About Publikum Calendars of New Art
The Publikum Calendar was a non-profit art publishing project that started in Serbia in 1993. Project authors, Djordje Milekić and Nada Ray, and the Publisher, Publikum printing house hatched a project that re-inspired the Serbian arts community during their nation’s most troubled time of war and isolation. It was envisioned as an innovative communication medium that would introduce Serbian artists to an international audience and bring world-renowned artists to Serbia.
Through their creativity, artists and professionals challenged conventions in the fields of design, illustration, and photography.
The calendar had featured works from prominent artists from around the world, including Christo, Barbara Kruger, Oliviero Toscani, Tadanori Yoko, David Byrne, Mirko Ilic, Karlssonwilker, Andrea Dezso and most recently Paula Scher.
The launch of each new Publikum Calendar and accompanying exhibition is considered to be a “must” event in Serbia. Publikum Calendar exhibitions attracted virtually thousands of visitors in Belgrade and are supported by the City Council, National Television, and Serbian media.
The Publikum Calendar had a strong educational and exploratory mission. The 2000 copies that are produced each year are given away to institutions and creatives from the world of art, culture, and the media, both in Serbia and abroad, as well as to Publikum business partners. In 2004 the One Club for Art & Copy, New York, hosted the retrospective exhibition of 12 years of Publikum Calendars.
The Cast
Publisher
Printing House Publikum
Publikum, established in Belgrade in 1990, is a printing house known for its high standards. Publikum has become one of the major printers in Serbia, thanks to its devotion to highly demanding printing jobs, most of them featuring art. The unique image of Publikum in Serbia was built largely on the success of the non-profit project of the Publikum Calendar.
Publikum Director & Co-owner
Predrag Bata Ristanović
The director of Publikum, Bata Ristanović embraced innovative branding strategies. Mr. Ristanović understood words that touch the spirit and where the source of beauty lies. He saw them in people and in the works of blossoming and emerging artists, curators, and writers.
The Publikum Calendar project was a multimedia platform that brought together creatives from different disciplines; they were able to express themselves there, to present works, and to send their messages. Bata Ristanovic directly collaborated with creatives not only in the printing process but also in the technical production of demanding artistic performances, which accompanied the promotions of Publikum’s calendar. Each new project was a challenge and an occasion for the joy of joint creation.
Authors of the project concept
Nada Ray, Director/Editor
Djordje Milekić, Creative Director
were responsible for the general creative direction of the Publikum Calendars project, including working with guest artists on developing the concept of each calendar, conducting the publicity and media campaign, and organizing events such as an exhibition, and film and video showings. While living in Serbia, they developed projects that represented landmarks of Serbian cultural identity. FIA’s mission was to create projects that involve artists on one side and companies on the other interested in investing in innovative branding and projects that promoted cultural and social values. Since 2005 Djordje Milekić & Nada Ray carries out projects in Serbia and in the U.S.
Creative Production
FIA Art Group (1989~2010)
FIA collaborative was founded in 1989 in Belgrade by Djordje Milekić (a.k.a. Stanislav Sharp) and Nada Ray (Rajičić). In 2002 Jelena Dojčinović joined FIA Art Group making this group a trio.
The mission of FIA was to create and produce non-conventional interdisciplinary projects and PR events. In addition to the Publikum Calendar project (1993-2008), the FIA Art Group, together with numerous collaborators, has realized multiple projects, most notably: “FOTOGRAFIA” consisting series of events: the 150th anniversary of the discovery of photography exhibitions and art workshops, initiative to establish a museum of photography in Belgrade and unique photography magazine “L’impossible”; Anti-war projects “Impossible-Enough”, “Why are you blind”, “It is healthy to drink Electric Milk”; Print campaign for the Coalition “Zajedno” produced for the Serbian national elections 1997; Product design inspired by Serbian Surrealism and Zenithism for the Belgrade Cultural Center; Limited edition of the dinnerware “Alphabet Delight” by Paula Scher, inspired with the Serbian Cyrillic.
