Serbian Politician Blocks Andy Warhol Monument in Belgrade
Plans for a monument to Andy Warhol in Belgrade have been blocked by Uros Jankovic, vice president of the National Democratic Party. Jankovic opposed the tribute, calling Pop Art a fleeting fashion and a sign of an inferiority complex toward the West. He argued that Pop Art is not considered great art even abroad and that Serbia should instead honor Johann Wolfgang Goethe or painter Sava Sumanovic. Jankovic noted that only two monuments to Warhol exist worldwide: one in New York's Union Square by Rob Pruitt, commissioned by the Public Art Fund, and another in Miková, Slovakia, his parents' birthplace. The article also lists Warhol's portrayals in film and television, including the HBO series Vinyl, The Doors (1991), Basquiat (1996), Factory Girl (2006), and an upcoming biopic starring Jared Leto.
Key facts
- Uros Jankovic, vice president of the National Democratic Party, opposes a Warhol monument in Belgrade.
- Jankovic called Pop Art a fleeting fashion and an inferiority complex toward the West.
- He suggested Serbia focus on Johann Wolfgang Goethe or painter Sava Sumanovic.
- Only two Warhol monuments exist: one in New York by Rob Pruitt and one in Miková, Slovakia.
- Warhol has been portrayed in films like Vinyl, The Doors, Basquiat, and Factory Girl.
- An upcoming biopic will star Jared Leto as Warhol.
- The article was reported by The Art Newspaper.
- The monument proposal was made by the city of Belgrade.
Entities
Artists
- Andy Warhol
- Rob Pruitt
- Sava Sumanovic
- Johann Wolfgang Goethe
- John Cameron Mitchell
- Crispin Glover
- David Bowie
- Guy Pearce
- Jared Leto
- Julian Schnabel
- George Hickenlooper
- Terence Winter
- Michael De Luca
- Victor Bockris
- Bobby Cannavale
Institutions
- National Democratic Party (Serbia)
- Public Art Fund
- HBO
- The Art Newspaper
- Artribune
Locations
- Belgrade
- Serbia
- New York
- United States
- Union Square
- Miková
- Slovakia