BANJA LUKA MUSEUMS PARTICIPATING IN "NIGHT OF THE MUSEUMS" THIS YEAR

On Saturday, May 18th, from 8:00 pm to 12:00 am, the Museum of Contemporary Art of Republika Srpska in Banja Luka will celebrate the European Night of Museums 2024, whose theme this year, "Museums for Education and Research," emphasizes the crucial role of cultural institutions in providing contemporary digital educational experiences.

"During the evening, visitors will be able to view the exhibition 'Face to Face' by one of the world's most significant graphic designers, Mirko Ilić. The program begins at 8:00 pm with a lecture by digital artist and computer science doctor Uroš Krčadinac titled 'Androids Don't Dream Anything.' The lecture represents a kind of walk through selected projects of generative and algorithmic art on which Krčadinac has worked for the past fifteen years," the Museum of Contemporary Art stated.

They further added that the lecture would focus on artificial intelligence using digital tools in contemporary art and the importance of interdisciplinary practice in programming, animation, and cartographic drawing.

"If you've ever wondered if androids can dream of electric sheep, if artificial intelligence can dream of anything, and it seems that androids don't dream of anything and the real question is - do we dream? - you'll definitely get answers at this lecture. After the lecture at 9:00 pm, in front of the museum, there will be a performance by 'Blast from the past,' featuring the well-known Belgrade DJ Marko Vuković, better known as Marquez V, who has years of experience in music production and uses that knowledge to create new arrangements of songs from the ex-Yugoslav region. His sets include various music genres - pop, funk, new wave, disco, electro, and dance," the museum added.

They also announced that since 2019, DJ Marko Vuković has had his radio show "Funktastic" on the famous Radio Nula, and since 2020, he has been their official representative and ambassador.

"During the evening, a 3D video mapping titled 'Time Portal,' accompanying DJ Marquez's musical performance, will be displayed on the museum's building. The author of the mapping is Mladen Đukić and his team," the museum concluded.

The Museum of Republika Srpska also joins in celebrating the "European Night of Museums" this year, as it has done in previous years.

"All visitors on Saturday night will be able to enjoy numerous attractive and free activities specially prepared for this occasion. The exhibition 'The Golden Age of Rock and Roll (1960-1970)' by Tamara Lukač Lazarević, a sociologist, will be premiered. The exhibition explores the social phenomena that marked that decade, such as the hippie movement, counterculture, and a period of turbulent social change, through the prism of rock and roll and its most famous representatives. The exhibition consists of photographs of extremely large formats, as well as characteristic three-dimensional objects," stated the Museum of Republika Srpska.

Following the exhibition opening, interactive activities for visitors will commence at 5:00 pm.

"A thematic workshop for children will be held, along with an interactive quiz game for visitors called 'The Golden Age of Rock and Roll.' Check your knowledge. We reward the best result. At 7:00 pm, we will cut a cake for all visitors. At 8:00 pm, there will be a rock concert by 'Perfect Strangers,'" the statement continued.

The Banja Luka Museum of Sport will also join in the celebration of the "European Night of Museums" by opening its doors to visitors during the night, on Tuesday, May 21st.

"The European Night of Museums is an event held in more than 30 countries across Europe, aimed at bringing cultural heritage closer to the public through various thematic content and events. This year, the Museum of Sport at Borik Hall will celebrate this event with a rich program intended for visitors of all ages. The museum will be open from 6:00 to 11:00 pm on the night of May 21st," the statement read.

They added that there would be a panel discussion titled "Borik Hall from My Perspective, My 50 in Borik" from 7:00 to 8:00 pm in front of the Museum of Sport, gathering guests from the world of sports: Milorad Karalić, Željko Tica, and Nebojša Kuštrinović, who will share their experiences from the rich history of Borik.

"After the panel discussion, and guided by the museum's curators, visitors will be able to attend the promotion of the current exhibition '50 Years of Borik Hall,' which includes a rich collection of sports artifacts, trophies, and photographs from the history of Borik Hall," the organizers concluded.