Jovan Despotović (; born 16 April 1952) is a Serbian art historian and art critic who lives in Belgrade.
Biography Jovan Despotović was educated at the University of Belgrade, SFR Yugoslavia (now the Republic of Serbia), earning an academic degree in art history in 1976.Ko je ko u Srbiji, Who is Who in Serbia (Bibliofon, Beograd, 1991, p. 93, 1995, p. 104)
From 2001 to 2004, Despotović was the Deputy Minister of Culture for the Republic of Serbia. He was also director for the protection of cultural heritage at the Coordination Center for Kosovo and Metohija.Arhiva Vlade republike Srbije, Archive of the Republic of Serbia, Beograd From 2004 to 2014, he was editor of the Cultural and Information Desk for the Third Programme of Radio Belgrade and Radio Television of Serbia.Arhiva Radio televizije Srbije, Archive of Radio Television Serbia, Beograd From 2014 to 2015, he was director of The Museum of Contemporary Art in Belgrade. From 2015, he was the Editor in Chief of documentary programming at Radio Television of Serbia, a post from which he retired in 2017.
Despotović was the Yugoslav Commissioner at the 7th International Small Sculpture Exhibition in Budapest (1987),Darija Kačić, Dubravka Duba Sambolec, Aneta Svetieva (7th International Small Sculpture Exhibition of Budapest, Budapest, 1987, p.p. 138-139) and the 22nd Biennale in São Paulo in 1994.Zdravko Joksimovic (22nd Biennale of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, 1994, p.p. 291-292)
Area of interest Despotović has published over 2,000 articles, critical reviews, and essays and is the founder and editor of numerous journals: Sveske (edition Association of Art Historians of Serbia), Vreme umetnosti (a special supplement of the Vreme weekly), Treći program (edition Radio Belgrade), and Moment.Nova slika, New Image Painting (Clio, Beograd, 2006. p.p. 392-443) His work has been translated into at least 13 languages.
New Now – New Wave Despotović has published art criticism and articles since 1978. At the beginning of the 1980s, he participated in the creation and development of New Wave with a group of young Serbian artists in Belgrade. New Wave was a countercultural art movement that aimed to challenge expectations of the time. With numerous writings and art exhibitions, Despotović contributed to New Image Painting ('Nova Slika'), notably in Serbia (formerly Yugoslavia) and abroad.Ješa Denegri, Osamdesete – Teme srpske umetnosti, Jesa Denegri, Eighties – Issues of Serbian art (Svetovi, Novi Sad, 1997, p.p. 61–88, 108–113, 114–120, 121–125, 126–130, 131–133, 149–152, 153–157, 176–179, 180–190, 196–201, 210–222, 223 – 231)
Cultural policy
Despotović is involved in cultural policy, an active movement for political change and changes in arts and culture.Ješa Denegri, Devedesete – Teme srpske umetnosti, Jesa Denegri, Nineties – Issues of Serbian art (Svetovi, Novi Sad, 1999, p.p. 5–21, 22–81, 82–87, 244–250) The effort to establish a new, democratic order in the 1990s brought together many intellectuals, artists, and non-governmental organizations. His contributions include being named Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Culture during Zoran Đinđić's term as prime minister. He has also been involved in the protection of Serbia's cultural heritage, especially in Kosovo following the arrival of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo.
