The Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia Maja Gojkovic opened the exhibition “Arsenije Teodorovic and the Serbian church in Buda” at the celebration in the Gallery of Matica srpska in Novi Sad organized to mark the Day of the Gallery and its 170th anniversary.
Gojkovic emphasized the significance of Matica srpska and its Gallery for the preservation of Serbian cultural heritage, reminding everyone that the long and hard fight to renew the Serbian state was accompanied by another no less important fight –one for Serbian culture and its place among the enlightened nations of Europe.
The National Assembly Speaker said that the vision of Sava Tekelija, Teodor Pavlovic and many other greats and benefactors engendered the idea to create the Serbian folk collection, an invaluable trove of heritage created thanks to gifts and charitable donations.
The purpose of Matica srpska and its Gallery remains the same in the face of today’s challenges – to keep and strengthen national awareness and the spiritual unity of the people, better understand Serbian culture and its place among the cultures of Europe.
The Parliament Speaker said that the exhibition “Arsenije Teodorovic and Serbian church in Buda” was born out of that wish to cherish and preserve Serbian cultural heritage, it is a testament of a nation’s perseverance in the face of many trials and tribulations.
Gojkovic thanked the Gallery of Matica srpska, the Museum of the Serbian Orthodox Church and everyone who worked on this important and extensive conservation and restoration project of 73 icons of the old Serbian church in the city of Buda and saved from oblivion not only the precious art of Arsenije Teodorovic but gave us a lasting memory of the church in Buda, 70 years after its destruction, and the life of our people in the city.
“Museums house our vast cultural treasure and heritage. But today museums have to be more than that – they have to be a meeting point, a place where we could all have the opportunity to learn about our past so as to better understand it and face any future challenges more easily”, said the National Assembly Speaker stressing that the Gallery of Matica srpska is the best example for everyone involved in this important project.
The President of Matica srpska Dragan Stanic and the administrator of the Gallery of Matica srpska Dr Tijana Palkovljevic Bugarski spoke at the celebration, while art historian Dr Vladimir Simic held a lecture about the art of Arsenije Teodorovic in the Serbian church in Buda.
