Here are the artistic events we enjoyed in 2023 on the banks of the Sava
The year that concluded with a unique multimedia spectacle on Sava Promenada was extremely vibrant and fruitful in the sphere of culture and art. Throughout 2023, the right bank of the Sava pulsed with the spirit of artistic creativity, and the Belgrade Waterfront provided visitors with numerous unforgettable moments of enjoyment. Because that’s what art is for – to enjoy all its beauty.
Music festivals, exhibitions, open-air cinema, and fashion shows—all these are segments of the cultural and artistic scene next to the Sava, to which Belgrade Waterfront not only breathed new life but also gave it a completely new momentum.
The results of the KvArt Initiative
The cultural and artistic initiative KvArt Belgrade Waterfront was created with the idea that the largest construction project in the region is developed as a unique space that integrates art with the modern way of life. As part of it, the largest art competition in our area was announced – Become part of KvArt. Thanks to that, the most creative domestic artists got the opportunity to exhibit their works in the public areas of the Belgrade Waterfront.
Thus, at the end of February, the first in a series of winning works at the competition was installed on the ground floor of Galerija – the 5.5-meter high sculpture “The Heart of Belgrade” by the artist Jelena Stepanov, serving as a universal symbol of love and friendship. In addition to its design invoking a feeling of intimacy in everyone who passes by it, it has also become a new meeting place and a backdrop for photos in the largest shopping centre in the region. If you look up to the high arches, you’ll be enchanted by other works such as the hanging art installations “Waves,” “Tilia,” and “Butterflies.”
The KvArt BW exhibition space on the second floor and the ŠTAB Gallery on the ground floor were the main meeting places for the best local artists in 2023 as well. With dozens of different exhibitions in the previous 365 days, Galerija has shown why it is rightly ranked high on the cultural map of Belgrade.
Not far from there, in the spacious Sava Park, the most beautiful green oasis in the center of Belgrade, in 2023 the sculpture “Sparrows” by artists Nikola Knezevic and Andrija Matic was installed. This art installation is a tribute to the little birds that have always been one of the most beautiful symbols of the Serbian capital.
Belgrade River Fest
The second Belgrade River Fest was held on June 21 and 22 on the plateau behind Geozavod, which, during those two warm Mediterranean days, turned into the most prestigious outdoor concert hall. The right bank of the Sava exuded a magical atmosphere created by today’s greatest opera diva, soprano Anna Netrebko, her husband and famous tenor Yusif Eyvazov, and the celebrated Serbian baritone Zeljko Lucic. The melancholic rhythms of Sephardic sevdah, jazz, and flamenco, in the sumptuous voice of Jasmin Levy, one of the world’s biggest stars of world music, rounded off this unique music festival on the bank of the river. The whole musical spectacle was completed with a several-minute fireworks display that lit up Sava Promenada and enchanted everyone present.
Open Air Opera
For the fifth time in a row, on September 8 and 9, the Open Air Opera, one of the most grandiose musical events in our country, was held in a spectacular open-air opera setting on the plateau behind Geozavod. On the first day, the famous masterpiece “La Boheme” by Giacomo Puccini was performed, in which one of the world’s most popular prima donnas, Aida Garifullina, played the main role. In addition to enjoying the most beautiful lyrical voice of the current international opera scene, the audience could indulge in the charms of tenor Matteo Roma and our baritone Zeljko Lucic, who were accompanied by the choir, soloists, and ballet of the National Opera from Timisoara, led by maestro Dejan Savic
On the second evening of the Open Air Opera, the RTS Symphony Orchestra and Choir performed a unique Concert of film music from the most popular blockbusters, such as movie series about James Bond, Star Wars, Game of Thrones, Pink Panther, and many others.
Open Air Cinema, Fashion Show, Visit of Elisabetta Franchi
In addition to the musical bravura of world stars, visitors to Belgrade Waterfront during the past year could also enjoy numerous cinematographic productions that were broadcast on the big screen on the green area in front of Galerija all summer long, from mid-June to the end of August completely free of charge. The repertoire of the second Open Air Cinema was adapted to all generations who enjoyed numerous cult film hits under the starry sky on Sava Promenada.
The year behind us was also marked by events from the world of fashion. Some of the best Serbian designers and established brands from the Designers District, a unique fashion district on the first floor of Galerija, presented their selected festive pieces in May at a glamorous fashion show on Kula Square in Galerija, while October was marked by the famous Italian fashion designer Elisabetta Franchi. In the presence of a large number of dignitaries, she visited her only mono-brand store in Serbia, located in Galerija, and in honor of the famous guest, Kula Belgrade, the tallest building in Serbia and the region, was lit up.