BELGRADE -- Across Serbia's cities, vibrant murals are serving as tributes to women who left indelible marks on the nation's history.
The women, selected by the Belgrade Center For Women's Studies, are intended to serve as beacons of inspiration to contemporary generations. The murals shed light on their legacies, which have often been forgotten.
Spearheaded with partial backing from the Dutch Embassy in Belgrade, the project strives -- through the transformative power of street art -- to empower women, promote gender equity, and champion freedom of expression and LGBTQ rights.
With 10 murals in total, including three in Belgrade's bustling downtown area and others scattered across Novi Sad, Krusevac, Kragujevac, Nis, Aleksinac, and Tutin, the initiative aims to showcase the women in the locales where they were born or made their greatest impact.
Artist Marija Soln near her mural of Gina Ranjicic at Solunskoj 18 in Belgrade
A Poet Who Wrote In Six Languages
Painter Marija Soln said she was inspired by the creativity and cultural relevance of avant-garde artist and poet Gina Ranjicic.
"I applied [to the mural competition] because I said to myself: 'Are people aware of how avant-garde Gina is, even for today?'" Soln said.
Ranjicic, an eminent figure in Romany literature during the 19th century, composed works in German, Serbian, and Romany, documenting her nomadic lifestyle and cultural observations, alongside musical compositions in Turkish, Armenian, and Albanian.
"I gave her two different personas [in my mural]," Soln says. "She is attentive and fairly simple, reflecting the life that was expected of a lady at that time, as seen in the mirror. While on the other side are the scars of the life she chose.
"If I contributed even 1 percent to [awareness of Ranjicic's life], it's great. I want to believe that it's much more, but that remains to be seen," Soln continues. "Gina's mural has been photographed a lot, written about, many women proudly share it on social networks, and many men gave great comments."
The mural of Mitra Mitrovic in Belgrade
Feminist Mitra Mitrovic
In the heart of Belgrade, on Obiliceva Street, stands a mural paying homage to feminist and political trailblazer Mitra Mitrovic. Serving as the first education minister in the 1930s, Mitrovic's commitment to social justice led her to join the Communist Party of Yugoslavia in 1933.
Despite facing multiple arrests and imprisonments during the German occupation, her resilience and dedication to the anti-fascist cause remained steadfast. After World War II, Mitrovic's influential role as the editor of Borba, the Communist Party newspaper, solidified her legacy as a pioneer in the feminist movement.
"It is important to remember the people who fought for the freedoms we have today. It is also important to preserve their legacy, because some freedoms need to be conquered anew," says artist Jana Danilovic.
Artist Jana Danilovic, who brought Mitrovic's story to life through her mural, revealed the challenges faced in honoring Mitrovic's legacy. Despite plans to paint her mural in Mitrovic's hometown of Pozega, local authorities withheld permission, reflecting broader societal attitudes that downplay the significance of highlighting women like Mitrovic.
"It doesn't surprise me because it is an illustration of the dominant narrative in our society that highlighting a woman like this is not desirable," Danilovic said.
The mural of Jelisaveta Nacic located at 70 Kralja Petra Street in Belgrade
Architect Jelisaveta Nacic
Architect Jelisaveta Nacic is depicted by artist Andrej Josifovski, honoring her innovative contributions that encouraged women to venture into male-dominated professions. The first female architecture graduate in Belgrade, Nacic broke barriers by designing notable projects such as the King Petar Elementary School, the Church of St. Alexander Nevsky, and the Small Staircase on Kalemegdan. Notably, she also spearheaded the construction of the Balkans' inaugural plan-built residential complex, featuring workers' apartments near Bajlonija market in Belgrade.
Ljiljana Radosevic, an art historian and member of the Exceptional Women of Serbia project jury, leads guided tours showcasing Belgrade's street art. Nacic embarked on her architectural studies in 1896, the first year they were offered in Serbia, and graduated in 1900.
"People are shocked to learn that Jelisaveta Nacic enrolled in architecture studies in the year when they were first opened," Radosevic says.
The mural of Jelisaveta Nacic in Belgrade
Composer Ljubica Maric
Composer Ljubica Maric, celebrated as a pioneering musical talent, is immortalized in a mural by Katarina Fajgelj in Kragujevac. Maric holds the distinction of being the first Serbian with a degree in composition and among Europe's earliest female conductors.
