‘Autumn in Prizren’ art colony brings together seven artists from Serbia and the region

The 11th “Autumn in Prizren” art colony is being held at the Monastery of the Holy Archangels near Prizren, bringing together seven artists who are using a variety of techniques to create works inspired by nature, tradition and the spirit of Prizren.

The art colony is organized by the Pristina Art Gallery and the Gracanica Cultural Center.

Anastasija Kostic, curator at the Pristina Art Gallery, said that over the past two days the participating artists had visited numerous religious and cultural sites, which had left a strong impression on them and provided additional inspiration.

“This year’s colony has brought together seven artists from the country and the region. During the first two days, we toured Prizren and visited the churches of the Holy Saviour, St. Kyriaki and St. George, as well as the Church of the Virgin of Ljevisa. The following day, we visited Decani and the Patriarchate of Pec. This was a tremendous source of inspiration for the artists, as can already be seen in the paintings that are currently taking shape. Prizren, our once magnificent capital, leaves no one indifferent, and the artists found plenty of inspiration here, with the visits to the holy sites making a particularly strong impression on them. Prizren is a guardian of our cultural heritage, and that is precisely why holding this art colony is so important,” Kostic said.

Kostic added that the works created during the colony would be presented at two exhibitions—one in Gracanica on March 17, 2027, and another on the Feast of the Ascension, in the atrium of the Church of the Holy Saviour in Prizren.

Belgrade painter Nina Pljakic is creating her works next to the burial site of Emperor Dusan and said she had decided to dedicate one of her paintings to the medieval Serbian ruler.

“This is my first time in Prizren and at the Monastery of the Holy Archangels, Dusan’s endowment, and I think this is a unique opportunity to paint him here, at the site of his grave. Inspiration is all around us. I feel a sense of peace here. I live in Belgrade, and having the opportunity to create surrounded by nature really means a lot to me. I have also decided to paint certain elements of the landscape around us,” Pljakic said.

Nikola Markovic from Leskovac said he was delighted to be creating art in a place he described as a wellspring of Serbian statehood and spiritual heritage.

“This is my first time here in Prizren, and staying at the monastery itself is a fantastic idea and a profound spiritual experience. There is tremendous inspiration because we are at the very wellspring of Serbian statehood and spiritual heritage. I painted the narthex of Gracanica, and there are certain elements in which the composition moves from the narthex itself and what it represents toward a kind of divine vault, depicted through the dome,” Markovic said.

Jasna Nikolic from Belgrade said she was creating works inspired by the experiences the participants had shared over the previous several days.

“This is my first time here, and everything is very well organized. We are in a special place, and I hope that over the coming days we will manage to express all of this through our work. My inspiration comes from the experiences we have had over the past few days. I naturally remain true to my own artistic poetics, so it all comes together,” Nikolic said.

The art colony is sponsored by the Office for Kosovo and Metohija and the Serbian Ministry of Culture, with the support of the Diocese of Raska and Prizren and the brotherhood of the Monastery of the Holy Archangels.