Exhibition Explores Architectural Exchange Between Yugoslavia, Cuba and Angola

The exhibition 'Prefabricating Solidarity: IMS-Žeželj Between Yugoslavia, Cuba, and Angola' was presented at two venues in 2025. It was on view at the Museum of African Art in Belgrade, Serbia from May 16 to September 14, and later at Begonia Labs, Engine for Art, Democracy & Justice at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee from August 21 to December 15. The show examines the international transfer of the IMS-Žeželj prefabricated construction system, developed by civil engineer Branko Žeželj in 1957 at the Institute for Materials Testing of Serbia. The system was designed to provide cost-effective, earthquake-resistant housing using pre-stressed concrete modules. The exhibition traces how this architectural technology was shared among Yugoslavia, Cuba, and Angola, reflecting ideals of cooperation within the Non-Aligned Movement. It was organized by a collaborative team including Vladimir Kulić, Vesna Pavlović, Jelica Jovanović, Fredo Rivera, Emilia Epštajn, and Ana Knežević. The display features large-scale architectural models, archival documents, video interviews with architects and planners, and approximately 100 photographs by Vesna Pavlović. These images depict IMS buildings as vibrant, inhabited spaces in contemporary communities. A key visual motif is a 'triangle of solidarity' diagramming connections between the three nations. The exhibition highlights how the technology was adapted locally, with Cuba later assisting Angola, and notes that intellectual property rights were relinquished to enable free use. The presentation differed between venues: the Belgrade installation included artifacts from the IMS facility and aimed for a construction-site atmosphere, while the Nashville iteration provided more space for the photographic panels and emphasized the conceptual framework of solidarity. The project positions this history of technological exchange and international cooperation as a counterpoint to contemporary trends toward isolationism.