ISTORIJA: Smešten u jednom od najlepših rezidencijalnih delova Beograda, Muzej afričke umetnosti predstavlja jedini muzej u zemlji posvećen isključivo kulturi i umetnosti afričkog kontinenta. Muzej je nastao zahvaljujući izuzetno vrednoj kolekciji koju su, tokom dugogodišnjeg boravka u zapadnoj Africi, prikupili donatori Veda i dr Zdravko Pečar, vrsni poznavaoci i posvećeni kolekcionari afričke umetnosti. Tokom više od dvadeset godina, dr Pečar je, zajedno sa suprugom Vedom, putovao po afričkom kontinentu, prvo u svojstvu novinara, a zatim kao diplomata i ambasador. Izuzetno poznavanje afričke istorije, kulture i umetnosti, tesna povezanost sa životom afričkih ljudi i njihovim običajima, omogućili su osnivačima da, uz velike materijalne napore, sakupe mnoštvo dragocenih predmeta koji danas čine jednu od reprezentativnih zbirki afričke umetnosti. Pod pokroviteljstvom Skupštine grada, 1977. godine osnovan je Muzej afričke umetnosti. Ono po čemu je ovaj muzej jedinstven je činjenica da su svi muzejski predmeti izneti iz Afrike uz pismene dozvole vlada afričkih država. Inicijalna zbirka muzeja je vremenom obogaćivana otkupima i poklonima, ne samo pojedinačnih predmeta, već i čitavih zbirki, tako da muzejska zbirka sada sadrži nekoliko hiljada autentičnih predmeta tradicionalne umetnosti, poreklom iz zemalja zapadne, centralne i istočne Afrike. MISIJA: “Muzej afričke umetnosti proširivaće i revolucionisati kulturnu svest naših ljudi, približavajući je globalnijem poimanju istorije i kulture, čoveka i društva. U spektru naših ustanova posvećenih različitim oblastima i periodima, od arheoloških preko srednjovekovnih do zbirki nove umetnosti – ovaj Muzej, i kao zbirka i kao projektovani aktivitet – oslobađa nas nasleđenih evrocentričnih i etnocentričnih shvatanja i kulturnih predrasuda i uskosti, inspirišući dublje i šire gledanje na kulturu, istoriju i čoveka.“
Iz govora Živorada Kovačevića, predsednika Skupštine grada Beograda,
sa svečanosti otvaranja Muzeja afričke umetnosti, 23. Tokom svog tridesetogodišnjeg rada ova institucija je ostvarila značajan doprinos u širenju i negovanju kulturnih veza, u promovisanju principa multikulturalnosti i kulturnog diverziteta, kao i u ukazivanju na značaj afričkog i uopšte neevropskog kulturnog i umetničkog nasleđa, koje je u međunarodnim razmerama prepoznato od strane UNESCO-a, čineći vredan deo svetske baštine. Misija MAU
* MAU prikuplja, čuva i izlaže artefakte afričke kulture i umetnosti
* MAU populariše i širi znanja o tradicionalnom i savremenom kulturnom i umetničkom stvaralaštvu Afrike i afričke dijaspore.
* MAU podstiče vrednovanje i razumevanje umetnosti, istorije i nasleđa Afrike, i razvija poštovanje za Afriku, njene narode i za uticaj afričkog stvaralaštva na svetsku umetnost.
* MAU razvija svest o kulturnom diverzitetu, otvarajući prostor za multikulturalni dijalog između zajednica.
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HISTORY: Situated in one of the most beautiful residential areas of Belgrade, the Museum of African Art is the only museum in the country entirely dedicated to the culture and arts of the African continent. The Museum was created to house an extremely valuable African art collection, assembled by connoisseurs and dedicated art collectors - Veda and dr Zdravko Pečar, during their years spent in West Africa. In the span of more than twenty years, dr Pečar, accompanied by his wife Veda, traveled across the African continent, initially as a reporter, and later as a diplomat and ambassador. Exceptional knowledge of African history, culture, and art, a close relationship with the African peoples, their customs and lifestyle, as well as a great personal and material effort, enabled the benefactors to collect pieces of immense value which today constitute an extraordinary collection of African art. The couple bequeathed this exceptional collection to the City of Belgrade. Under the patronage of the local authorities, the Museum of African Art was opened to the public in 1977. What makes this museum unique is the fact that all the museum objects have been exported from Africa with written permission from the respective African governments. The founding collection of the museum is continually being enhanced through purchases and donations, not only of single African pieces, but of whole collections. Hence the museum collection currently comprises several thousand authentic tradition-based objects originating in West, Central and East Africa. MISSION: “The Museum of African Art will develop and revolutionize the cultural awareness of our people, bringing them closer to a more global understanding of history and culture, man and society. In the wider range of institutions dedicated to different fields of work and periods, from archaeological or medieval, to contemporary art collections – this Museum, as a collection and a sum of activities – frees us from our inherited eurocentric and ethnocentric beliefs, cultural prejudice and narrow-mindedness, inspiring a deeper and wider outlook on culture, history and man.”
From the speech of the President of the Belgrade Municipal Assembly (city mayor) Živorad Kovačević,
delivered at the opening ceremony in the Museum of African Art, May 23rd 1977. In its thirty years this institution has made significant contributions to the expansion and nurturing of cultural ties with related relevant institutions abroad, it has worked on the promotion of the principals of multiculturalism and cultural diversity, and also in shifting the focus towards the importance of the African and non-European cultural and artistic heritage, recognized by UNESCO on an international level, as an important constituent of world heritage. Mission statement
* MAA collects, preserves and exhibits artifacts of the culture and arts of Africa.
* MAA popularizes and disseminates knowledge on the traditional and contemporary art and culture of Africa and the African diaspora.
* MAA cultivates appreciation and understanding of the arts, history and heritage of Africa, and inspires respect for Africa, its peoples and its impact on world culture and art
* MAA builds awareness of the cultural diversity, and creates opportunities for a multicultural dialogue
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Linkovi/links:
http://mau.rs/sr/
https://www.instagram.com/museumofafricanartbelgrade/
http://www.youtube.com/user/africanmuseum
https://twitter.com/AfricanMuseum
