and to recognize resilience as a cornerstone of Serbian identity.
According to Assistant Minister Radović, Bogosav Vojinović also depicted a dignified procession of the people, the army and the Serbian elite making their way across the fields of Kosovo and the ravines of Albania, sustained by their belief in an eventual return to their homeland.- The fact that this artist and soldier did not hold the title of academic painter, and that he worked under inadequate conditions while creating his vision of war, in no way diminished his greatness. On the contrary, it ensured that his paintings would not be forgotten, and that they would convey a message of deep respect, said Assistant Minister Radović. On this occasion, he congratulated the staff of the Military Museum on their holiday and commended them for an exceptionally well-prepared exhibition, and for bringing our attention to the works of this extraordinary fighter, as well as to important moments in Serbian history.
Addressing those in attendance, the Director of the Military Museum, Major Mile Miković, thanked everyone for honouring the celebration of the Museum’s 147th anniversary with their presence and for paying tribute to the artistic legacy of Bogosav Vojinović - Pelikan.- Gathered in one place, the preserved works of Bogosav Vojinović – Pelikan reveal that he was not a painter of victory, but a painter of suffering. His genuine passion and effort to preserve the memory of the heroic victims of the First World War can be better understood only when we recognize him as a soldier who dedicated the best years of his life to warfare, said Major Miković. He emphasized that visitors will have a unique opportunity to view Vojinović’s 13-meter-long drawing, which, due to its monumental scale and powerful subject matter, is certain to leave no one indifferent.
The author of the exhibition is Bojana Ilić, Ph.D., Senior Curator at the Military Museum. On display are the works of Bogosav Vojinović – Pelikan, an amateur painter, journalist, illustrator, caricaturist, highly decorated veteran of the 1912-1918 wars, and reserve officer of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. Between the two world wars, he dedicated himself to preserving, through both pen and brush, the memory of the Serbian army’s and people’s sacrifice in the wars for liberation and unification.The exhibition opening was attended by Acting Assistant Minister for Defence Policy Predrag Bandić, Head of the Operations Department of the General Staff, Major General Gordan Pavlović, Head of the Department for Tradition, Standard and Veterans, Colonel Đorđe Kalanj, Ph.D., members of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces, along with representatives of cultural institutions.
The exhibition Images of War in the Works of Bogosav Vojinović – Pelikan will remain open to visitors until the end of November 2025, on working days (except Mondays), from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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