Miloš Bajić. A Dream of Freedom
After 2024, an exeptionally successful year of exhibitions at the Gallery of Matica srpske, during which we presented artworks of Paja Jovanović, Gustav Klimt, Vasa Pomorišac, Uroš Predić, artists inspired by France, Sava Sekulić, Ilija Bašičević Bosilj, Alphonse Mucha and Predrag Đaković, we are finishing this season with a major exhibiton of artworks by Miloš Bajić. As suggested by Bajić family members, heirs of the artist, the Gallery of Matica srpska realizes the exhibition Miloš Bajić. A Dream of Freedom, which is a debut presentation of the artist’s works in the Gallery.
Numerous historical upheavals in the 20th century made Miloš Bajić’s life very unusual, and although the artist faced many tragedies and difficult moments, he managed to draw strength and motivation for constant struggle from harsh life circumstances. In his childhood, he faced the loss of his parents and exile, and later, in his youth, he endured the horrors of concentration camps and despite this, his body of work represented a significant step outside the established frameworks of Yugoslav art. Miloš Bajić dreamed of freedom during his captivity in the concentration camps of Banjica, Mauthausen, and Ebensee, and through artistic expression, he attempted to free himself from the traumatic events and scenes. He continued his struggle against the political shaping of visual arts in the post-war period as a member of the artistic movements “Samostalni” and “Decembarska Grupa”, alongside artists such as Lazar Vujaklija, Lazar Vozarević, Miodrag B. Protić and Stojan Ćelić. Bajić’s social engagement and dissatisfaction with political circumstances are also evidenced by the fact that his professor, painter Beta Vukanović, often referred to him as ‘that rebel’.
However, his body of work was not solely marked by the dark themes of his time in the camp, instead, Miloš Bajić remains inscribed in Serbian art as the first abstract painter, who achieved abstract expression in the 1950s. The time he spent in Paris further broadened his horizons, allowing him to overcome the trauma of his concentration camp experience while simultaneously reaching a full and authentic artistic expression. Bajić refused to reconcile with his fate, which led him to great artistic success despite the difficult circumstances he faced, and hence, one of the goals of the exhibition is for his life story and artistic body of work to inspire awareness in the audience about the possibility of changing societal circumstances through the awakened desire for freedom.
The exhibition will present the life and artistic development of Miloš Bajić, his numerous works, with a special focus on the drawings created during his imprisonment in one of the harshest camps, Mauthausen, and the paintings made after his liberation. The exhibition’s concept offers a different interpretation of Bajić’s life and work. It highlights and connects the tragic fate of the war years Bajić spent in the camp with his abstract works, which marked the attainment of artistic freedom.
The exhibition Miloš Bajić. A Dream of Freedom presents over one hundred works from various museum collections: the National Museum of Serbia, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Belgrade, the Military Museum, the Branko Ćopić Foundation at the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, the Contemporary Gallery in Subotica, the Contemporary Gallery of the Art Colony Ečka in Zrenjanin, the Gallery of Fine Arts, The Gallery of Fine Arts – Gift Collection of Rajko Mamuzić, Art Gallery RIMA, and the Nikola Tesla Primary School in Bačka Topola. In addition to the artworks from museum collections, numerous works from private collections of Miloš Bajić’s heirs will also be displayed.
During the exhibition, a rich program will be held, including various lectures, curator-led tours, and film screenings every Friday at 7:00 PM.
The curator of the exhibition is Luka Kulić, art director of the GMS, and a significant contribution to the preparation and realization of the exhibition was made by the Department of Conservation and Restoration of the GMS.
The realization of the catalog and exhibition was made possible by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia and the Provincial Government of Vojvodina, and we extend special gratitude to the artist’s heirs – Jesenka, Darko, and Mrđan Bajić.