Books and monographs (selection) General Sources:Dokumentacija Muzeja savremene umetnosti, Documentation of the Museum of Contemporary Art, BeogradElektronski katalog Narodne biblioteke Srbije, Electronic Catalogue of the National Library of Serbia, Beograd
New Now, (Galerija “Pinki”, Zemun, 1982) Umetnost osamdesetih, Art of the Eighties (as co-author, Muzej savremene umetnosti, Beograd, 1983, p.p. 10–12) Vera Božičković Popović (Umetnički paviljon “Cvijeta Zuzorić”, Beograd, 1984) Svetomir Arsić-Basara (Umetnički paviljon “Cvijeta Zuzorić”, Beograd, 1984–1985)Svetomi Arsic Basara Sava Šumanović (Jugoslovenska galerija umetničkih dela, Beograd, 1986) Darija Kačić, Dubravka Duba Sambolec, Aneta Svetieva (7th International Small Sculpture Exhibition of Budapest, Budapest, 1987, p.p. 138–139) 7th International Small Sculpture Exhibition of Budapest, Budapest, 1987, p.p. 138-139 Slika i informacija 1945–1989, Srpska fotografija 1839–1989 (Picture and information 1945–1989, Serbian photography 1839–1989, as co-author, Galerija SANU, Beograd, 1991, p.p. 122–126) Mića Popović – Drawings, 1941–1988 (as editor, “Mrlješ”, Beograd, 1994) Zdravko Joksimovic (22nd Biennale of São Paulo, São Paulo, 1994, p.p. 291–292)22nd Biennale of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, 1994, p.p. 291-292 Rezime, Summary (Muzej savremene umetnosti, Beograd, 1995–1996) Dragoslav Djordjević (as editor, “Clio”, Beograd, 1996) A Saudade de Anica Vučetić (Museu de Arte Contemporanea da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, 1995–1996) Sreten Stojanović (Jugoslovenska galerija umetničkih dela, Beograd, 1998) Umetnost i angažovanost devedesetih, Art and the involvement of the nineties (20 memorijal 'Nadežde Petrović', Umetnička galerija 'Nadežda Petrović', Čačak, 1998)Snežana Stamenković, Pedeset godina memorijala ’Nadežda Petrović’, Snezana Stamenkovic, Fifty years of memorial "Nadezda Petrovic", Umetnička galerija 'Nadežda Petrović', Čačak, 2010, p.p. 171-186, 218, 219 Restoration of art, reconstruction criticism: criticism of art of the eighties (as co-author, The art at the end of the century I, “Clio”, Beograd, 1998, p.p. 117–139, 316–329)Grupa autora, Umetnost na kraju veka I, Group of authors, Art at the End of the Century I, Clio, Beograd, 1998, p.p. 10, 87–115The Art at the End of the Century I Vida Jocić – Apel za mir, Vida Jocic – Appeal for Peace (Centar za kulturnu dekontaminaciju, Beograd, 1999) Aktiver Widerstand, Zentrum für Kulturelle Dekontamination, Čedomir Vasiċ (as co-author,Dossier Serbien, Akademie der Künste, Berlin, 2000, p.p. 16–19, 32–34, 60) En fin (Galerie de l'UNESCO, Paris, 2000) Aktiver Widerstand, Zentrum für Kulturelle Dekontamination, Čedomir Vasiċ (as co-author, Dossier Serbien, Akademie der bildenden Künste, Wien, 2001, p.p. 16–19, 32–34, 60) Regionalno univerzalno, Regional univerzal (as co-author, Galerija savremene umetnosti, Pančevo, 2002, p.p. 49–74) Da Fattori a Morandi e La vie mediterranee dell'icona cristiana (preface, Narodni muzej, Beograd, 2001, La Collezione Grieco, Pinacoteca Provinciale, Bari, 2002, p. 7) Živko Grozdanić Gera, (as co-author, Umetnička galerija “Nadežda Petrović”, Čačak, Centar za savremenu kulturu Konkordija, Vršac, Greelery Square Gallery, New York City, 2002, p.p. 50–53) Svetomir Arsić Basara, Or a foreword inevitably intended as an epilogue (preface, Srpska akademija nauka i umetnosti, Beograd, Narodna i univerzitetska biblioteka 'Ivo Andrić', Priština, 2004, p.p. 06-09) Srdjan Marković, Svetomir Arsić Basara, Srdjan Markovic, Svetomir Arsic, Basara, Srpska akademija nauka i umetnosti, Beograd, Narodna i univerzitetska biblioteka 'Ivo Andrić', Priština, 2003, p.p. 047, 066–067, 074, 096, 104, 111, 124, 127, 230, 249, 250 Old Now (Kulturni centar Beograda, Beograd, 2004) Čedomir Vasić, Red data Book (Umetnička galerija “Nadežda Petrović”, Čačak, 2004) Led art 1993–2003 – Documents (as co-author, Multimedijalni centar LED ART, Novi Sad, 2004, p.p. 19, 20, 169–172, 195–198, 240, 241) Nagrada za umetnost 'Mića Popović, Award for art Mića Popović (as co-author, 10 godina Galerije Haos, Umetnički paviljon “Cvijeta Zuzorić”, Beograd, 2005, p.p. 53–60) Nova slika, New Image Painting (“Clio”, Beograd, 2006) Za bolji put Srbije, For