An Older and More Beautiful Belgrade: A Visual Chronicle of the MilosEvic Era

This essay examines the transformation of Belgrade during the Milošević years, using cultural anthropology, history studies, culture of memory, history of art, and urbanism to explore changes to the built environment and urban landscape. It covers various visual aspects of life, such as shopping centers, unregulated construction, and "wild" modifications of buildings, as well as problematic historical markers, billboards, store displays, electoral propaganda, graffiti, grave-markers, and cemetery memorials.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 226 pages
Publication date: 20 July 2023
Publisher: Central European University Press

This extensive essay vividly portrays the urban decline of Belgrade during a challenging era in the Serbian capital. The author has skillfully compiled a wealth of evidence, contemplations, photographs, and other visual materials to illustrate the profound transformation of Belgrade during the Milošević years. Drawing upon the theoretical foundations of cultural anthropology, history studies, culture of memory, history of art, and urbanism, Mileta Prodanović delves into the changes that occurred in the city's built environment and urban landscape during the 1990s. With remarkable ingenuity, he explores various facets of daily life, showcasing a wide range of visual elements. These include shopping centers, unregulated construction, and "wild" modifications of buildings, the construction of new structures (such as broadcasting studios, shops, and homes) that fail to blend in with their surroundings, questionable taste in home furnishings (such as camp and kitsch), extravagant projects like the international art center, problematic historical markers like the obelisk of the eternal flame, billboards, store displays, electoral propaganda, graffiti, grave-markers and cemetery memorials, coins and paper money, calendars, beer labels, and even religious icons.

Each piece of information is accompanied by thoughtful critique and subtle comparisons to past standards. The essay serves as a powerful testament to the complex dynamics and transformations that shaped Belgrade during this pivotal period.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9789633866320