Cacak – On the wall of the Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired in Cacak, a mural has been painted, accompanied by a 3D model with a description in Braille. The mural and model were created as part of the National Capital of Culture of Serbia 2023 – “Cacanska Rodna”, in a city that, thanks to the DUK festival, is one of the largest street art galleries in the country.
As part of the well-known Cacak festival DUК (Days of Urban Culture), artist Maja Stojanovic – Zmaja painted a mural on the wall of the Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired. With the support of the Embassy of Spain, a 3D model with a Braille description was also created and placed next to the mural. The mural and 3D model aim to bring street art closer to blind and visually impaired individuals. This is the first 3D model of a mural in Cacak and the tenth in Serbia, realized as part of the “Art in Passage” project.
The city of Cacak represents a significant national and regional center of cultural production, especially in terms of street art. By using innovative 3D technology, blind and visually impaired individuals can experience tactile interaction with artworks displayed on the streets.
“Street art is considered the freest form of art, so through 3D models, we want to bring this direction of contemporary art closer to blind and visually impaired individuals. We are very happy that the model has been installed in Cacak, the tenth 3D model in Serbia. This model draws attention to the needs of the blind and visually impaired while celebrating the work of local artists within the DUK festival, the National Capital of Culture, and Spanish culture,” said Ljiljana Radosevic, an art historian representing the Street Art Belgrade organization.
“The project has strongly attracted us from the beginning because of its theme – making art accessible to all members of the community. We are aware that this is a challenge faced by many worldwide, and it is important to continuously make efforts to change the situation. This mural represents our collaboration – local artist Maja Stojanovic perfectly portrayed one of the most striking symbols of Spanish culture, the Spanish bull, through colors,” stated Dario Otero Castro, Deputy Ambassador and Cultural Attaché at the Embassy of Spain in Belgrade.
“The inspiration for the mural was the famous bull Ferdinand from the animated film, as I love painting animal characters in a positive context. This bull is a tribute to the project partner, the Embassy of Spain, which enabled the creation of a 3D model for the mural, the first in Cacak that brings street art closer to blind and visually impaired individuals,” emphasized artist Maja Stojanovic – Zmaja.
“The mural and 3D model with Braille are located on the building of the premises of the Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired in Cacak, allowing our members to feel street art through touch. For us, this means slowly entering the world of art and feeling improvement because, in a way, we are entering a world of equality, a world without barriers,” said Dejan Tomic, President of the Inter-municipal Organization of the Blind and Visually Impaired Cacak.
The Inter-municipal Organization of the Blind Cacak operates within the structure of the Association of the Blind of Serbia and brings together over 300 members from the Moravian region, with 170 members in the city of Cacak.
The project’s author is the organization “Street Art Belgrade,” and its implementation was supported by the Embassy of Spain. The mural and model in Cacak were realized in collaboration with the DUK festival, the Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired Cacak, and the City Organization of the Blind in Belgrade, within the Capital of Culture of Serbia 2023 – “Cacanska Rodna”.
About the Artist
Maja Stojanovic is an illustrator and a member of the Association of Visual Artists Cacak. She specializes in book illustration and character design. In July 2021, she released her first book titled “Кod nas se kaže…/ We tend to say…” – an illustrated encyclopedia of folk sayings explained in both Serbian and English. Since 2021, she has been a member of the DUК Festival organization and actively contributes to the organization and painting of murals in Cacak, Serbia, and across the region and the world.
About the “Art in Passage” Project
The goal of the “Art in Passage” project is to bring street art closer to blind and visually impaired individuals. Street art is considered the freest form of art accessible to everyone, which is why the project of 3D mural models was initiated. The first mural models were installed in 2021 in Belgrade, where a total of nine models have been placed in the last two years.
In Serbia, there are 12,000 blind and visually impaired individuals, with an almost equal number of men and women. Their situation is challenging as they have limited opportunities for personal and social improvement. The most common and important goal is the integration of blind and visually impaired individuals into all social currents and daily activities, with cultural life and art being an integral and essential part of it.
