The exhibition Foreigners about Montenegro – from the holdings of CNL “Đurđe Crnojević” was opened within the Library premises. Prof Dr Vesna Kilibarda, the Minister of Culture and Media and Jelena Djurovic, the Library director, spoke at the official opening.
“Books about Montenegro and Montenegrins published in the past in foreign languages constitute an authentic testimony of the interest of the European cultural public for this small Balkan state, an active player in all political, dynastic and diplomatic turmoil at the turbulent crossroad of the East and the West.” (From the speech delivered by Prof Dr Vesna Kilibarda, Minister of Culture and Media)“The exhibition opened tonight aims: to acquaint the wide public with the richness of CNL holdings; to present the results of the extensive work on gathering literature on Montenegro in foreign languages; to foster publishers to publish the translations of original works; to offer researchers new sources for studying Montenegrin history and culture; and finally, to send the following messages: study the past to understand the present; cherish tradition to preserve authenticity; respect values to build future on them.The exhibition follows the concept of merging the traditional and the new. It displays the original editions of foreign authors on Montenegro held by our library, as well as the translations published. The total of 128 books are on display: the oldest one is the 1820 edition of the book by Viale de Somijera, then follow Heinrich Stieglitz, Johan Georg Kohl, Pavel Apolonovič Rovinski, then Gardner Wilkinson, Arthur Evans, Giuseppe Valentinelli, Jegor Kovaljevski, Francoise Lenorman, Kurt Hasert, Ludvik Kuba, Josef Holeček…all the way to modern-day authors: Eugenie Lvovich Nemirovski, Boris Putilov, Franco Bojardi, Ulrike Tischler, Michelle Oben, etc.The second segment of the exhibition consists of thematic, suggestive and creatively designed panels presenting a selection from the exposition consisting of 400 book and periodical items. These thematic panels feature Montenegro, seen with the eyes of foreigners, and contemplated from various perspectives: historic, political, literary, geographic, and ethnologic. Thus, we wanted to give authentic homage to authors who dedicated their works to Montenegro and gave a considerable contribution to the study of its history and culture. The panel display is given in the form of a collage of chosen inscriptions, excerpts, photographs and drawings symbolically depicting also the author’s country of origin aiming to transmit the visual message: how writers, historians, researcher experienced Montenegro, how they admired its heroic history, how they characterized its rulers, described its natural beauties, customs, people, hospitality, cults – weapons, freedom, mother, sister…, and how often they went back enchanted and found here the inspiration for their works.I would like to single out one common message:‘Indeed, Montenegro deserves to become known, not only because of its obstinate bravery, because of its picturesque simplicity, its nature and odd customs of its people. It deserves so even because it was a significant country in the past, a country with recognized meaning for the present and the country full of potential promises for the future.‘” (From the speech delivered by Jelena Djurović, director of the Central Library)The selection of works and texts was made by Milenija Vračar, and the panel design by Irena Lagator -Pejović.
The exhibition Foreigners about Montenegro – from the holdings of CNL “Đurđe Crnojević” was opened within the Library premises. Prof Dr Vesna Kilibarda, the Minister of Culture and Media and Jelena Djurovic, the Library director, spoke at the official opening.
“Books about Montenegro and Montenegrins published in the past in foreign languages constitute an authentic testimony of the interest of the European cultural public for this small Balkan state, an active player in all political, dynastic and diplomatic turmoil at the turbulent crossroad of the East and the West.” (From the speech delivered by Prof Dr Vesna Kilibarda, Minister of Culture and Media)“The exhibition opened tonight aims: to acquaint the wide public with the richness of CNL holdings; to present the results of the extensive work on gathering literature on Montenegro in foreign languages; to foster publishers to publish the translations of original works; to offer researchers new sources for studying Montenegrin history and culture; and finally, to send the following messages: study the past to understand the present; cherish tradition to preserve authenticity; respect values to build future on them.The exhibition follows the concept of merging the traditional and the new. It displays the original editions of foreign authors on Montenegro held by our library, as well as the translations published. The total of 128 books are on display: the oldest one is the 1820 edition of the book by Viale de Somijera, then follow Heinrich Stieglitz, Johan Georg Kohl, Pavel Apolonovič Rovinski, then Gardner Wilkinson, Arthur Evans, Giuseppe Valentinelli, Jegor Kovaljevski, Francoise Lenorman, Kurt Hasert, Ludvik Kuba, Josef Holeček…all the way to modern-day authors: Eugenie Lvovich Nemirovski, Boris Putilov, Franco Bojardi, Ulrike Tischler, Michelle Oben, etc.The second segment of the exhibition consists of thematic, suggestive and creatively designed panels presenting a selection from the exposition consisting of 400 book and periodical items. These thematic panels feature Montenegro, seen with the eyes of foreigners, and contemplated from various perspectives: historic, political, literary, geographic, and ethnologic. Thus, we wanted to give authentic homage to authors who dedicated their works to Montenegro and gave a considerable contribution to the study of its history and culture. The panel display is given in the form of a collage of chosen inscriptions, excerpts, photographs and drawings symbolically depicting also the author’s country of origin aiming to transmit the visual message: how writers, historians, researcher experienced Montenegro, how they admired its heroic history, how they characterized its rulers, described its natural beauties, customs, people, hospitality, cults – weapons, freedom, mother, sister…, and how often they went back enchanted and found here the inspiration for their works.I would like to single out one common message:‘Indeed, Montenegro deserves to become known, not only because of its obstinate bravery, because of its picturesque simplicity, its nature and odd customs of its people. It deserves so even because it was a significant country in the past, a country with recognized meaning for the present and the country full of potential promises for the future.‘” (From the speech delivered by Jelena Djurović, director of the Central Library)The selection of works and texts was made by Milenija Vračar, and the panel design by Irena Lagator -Pejović.