The official opening of the exhibition “Andrić and Višegrad: from the first steps to the unforgettable” will be held in the foyer of the Park Hall on March 17, starting at 7 p.m. The exhibition is dedicated to marking the 50th anniversary of the death of Ivo Andrić, one of the most important writers of the South Slavic area and winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, and will be open to visitors until March 30.

The organizer of the exhibition is the Andrić Institute, and the authors are Dr. Gordana Stančić, Slavko Garić, Gorica Ćećez and Željka Ostojić. One of the key collaborators in the realization of the exhibition is Divna Vasić, a retired professor of Serbian literature and a long-time scholar of Andrić’s character and work. The archival materials used during the preparation of the exhibition were collected from the following relevant institutions: Ivo Andrić Endowment, Museum of the City of Belgrade, Archives of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Archives of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as institutions based in Višegrad: Cultural Center “Ivo Andrić”, National Library “Ivo Andrić”, Secondary School Center “Ivo Andrić”, Tourist Organization Višegrad and Archives of the Municipality of Višegrad.

The exhibition presents a chronologically arranged selection of photographs, documents and correspondence depicting the life path of Ivo Andrić – from his childhood spent in Visegrad, through his school days and his first literary steps, to his mature years when the Nobel laureate was at the peak of his creative achievement. Special emphasis was placed on Andrić’s connection with Višegrad, a city that, apart from marking his upbringing, also became one of the key topos of his literary creativity. As part of the exhibition, Andrić’s works from the library collection of the Andrić Institute will be exhibited.

This documentary exhibition represents a significant contribution to the preservation of cultural heritage, highlighting the deep connection between the writer and his homeland. By focusing on Višegrad as a key point in the context of his creativity, the exhibition brings together for the first time all archival material that sheds light on Ivo Andrić’s connection with Višegrad, providing a new perspective and opening up space for further research.