The Non-Aligned Countries Art Gallery “Josip Broz Tito” – History
The Non-Aligned Countries Art Gallery “Josip Broz Tito” was established on December 17, 1981, by the Municipal Assembly of Titograd. The conceptual creator of the gallery was Branislav Perović, a law graduate employed at the Yugoslav Assembly. He had nurtured this idea since 1972, driven solely by cultural interests. In the transient nature of the world and life, he saw art as a lasting force, particularly emphasizing the underrecognized creativity of the Third World. Many cultural enthusiasts recognized and supported his initiative, although the project’s realization took several years. Indeed, the path to its establishment was multi-layered, involving various stages of alignment, consultations, and agreements before the gallery was finally founded. Titograd provided the gallery with the city’s most beautiful complex—the central park, with all its cultural and historical significance. The complex, located along the Morača River, and its buildings date back to 1891. Out of seven buildings with cultural monument status, six were adapted for gallery programs and exhibitions. The central building of the entire complex is the Petrović Castle, the former residence of the Petrović dynasty, which was designated for the gallery’s permanent collection.
The gallery’s grand inauguration took place on September 1, 1984, in Titograd, on the anniversary of the first Non-Aligned Movement conference.
Established with great enthusiasm and support from the working people of Montenegro, as well as local, republican, and federal institutions, with the idea of contributing to the development of a new international cultural order based on the concept of transnational solidarity, the gallery amassed a collection of around 800 artworks from 56 non-aligned and developing countries in less than a decade of active work. The gallery’s activities were supported by the Non-Aligned Movement, encouraging member states to contribute to the gallery’s growth through cooperation and exchange. In this sense, the gallery was a unique cultural institution globally.
In addition to collecting works, forming collections, and creating a permanent exhibition, the gallery actively organized numerous collective and solo exhibitions from countries such as Algeria, India, Cuba, Venezuela, Mexico, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Ecuador, Mali, Indonesia, Uganda, Cyprus, Argentina, Bolivia, Tanzania, and Tunisia. Non-aligned countries donated particularly valuable exhibits to the gallery, including India, Egypt, Bolivia, Cuba, Cyprus, and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY). The existence of such a gallery and its work allowed artistic ideas and achievements from across the globe to converge in one place, and through joint cultural efforts, the previously marginalized uniqueness and characteristics of the art and cultures of non-aligned countries fought for equal status alongside the then-dominant Eurocentric view of their artistic values and cultural heritage.
The gallery also hosted artist residencies. A significant number of creators from non-aligned and developing countries worked in its studios. Besides their studio work, the artists gave lectures on the art of their countries and met with local artists, exchanging experiences and building connections.
The gallery also organized documentary TV film competitions focused on the art and culture of non-aligned and developing countries. UNESCO supported many of the gallery’s activities, including expert symposiums, triennials of fine arts from non-aligned and developing countries, summits, and more. The gallery also hosted cultural events that, in addition to thematic exhibitions, included other activities such as dance, music, TV shows, and more, contributing to a better understanding and appreciation of these countries’ cultures (e.g., India Week, Indonesian Culture Days, Tanzanian Culture Days). Through the Josip Broz Tito Gallery, the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia presented exhibitions in Algiers, Harare, Lusaka, Delhi, Dar es Salaam, Alexandria, and other cities.
In a short time, the gallery became one of the most visited places in the city. During the celebration of its first anniversary, over 100,000 visitors were recorded. With its mission and vision rooted in the ideas of non-alignment, anti-colonialism, and solidarity, this organization of special social significance had an extraordinary impact that extended beyond our city, Republic, and Yugoslavia.
Due to changing social circumstances, after a decade of highly successful work in our country and abroad, the Non-Aligned Countries Art Gallery “Josip Broz Tito” ceased operations in 1995. Subsequently, on April 4, 1995, the Assembly of Montenegro established a new cultural institution, the Center for Contemporary Art of Montenegro. In 2023, this institution was transformed into the Museum of Contemporary Art of Montenegro, which now preserves the collection and archive of the Non-Aligned Countries Art Gallery “Josip Broz Tito.” The gallery’s collection is divided by region into four sub-collections: European, Asian, African, and Latin American.
To research the gallery’s legacy and archives, a new project was launched in early 2022 by the Museum of Contemporary Art of Montenegro, called the Laboratory of the Non-Aligned Countries Art Collection. This research and curatorial project is dedicated to studying the gallery’s collection and archives and continuously works on revitalizing and renewing the international connections that the gallery once nurtured. The project is carried out by a team of curators and conservators: Marina Čelebić, Anita Ćulafić, Nada Baković, and Natalija Vujošević.
