Student-artists get creative in Montenegro

For Blazo Kovacevic, the Montenegro Summer Art Program was about more than just creating beautiful pictures.

“My intention was to provide students with reach experiences and opportunities to interact with the new environment, its history, nature, culture and people,” said Kovacevic, an assistant professor of art and design at Binghamton University. “It was a self-exploratory initiative. The program wasn’t about telling (students) what to do. I was there to support and lead them through their own ideas and challenges.”

Kovacevic and Natalija Mijatovic, chair of the Department of Art and Design, led a dozen Binghamton University students from a variety of majors on month-long trip to the Mediterranean seaside city of Herceg Novi, Montenegro. It was the first-ever study abroad program for the Harpur College department.

In Herceg Novi, the students spent four weeks in June creating a “visual journal” in the media of their choice. Some opted for drawing or painting, while others preferred photography, sculpture or graphic design. Students attended a daily morning class and spent the rest of their weekdays developing their work and receiving input from Kovacevic and Mijatovic.

Tony Wu, for example, initially used charcoal to draw the city’s palm trees.

“They fascinated me because you don’t see palm trees in New York,” the marketing major and drawing minor said.

Wu later experimented with watercolors and drawing the region’s streets and castles before revisiting his initial interest – palm trees. The difference in his work between the first and last week showed his growth as an artist, he said.

“I had a great teacher and such great experiences in Montenegro,” Wu said. “I loved the time I spent there.”

Herceg Novi was not the only inspiration for the students, though. They spent each Saturday on an all-day excursion to nearby attractions. For example, they spent a day visiting Dubrovnik, Croatia, which serves as the main filming location of King’s Landing in the HBO television series “Game of Thrones.”

Other excursions included the students taking a boat ride around the world’s southernmost fjord: Boka Koturska (also known as the Bay of Kotor). They also swam in one of Montenegro’s most popular tourist attractions – the Blue Cave, which is named for the way the ocean water and light turns the cave into a sapphire color.

The students enjoyed being able to study in a historic city without a lot of tourists.

“There is mystery in our dramatic landscape and ancient architecture,” said Kovacevic, who was born and attended art school on Montenegro. “Montenegro’s long history and way of life are in contrast with the demands and pace of the contemporary world. All of that made for a perfect location to make art.”

Staying in Herceg Novi for a month allowed the students to become a part of the city that was a finalist for the European Capital of Culture.

“June is not a busy month,” Kovacevic said. “You don’t feel like a tourist, and local people start recognizing you. We shared all three meals daily, in the same local tavern, and students knew how to order their favorite local dishes in Montenegrin.”

The program culminated with an art exhibition in the Sue Ryder Gallery in Herceg Novi, and included a visit from the U.S. ambassador to Montenegro, Margaret Ann Uyehara, who gave a keynote address. The exhibit was featured on the U.S. Embassy’s Facebook page.

“This fusion of cultures and backgrounds nicely illustrates the kind of cooperation we would like to see even more of in the future,” Uyehara said in the Facebook post. She also wrote text for the catalog that was produced for the show.

Kovacevic said he learned that developing a study abroad program is a complex process.

“It sounds like a romantic idea, but study abroad is hard work in every way possible,” he said. “You have to establish connections with local partners. You need a reliable hotel and place to eat. You need excursions, logistics and a safety plan. Also, the class is not limited to the three hours of morning instruction. It is 24/7. And above all, it’s so much fun!”

Kovacevic, who recently presented his latest creative project titled “Incited” in Dowd Gallery at SUNY Cortland, hopes that the program will become an annual event. The students on the maiden trip were ideal representatives of the United States and Binghamton University, he said.

“We made many friends and Herceg Novi wants us back next summer,” Kovacevic said. “Providing students with the opportunity to deal with creative and artistic problem-solving in a new and exciting environment creates solid knowledge base and makes lifelong memories. I think the students lived for the moment and delivered on it.”