Bent arrow first-prize solution for monument to Zoran Djindjic

A bent arrow irretrievably broken in one spot, but still flying upward unstoppably, is the winning solution at the international contest for the design of the monument to Zoran Djindjic, it was said on Saturday, October 21, at the press conference at the Association of Architects of Belgrade, Beoinfo reports.

If there's anything symbolizing Djindjic's life, said City Manager Goran Vesic, it's a arrow, as that's what his life was like.

Main city architect Milutin Folic said that, parallel to the preparation of the sculpture, the city would start developing the Students Square, where the monument will be erected.

Architect Boris Podreka, the president of the jury, said that 40 works had been submitted to the contest and that the first and the second prize had been awarded, but that four works had been bought out in place of awarding the third prize.

– The jury has determined that all works are of remarkably high quality, that they are professional and that they absolutely fit the criteria. Three artifacts will be located on the Square, one of which will be the Djindjic memorial. This is a memorial which meets our criteria in terms of the kind of clear and recognizable message we want it to send. The first two works are different, but they are very close in quality – Podreka emphasized.

The winning solution, as Podreka explains, features sound effects. Excerpts from Djinjic's speeches can be heard, as well as the “voice” of the city.

The author of the sculpture is Mrdjan Bajic, and his associates are sculptor Predrag Keselj, architect Petar Sazdanovic, art historian Marina Andric and Biljana Srbljanovic, who designed the sound installation along with sound designer Dobrivoje Miljanovic and programmer Vladimir Riznic, Beoinfo reports.

Grad Beograd

SAS-DAB Beograd

City of Belgrade

Association of Architects of Belgrade

AAB

monument to Zoran Djindjic

Zoran Djindjic monument

conceptual design for monument to Zoran Djindjic

Goran Vesic

Milutin Folic

Boris Podreka

Mrdjan Bajic

Predrag Keselj

Petar Sazdanovic

Marina Andric

Biljana Srbljanovic

Dobrivoje Miljanovic

Vladimir Riznic

Students Square

Kosancicev Venac Street