Zdravko Joksimović Retrospective at Belgrade's Museum of Contemporary Art

A major retrospective of sculptor Zdravko Joksimović is currently on view at the Museum of Contemporary Art Belgrade (MoCAB) from May 8 to August 25, 2025. Curated by Miroslav Karić, the exhibition titled 'A Glimmering Friendship' presents over 270 works spanning nearly four decades of the artist's career. Rather than a chronological arrangement, the show is organized into twelve thematic units displayed in two sequential parts, with the first six sections currently visible and the remaining six to be installed midway through the run. This unconventional structure reflects Joksimović's playful and unpredictable artistic approach. The retrospective highlights the artist's deep engagement with materials, his interest in sculptural history, and his poetic titling practice. Key works include 'There Was No Other Way' (2016), a wooden sculpture with conical segments, and 'A Glimmering Friendship' (2024), which uses fabric and fairy lights to explore Yugoslavia's legacy. The exhibition addresses a gap in scholarly attention to Joksimović's work despite his prolific exhibition history and public commissions in Serbia and abroad. Born in Buče, Montenegro in 1960, Joksimović graduated from Belgrade's Faculty of Fine Arts in 1986 and has taught in its Sculpture Department since. His early career was influenced by the New Belgrade Sculpture group, supported by art historian Biljana Tomić-Denegri. The show also represents MoCAB's ongoing efforts to re-establish its public presence following its 2017 reopening after a decade-long reconstruction. The exhibition includes sections exploring botanical forms, ex-Yugoslav experiences, and reinterpretations of traditional motifs like the Pietà. A forthcoming catalog is expected to provide further context for Joksimović's practice.