On Thursday, October 26, the first permanent exhibition of the Oto Bihalji-Merin Salon was opened at Nemanjina 3 in Belgrade, organized by the Museum of Naïve and Marginal Art. On this occasion, a memorandum of cooperation was also signed between the MNMA and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Belgrade, along with the announcement of a major exhibition dedicated to Oto Bihalji-Merin in 2024.
Speakers at the event included Ivana Bašićević Antić, Phd Director of the Museum of Naïve and Marginal Art; Maja Gojković, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia and Minister of Culture; Senka Latinović, Curator of the Oto Bihalji-Merin Salon; and Marijana Kolaric, Director of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Belgrade.
In her speech, Ivana Bašićević Antić, Phd said: "Oto Bihalji-Merin is certainly one of the most significant figures of the post-war intellectual scene—not only in Yugoslavia but throughout Europe. Oto’s strength and the reason he became such an important thinker and critic lies fundamentally in his exceptional courage to observe and interpret art without limitations. He did not follow fashionable trends or repeat well-known narratives, but valued and respected equally the art of modernists such as Picasso and of naïve artists like Henri Rousseau, Petar Lubarda, and Ilija Bosilj."
The Director of the Museum concluded her speech by saying: "None of this would have been possible if there had not first been an initiative, followed by the full support and strong belief of the current Minister of Culture that this space, this legacy, and this great man should be treated as a serious cultural treasure of Serbia."
Ivana Bašićević Antić presented a special certificate of appreciation to Maja Gojković for her contribution to the development of museum activities.
Maja Gojković, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Culture, stated: "Today, three decades after his death, Oto Bihalji-Merin remains an inspiration to many creators, especially art historians. With this first permanent exhibition in the Salon, we celebrate Oto Bihalji-Merin’s great work and personality, giving new momentum to the cultural life of the capital. I am confident that the entire cultural community will warmly welcome the major exhibition that will be held next year in his honor at the Museum of Contemporary Art."
Senka Latinović, curator of the Oto Bihalji-Merin Salon, addressed future activities in the Salon: "This space will be open to temporary exhibitions by contemporary artists because we want the Salon to become a place where diverse artistic projects intersect and circulate. We believe this fully aligns with the wishes of Oto and Liza Bihalji-Merin, whose home was always open to artists, art historians, and art enthusiasts." On the works exhibited, she added: "The collection itself is very heterogeneous, reflecting the wide-ranging interests and insatiable curiosity that the Bihalji-Merins had toward different forms of creativity—from formal academic art to naïve art, which was just emerging when Oto Bihalji-Merin recognized its relevance and innovation, to the art of temporally and geographically distant civilizations."
Marijana Kolaric, Director of the Museum of Contemporary Art, expressed great satisfaction with the signed agreement and the collaboration to come, particularly the major exhibition marking the 120th anniversary of Oto Bihalji-Merin’s birth: "It was only logical for this exhibition to take place at the Museum of Contemporary Art, given that Oto was part of the museum’s board, closely collaborated with our founder Miodrag B. Protić, and that the two of them shaped and essentially formed the history of modern art in our region, highlighting all the important artistic figures who took the first steps in modernist practice here."
The Oto Bihalji-Merin Salon was created by the will of his daughter and heir, who donated the apartment at Nemanjina 3 in Belgrade—where Oto and Liza B. Merin lived for over 40 years—to the Museum of Naïve and Marginal Art, along with a collection of artworks and rich archival and library materials.
The official collection of the Oto Bihalji-Merin Salon comprises 82 artworks, 80 of which have been declared cultural assets. The collection is diverse, including works by academically trained artists, naïve artists, anonymous folk creators, and artistic works by Oto Bihalji-Merin himself. The collection contains paintings, sculptures, drawings, and graphic portfolios created between 1924 (the date of Oto Bihalji-Merin’s earliest surviving drawings) and 1992. It features major figures of Yugoslav modernism such as Marko Čelebonović, Milan Konjović, Edo Murtić, Lazar Vujaklija, Lazar Vozarević, Miodrag B. Protić, Krsto Hegedušić, Marij Pregelj, Mića Popović, Milica Zorić, Dušan Džamonja; as well as renowned naïve artists including Sava Sekulić, Ilija Bosilj, Bogosav Živković, Ivan Generalić, Ivan Rabuzin, Vangel Naumovski, Dragiša Bunjevački, Sofija Doklean, and many others.
The Bihalji-Merins acquired works either by purchasing them or receiving them as gifts from the artists themselves, making the collection a testament to numerous friendships and collaborations built throughout their lives. It also serves as a roadmap through their wide-ranging artistic interests, which over the decades were poured into books, essays, newspaper articles, television, and radio programs.
More than 50 works are currently on display in the permanent exhibition, in accordance with the available space. The display will be periodically updated to ensure that all works in the collection have the opportunity to be exhibited. The OBM Salon is also planned to be a venue for temporary exhibitions by contemporary local and international artists.
The Salon is open on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with prior notice required at least one day in advance via email at info@mnmu.rs.
