KOVAČICA – AN INTERESTING LOCATION

The municipality of Kovačica is interesting and well-known for many things and it extends across the southern Banat in south-eastern Vojvodina, over an area of 419 square kilometers. The municipality of Kovačica lies in the middle of a triangle, made by the three large cities: 50 km from Belgrade – the capital city of the Republic of Serbia and the world metropolis, also an administrative, cultural, sports, economic, banking, fair and tourist centre of Southeast Europe, located at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, 80 km from Novi Sad – the capital city of the Autonomous province of Vojvodina, where numerous significant international roads intersect, and 80 km from Vršac – the city by the border between Serbia and Romania.

Kovačica is a small town and a small spot on the geographical map of the world, but on the map of naive art it has a status of a metropolis. It got this place in the field of naive art thanks to its painters, who have been creating and exhibiting their works here for the last 55 years.  

THE BIRTH OF NAIVE ART

The year of 1939 is considered to be the birthdate of naive art in Kovačica. That year Martin Paluška and Jan Sokol started to paint without any knowledge about the academic construction of the painting. Somewhat later, they were joined by some other (today already famous) naive artists, like Michal Bíreš, Vladimír Boboš, Martin Jonáš and Ján Knjazovic. In the beginning, the motives on their paintings were quite atypical for the Banat: they’ve painted gondolas, romantic castles, African animals… But in 1953, the founders of naive art were advised by the academic painter Stojan Trumić from Pančevo and then they began to depict the things they see, breathe, feel…

Building where the gallery was located in the beginning
Kovačica October 1982
Zuzana Halupova

A WORLD FAMOUS GALLERY OF NAIVE ART

People started to talk more and more about these peasant-painters, and the idea to open an art gallery was born. On May 15th, 1955, Kovačica got the first village gallery of paintings in the entire former Yugoslavia and it was located in the building of the Cultural centre of Kovačica.

In September 1989, the Gallery of naive art was moved to a restored village house in the centre of a town.

During these fruitful years, 45 painters became part of this gallery. Its most important representatives are Zuzana Chalupová, also known as Mama Zuzana, and famous Martin Jonáš. We can proudly say that their paintings can be found in various galleries and private houses in all corners of the world.

Today, the Gallery of naive art has 26 members and not all of them are from Kovačica – there are also painters from Padina, Pančevo and Opovo.

THEMATIC VARIETY OF PAINTINGS

Generally, the content of their paintings is very rich and diverse. Nostalgic and idyllic motives tell the story about the past times, life on village streets, backyards, field works, also there are ambient displays of village rooms with old carpets and household objects, as well as portraits and still life. Although the basic stylistic and thematic focus of all these naive artists is related with folklore, village life and the golden Banat plain, each painter carries a certain authenticity and uniqueness, either within motives or artistic expression – each of them got the original and recognizable signature.

A common painting of all contemporary members of the Gallery of naive art
The main event - Kovačica October 2019

THE MAIN EVENT

Every October it is time to celebrate the traditional event known as The Kovačica October, which includes the exhibition of the newest representative works by all the members of the gallery. The exhibited paintings are gifts to the gallery art fund. The collection of paintings in the Gallery of naive art is growing every year and today it contains more than 800 artworks. The gallery staff is changing the exposition every month, so the admirers of naive art can always see some other paintings.

COMMISSION SALES

The visitors of Gallery of naive art can buy some of the original paintings created by the gallery members, as well as various souvenirs like handmade corn husk dolls, framed copies of paintings, graphics, pastel paintings, miniatures, fridge magnets, postcards… It is possible to pay by cash or through POS terminal.

Souvenir shop in the Gallery of naive art

ADMIRERS OF ART

Thanks to the work of the members of Gallery of naive art, many famous people have visited Kovačica during all these years. Some of them were François Mitterrand, Rolling Stones, Pelé, Ursula Andress, Alain Delon, Franco Nero, Juan Carlos and also many other renowned politicians, diplomats, actors and artists, as well as about 17 000 admirers of art from around the world.

MISSION OF PAINTERS

United in the Gallery of naive art, the painters dedicate themselves to us figuratively through their works and they wake in us something that is at times forgotten or sleepy, but still human in our nature: chastity, honesty, frankness and spontaneity – for purpose of making the world a better place again, at least for a moment.