a better way of Serbia (as co-author, Demokratska stranka, Centar resornih odbora, Beograd, 2006, p.p. 414–415, 671–674) Za bolji put Srbije, For a better way of Serbia (as co-author, Demokratska stranka, Centar resornih odbora, Beograd, 2006, p. 690) Madlena, (as co-author, Zepter internacional, Milan, Paris, 2006) Slobodan Trajković, Metamorfoze, Slobodan Trajkovic, Metamorphosis (Prodajna galerija “Beograd”, Beograd, 2007) Evgenija Demnievska, Discours sur les utopies du modernisme (Umetnički paviljon “Cvijeta Zuzorić”, Beograd, 2007) Nebojša Mitrić (as co-author, Spomen zbirka Pavla Beljanskog, Novi Sad, 2007, p. 117) Vojin Stojić, život i delo, Vojin Stojić, life and work (as co-author, “Apostrof”, Beograd, 2007, p.p. 45–50) Nežno i čvrsto, Gently and firmly (Galerija Zvono, Beograd, 2008) Milovan Destil Marković, DeStil Marković and the 'New Image' of the Eighties (as co-author, Umetnička galerija “Nadežda Petrović”, Čačak, 2008, p.p. 49–55) Milovan Destil Marković, (as co-author, Umetnička galerija 'Nadežda Petrović', Čačak, 2008, p.p. 150-157) Živko Grozdanić Gera, 'Meteorska kiša''', Meteor Rain (as co-author, Simptomi singularizacije, Symptoms of singularisation, Biro za kulturu i komunikaciju, Vršac, 2008, p.p. 46–47) Od 'džakova oraja' do održivosti javne umetnosti, From 'sacks of walnuts' to sustainability of public art (as co-author, Skulptura u urbanom prostoru, Sculpture in urban space, “Visart”, Novi Sad, 2008, p.p. 40–51) Živojin Turinski – Works 1958–1967 (Kulturni centar Beograda, Beograd, 2009) Umesto pogovora, Dosije Srbija – aktivizam devedesetih, Instead of the afterword, Dossier Serbia – activism of the nineties, (afterword Serbian edition in Collectivism after modernism, “University of Minnesota Press”, Minneapolis, 2007, , “Clio”, Beograd, 2010, p.p. 355–375) Pažnja kritika, 50 godina Oktobarskog salona, Attention to criticism, 50 years of October Salon (Kulturni centar Beograda, Beograd, 2009, p.p. 334–336, 436–438, 438–440) Radonja Leposavić, Pažnja kritika, 50 godina Oktobarskog salona, Radonja Leposavic, Attention to criticism, 50 years of October Salon (as editor, Kulturni centar Beograda, Beograd, 2009, p.p. 322, 327, 331, 419) Ljubomir Erić, Kolekcija crteža, Art Collection (“Arhipelag”, Beograd, 2010) Milena Jeftić Ničeva Kostić (ULUS, Beograd, 2010) Pohvala stilu, Madlena, Decenije, Praise style, Madlena, Decades (as co-author, Zepter Book Word, Beograd, 2010, pp. 75–79) Džafo, (as co-author, Muzej savremene likovne umetnosti Vojvodine, Novi Sad, 2011) Dzafo and Ledart Above and Below, (preface, Slobodanka Stupar, Subjectil is Subjectil, Prodajna galerija “Beograd”, Belgrade, 2011) Slobodanka Stupar, Above and Below Josif, (Josif Vidojković, “Intelekta”, Valjevo, 2011) Nune and Magnet, (“Museum of Contemporary Art of Vojvodina”, Novi Sad, 2011) Slobodanka Stupar, (“Sales Gallery 'Belgrade'”, Belgrade, 2013), Odložba nije izložena (koautor), Kritičari su izabrali – Mrđan Bajić, Tahir Lušić, De Stil Marković, str.162-164; Kritičari na delu, str. 215–219; Kulturni centar Beograda, Beograd, The postponement was not presented (as co-author), Critics chose - Mrđan Bajić, Tahir Lušić, De Stil Marković, pp. 162–164; Critics in Action, pp. 215–219; Belgrade Cultural Center, Belgrade, 2019 (())
Bibliography (selection) General Sources:
Art Sintetički pejsaži, Synthetic Landscapes (Sveske, no. 11–12, Društvo istoričara umetnosti Srbije, Beograd, 1981, p.p 67–70) Otvorena umetnost, Open art (Politika Ekspres, Beograd, August 3, 1982, p. 8) Žestoki potezi bojom, Furious paint strokes (Književne novine, Beograd, September 9, 1982 p. 28) Beogradsko novo slikarstvo, Belgrade new painting (Pitanja, no. 1 Zagreb, January 1983, p.p 40–43) O dva posebna aspekta Postmodernizma, On two aspects of Postmodernism (Treći program, Radio Beograd, Beograd, August 25, 1983) Od tradicionalnog do Postmodernog, From Traditional to Postmodernism (Fotokino revija, no. 10, Beograd, October 1983, p.p. 11–12) Aux maniere fin de siècle (Treći program, Radio Beograd, Beograd, February 16, 1984) Umetnost osamdesetih: postmoderna u znaku osporavanja i/ili afirmacije, Art in eighties: postmodern challenges to the sign and/or affirmation (Treći program, Radio Beograd, Beograd, August 16, 1984)