Some of these changes are obvious, while others are almost imperceptible. Erich Maria Remarque once wrote that everything looks the same as before, but it feels like everything is no longer the same. But what exactly has changed? And what has not? What can be seen, and what can only be felt with the skin? The contemporary art exhibition "The Skin of Time" is dedicated precisely to these changes. The exhibition features works by modern artists from Moscow and Belgrade, reflecting their view on the changes and their experience of adapting to them. One of the exhibition's goals is to promote cultural rapprochement and mutual penetration. Just as an individual cannot exist without communication with other people, culture cannot exist in isolation from other material and spiritual achievements of other nations. Belgrade is the best proof of this. It is a real cultural crossroads. For centuries, all sorts of people have come here, enriching each other with the values and traditions of their nations. But these values did not always coincide. And the city has become a symbol not only of synthesis but also of the cultural conflict. Traditions never arise out of nowhere. The culture of the people is formed under the influence of many factors - from geographical to religious and political ones. It is not surprising that interaction of peoples always faces the problem of perceiving other cultures. Therefore, it is not enough to simply show interest in other cultures - it is necessary to take into account the conformity or nonconformity of spiritual, ethical, and aesthetic coordinates. This will determine how the perception of another culture will be - whether it will be assimilation, complementarity, or rejection. And now, as Belgrade becomes once again a point of attraction and collision of cultures, it is important not to repeat the mistakes of the past. After all, today culture is playing an even more important role in society, trying to protect it from destructive centrifugal forces. By incorporating our historical past and present reality into the general context of global development processes, we give a unique character and multiple variations to the ethno-cultural image not only of a particular society, but of the world as a whole. "The Skin of Time" is not just an exhibition of works of art. It is an opportunity to reflect on our place in a rapidly changing world and how we can preserve cultural heritage and pass it on to future generations. It is an opportunity to better understand the world in which we live. |