Her illustrious career saw her conduct the Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra as its inaugural leader during her tenure in Prague in 1932.
The mural of Ljubica Maric on the Sumadija City Hall in Kragujevac
Architect And Engineer Jovanka Boncic Katerinic
In Nis, artists Tamara Osmajlic and Stefan Stojanovic crafted a mural honoring architect and engineer Jovanka Boncic Katerinic, who worked as the first female engineer in Germany.
Katerinic's legacy includes imaginative designs for structures such as the Pedagogical and Veterinary Faculty buildings in Belgrade and the Banksi Dvor in Banja Luka. Darmstadt University in Germany commemorates her contributions with an award and a street bearing her name on its campus.
The mural of Jovanka Boncic Katerinic on the building of the Association of Architects in Nis
World Traveler From Aleksinac
In Aleksinac, the mural of Jelena J. Dimitrijevic, a prolific writer and world traveler, stands as a testament to her life and adventures. Crafted by artist Stevan Solno, the mural pays homage to Dimitrijevic's literary prowess and her globe-trotting escapades.
From the late 19th century onwards, Dimitrijevic embarked on journeys spanning Europe, Asia, North America, and Africa, encountering luminaries such as Egyptian feminist Huda Sha'arawi and Indian writer Rabindranath Tagore. She served as a nurse during the Balkan Wars and participated in various literary and social circles.
The mural of writer Jelena J. Dimitrijevic in Aleksinac
Yugoslavia's First Female Director
In Novi Sad, the mural of director Vera Crvencanin Kulenovic, created by artists Sara Milojevic and Dunja Corlomanovic, celebrates her contributions to Yugoslav cinema. Kulenovic made history as Yugoslavia's first female film director and screenwriter, breaking barriers in a male-dominated industry.
A staunch communist and activist, she earned accolades for her dramatizations, including an adaptation of Miroslav Krleza's novel On the Edge of Reason.
The mural of Vera Crvencanin Kulenovic in Novi Sad
The First Woman In The Serbian Parliament
In Tutin, artist Andrej Kolosov commemorated lawyer and politician Hafiza Demirovic, who shattered gender barriers and blazed trails in Serbian politics. Demirovic was a staunch advocate for women's rights and social justice, actively engaging in movements like the Anti-Fascist Women's Front (AFZ) and advocating for the abolition of the death penalty in Yugoslavia.
As the first Bosniak female member of parliament in Serbia, she championed children's rights and labor rights, leaving an indelible mark on the nation's legislative landscape.
The mural of Serbian athlete and world record holder Vera Nikolic as it appears in Krusevac
Gold Medal Winning Athlete And Role Model
In Krusevac, athlete Vera Nikolic's achievements are immortalized in a mural by artist Marija Savic. Also known as "Golden Vera" for her performance in the 800 meters at the 1966 European Championships in Budapest, Nikolic emerged as one of Yugoslavia's most celebrated female athletes.
Her success continued as she set a world record in London in July 1968 and secured a gold medal at the European Championships in Helsinki three years later. Nikolic's dedication and sporting prowess made her a symbol of female empowerment and a role model for generations of aspiring athletes.
Nuclear Institute's First Female Director
The mural in Grocka depicting Branislava Perovic-Neskovic, a trailblazing physicist and the first female director of the Institute for Nuclear Sciences in Vinca, was brought to life by Vuk Duric.
The mural of physicist Branislava Perovic-Neskovic in the Belgrade municipality of Grocka
A committed member of the youth communist movement, Perovic-Neskovic fought in battles during World War II before embarking on a pioneering career in nuclear physics. Following her graduation in 1951, Perovic-Neskovic played a pivotal role at the Vinca Institute, where she established initiatives such as the Department for Separation of Radioactive Isotopes and the Laboratory for Atomic Physics.
For art historian Radosevic, the realizations of these murals, and the remarkable stories of the women they portray, have become a source of empowerment.
"Gender equality means that everyone has the right to live their best possible life," she said, before adding, "Anyone who observes these women can be inspired to be the best version of themselves."