OUR PROMINENT PAINTERS SUPPORT CHILANDAR

Belgrade, 7 May 2004 – TRH Crown Prince Alexander II and Crown Princess Katherine organized a reception on the occasion of the painters’ colony at The Royal Compound in Dedinje today.

Over twenty of our most prominent painters accepted the invitation of Their Royal Highnesses to donate their works inspired by The Royal Compound to the auction in aid of the reconstruction of Chilandar monastery. Among them were Olja Ivanjicki, Kosta Bradic, Vlada Velickovic, Ljuba Popovic, Mihailo Djokovic Tikalo, Sava Stojkov, Dragan Stojkov, Ljubodrag Jankovic Jale, Sinisa Vukovic, Stojan Djuric and many others.

At the beginning of the reception the painters were welcomed by HRH Crown Prince Alexander II:

“Chilandar is our shrine, our treasury and our cradle, and the Royal Compound in Dedinje is a part of our history, belonging to our people. By connecting these symbols of our history, art and spirituality, we can learn a lot about ourselves, about our past, and find the way to a stable and better future.

I hope the Royal Compound is going to be a good inspiration to you, our most prominent painters, whose names are recognized worldwide. I believe you will catch the spirit of this place in your paintings and that we will rally significant fund for the reconstruction of Chilandar at the auction we are going to organize this autumn” – emphasized the Crown Prince.

The painters are going to choose the sites and motifs of The Royal Compound, based on photographs and sketches, and then continue painting in their ateliers, so that their works are exhibited at the auction that is going to be organized at the beginning of this autumn at The Royal Palace in Dedinje. All proceeds of the sold paintings is going to be in aid of the reconstruction of Chilandar monastery, devastated by the catastrophic fire. HRH Crown Prince Alexander II visited Chilandar immediately upon the tragic disaster, on 8 March this year.