Prestige award which the Gallery of naive art received from the Serbian president

KOVAČICA – AN INTERESTING LOCATION

The municipality of Kovačica is interesting and well-known for many things and it extends across the southern Banat in south-eastern Vojvodina, over an area of 419 square kilometers. The municipality of Kovačica lies in the middle of a triangle, made by the three large cities: 50 km from Belgrade – the capital city of the Republic of Serbia and the world metropolis, also an administrative, cultural, sports, economic, banking, fair and tourist centre of Southeast Europe, located at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, 80 km from Novi Sad – the capital city of the Autonomous province of Vojvodina, where numerous significant international roads intersect, and 80 km from Vršac – the city by the border between Serbia and Romania.

Kovačica is a small town and a small spot on the geographical map of the world, but on the map of naive art it has a status of a metropolis. It got this place in the field of naive art thanks to its painters, who have been creating and exhibiting their works here for the last 55 years.

THE BIRTH OF NAIVE ART

The year of 1939 is considered to be the birthdate of naive art in Kovačica. That year Martin Paluška and Jan Sokol started to paint without any knowledge about the academic construction of the painting. Somewhat later, they were joined by some other (today already famous) naive artists, like Michal Bíreš, Vladimír Boboš, Martin Jonáš and Ján Knjazovic. In the beginning, the motives on their paintings were quite atypical for the Banat: they’ve painted gondolas, romantic castles, African animals… But in 1953, the founders of naive art were advised by the academic painter Stojan Trumić from Pančevo and then they began to depict the things they see, breathe, feel…

Building where the gallery was located in the beginning

A WORLD FAMOUS GALLERY OF NAIVE ART

People started to talk more and more about these peasant-painters, and the idea to open an art gallery was born. On May 15th, 1955, Kovačica got the first village gallery of paintings in the entire former Yugoslavia and it was located in the building of the Cultural centre of Kovačica.

In September 1989, the Gallery of naive art was moved to a restored village house in the centre of a town.

During these fruitful years, 45 painters became part of this gallery. Its most important representatives are Zuzana Chalupová, also known as Mama Zuzana, and famous Martin Jonáš. We can proudly say that their paintings can be found in various galleries and private houses in all corners of the world.

Today, the Gallery of naive art has 26 members and not all of them are from Kovačica – there are also painters from Padina, Pančevo and Opovo.

Kovačica October 1982
Zuzana Halupova

THEMATIC VARIETY OF PAINTINGS

Generally, the content of their paintings is very rich and diverse. Nostalgic and idyllic motives tell the story about the past times, life on village streets, backyards, field works, also there are ambient displays of village rooms with old carpets and household objects, as well as portraits and still life. Although the basic stylistic and thematic focus of all these naive artists is related with folklore, village life and the golden Banat plain, each painter carries a certain authenticity and uniqueness, either within motives or artistic expression – each of them got the original and recognizable signature.

A common painting of all contemporary members of the Gallery of naive art

THE MAIN EVENT

Every October it is time to celebrate the traditional event known as The Kovačica October, which includes the exhibition of the newest representative works by all the members of the gallery. The exhibited paintings are gifts to the gallery art fund. The collection of paintings in the Gallery of naive art is growing every year and today it contains more than 800 artworks. The gallery staff is changing the exposition every month, so the admirers of naive art can always see some other paintings.

The main event - Kovačica October 2019

COMMISSION SALES

The visitors of Gallery of naive art can buy some of the original paintings created by the gallery members, as well as various souvenirs like handmade corn husk dolls, framed copies of paintings, graphics, pastel paintings, miniatures, fridge magnets, postcards… It is possible to pay by cash or through POS terminal.

Souvenir shop in the Gallery of naive art

ADMIRERS OF ART

Thanks to the work of the members of Gallery of naive art, many famous people have visited Kovačica during all these years. Some of them were François Mitterrand, Rolling Stones, Pelé, Ursula Andress, Alain Delon, Franco Nero, Juan Carlos and also many other renowned politicians, diplomats, actors and artists, as well as about 17 000 admirers of art from around the world.

MISSION OF PAINTERS

United in the Gallery of naive art, the painters dedicate themselves to us figuratively through their works and they wake in us something that is at times forgotten or sleepy, but still human in our nature: chastity, honesty, frankness and spontaneity – for purpose of making the world a better place again, at least for a moment.

Prestige award which the Gallery of naive art received from the Serbian president