New elements of the past

Work focuses on mapping objects that belong to the cultural and industrial heritage of the city of Novi Sad. The city is currently in transition and is undergoing certain changes when it comes to urban planning. As a result of the changes, the city loses its identity and is left without its unconventional features. For the past couple of years, I have been collecting fragments of facade ornaments and objects that were found on buildings that were demolished or went through a reconstruction process. This type of conservation is a personal step towards preserving the heritage that disappears before my eyes, and whose value is not in the material, but in the aesthetic quality that every preserved object possesses. Architecture is one of the oldest forms of art, and what distinguishes it from other forms of art is the multi-sensory experience, which includes visual and tactile experience. Relying on the mentioned senses, visitors will be able to notice the difference in texture and materials used during the construction. It is even more important to establish ‘contact’ with the past through the sense of touch. Visitors have the opportunity to construct new urban landscapes themselves using imaginative abilities. The ‘New Elements of the Past’ exhibition invites the audience to interact and to perceive cultural and industrial heritage in a different way. This is an opportunity for fellow citizens to touch Novi Sad. Presented objects are fragments from buildings of local importance or good examples of some period or style. Heritage is one, it cannot be reproduced, subsequently created, and therefore the responsibility of all layers should be awakened, because the city in which we live should be humane and adapted to the needs of citizens. If we, as a society and a local community, do not preserve the outlines of cultural heritage, we will cut the connection with our cultural past forever. Without history and heritage, the progress of the society is not guaranteed.