Summer in Podgorica. How long have we waited for the Sun to shine
upon out capital after long months of winter rain. To breadth in some sultry
summer air that smells of hot asphalt and burning grass and trees from
some of the surrounding hills or Ćemovsko field, but this year was different.
Arriving in Podgorica after a brief excursion abroad, what I encountered
arriving home was the smell of moisture in the air and some melancholy. As if
the air itself regrets that it’s not warmer, and that it could not provide us
with enough sun to save our tourist season, but instead it began to rain. And
so in the midst of a very unusual summer for Podgorica they arrived. Conceived
as guardians, those who watch over us, with shining eyes and an unbeatable
attitude, I have to correct myself, when in contact with us everything is
breakable, so their attitude was obviously unsatisfactory. Maybe we do not need and
guardians. Who knows?
Anyway, 7 Transformers sculptures are set in the center of
Podgorica with its heavy bodies, which seem like transferred from the big
screen and onto our streets to rule them. It's nice to see confused faces of
people who are unconsciously smiling and looking at giants that rise above mere
mortals like ancient statues in temples, giving the city a note of modernity
and uniqueness.
Last Transformer was placed today on the main square. At the point
where everything intersects, the square from which everything begins, where
people meet, and part where we witness the changes and celebrations ... and
they are there to remind us to, beautify our city and put a smile to our
children faces. After a decade and a half that’s behind us, in which flourished
construction and occupation of each green space that exists in Podgorica,
subtraction of parking space for the construction of another building that will
meet the needs of the growing population of Podgorica. Now that finally guards
have emerged, we do not need them.
Yes they were late. They should
have been placed at the time when concrete Podgorica replaced green Podgorica,
but then the artist was still too young. Instead they depict ecological
consciousness of an ECOLOGICAL STATE, made from recycled parts of vintage
cars, trucks, etc. ... in fact they are the targets for attacks of local
vandals. How else can we name people
who are able to knock down Transformer that weights a tone, chop off his head
and walk away calmly like nothing happened. I still do not understand why people
are so evil, what drives them to destroy what they have not created themselves,
and certainly in the company of his friends he must be praised as great hero
because it takes courage, but not the kind they think they showed. You needed the courage to show our
true colors. You needed the courage to touch something that is finally so
unlike Podgorica, that stands out like all those interesting places that we
admire in big cities, but not ours. You needed the courage to prove that
Podgorica lacks in cosmopolitan attitude, and that in our city there is
no room for new, fresh and progressive. You needed the courage to put a stamp
on our society that marks us as a society of limited capabilities.
I guess it is so.
How is it possible that we as citizens are not affected by such
rudeness? Has Podgorica grown into such a city in which everything has to be
judged and condemned? How should the other artists who would like their artwork
to adorn Podgorica understand this? While millions of thoughts and questions
run trough my head, the only consolation is that Transformers will soon start
to visit other countries in the Balkans where they will, I sincerely hope, find
more understanding and respect, to teach us that we must respect the work of
our artists in order to be respected by others. In the end, I just need to say
– Congratulations
to the artist!
pictures taken from www.pobjeda.me
