must-see visual wonders in belgrade opening this fall

Photo: Garden of Lights Beograd Facebook

 

This article was developed within the program Venture an Idea funded by the USAID.

This November, Belgrade is hosting a pair of visual spectacles intent on lighting up the city’s collective imagination and reshaping our perception of the world. We're talking Garden of Lights' very own Alice in Wonderland and a series of photography exhibitions under the auspices of Vizualizator 2023 Fest.

Let's jump right in.

Alice in Wonderland at Ada Ciganlija

If you're unfamiliar with the Garden of Lights project, it combines fairy tales and light technology to bring stories like Smurfs, Pinocchio, or Peter Pan to an evocative and esthetically pleasing life. Granted, the said esthetics is geared more towards children, but the visiting adults have reportedly come out just as amazed and bedazzled by their creations.

And now, for the first time ever, the project brings its technological wonder to Serbia and, more specifically, Belgrade's Ada Ciganlija. For a couple of months ahead, you'll have a chance to relive some of the most iconic scenes from Lewis Carol's classic novel, enjoy a banter with the Cheshire Cat, visit Queen Kier in her own castle, or spill some tea at the Crazy Afternoon Party.

Everywhere you go, you'll be met with / confronted by light & sound installations that present the world in dream-like sequences as if formed out of Mr. Caterpillar's pipe smoke. On the more substantial side of things, you can stroll along the garden, take part in the gamification game (?!), and take photos at specialized photo-taking outposts.

Jumping into this particular rabbit hole will set you back between 1.000 and 1.200 RSD.

Vizualizator 2023

'Do you believe your own eyes?'

You don't have to answer right now, but bear the question in mind when visiting the 2023 edition of Vizualizator photo exhibition.

Created to bring together all photography-loving creatives under its flag, Vizualizator sits at the forefront of the region's progressive and conceptual scene. Open through December 7th, this year's edition tackles the tricky subject of Artificial Intelligence and its overall effect on the industry.

The program, however, goes beyond the confines of the industry to turn our basic sense of epistemology on its head. What is real, what isn't, and where do we draw the line are just some of the questions at the core of the 2023 iteration of the fest.

The questions are explored through a total of 12 exhibitions across the city. Possible highlights are Fake Memories of Art History by Berlin-based Boris Eldagsen - an artist who recently made waves by declining Sony World Photography Awards; Capturing the Inauguration of Life by Jos Verhoogen; and Momentum by Aleksandar Buđevac.

The exhibitions are followed by an extensive workshop program. Jos Verhoogen is behind the wheel on November 30th in Skadarlija.

Bonus Content: Museum of Illusions

If, however, none of them rock your (visual) boat, there’s always a copout in form of the Museum of Illusions. Made for children and adults alike, the museum offers three floors of spectacular, interactive, and twisted visual goodies on permanent show.

Book a visit in advance, though; the museum’s been in demand since it opened two and a half winters ago.

 

This article is made possible by the support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents of this program are the responsibility of Nova Iskra and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government