UNUSUAL AND UNIQUE

BELGRADE: PLACES WHERE

ALTERNATIVE ART DOESN’T
REST

15/01/2018

Nowadays you can find places in Belgrade that manage to survive even though
they offer literary evenings, alternative jazz or experimental plays. If you’re one of
those people who are always looking for more, if you’re searching for something
that heightens all your senses and laces the usual sipping of your drink with a bit of
creativity, then these unusual places are just for you!

Plays in the independent LE

STUDIO theatre
Address: Poenkareova 26
Imagine a theatre where there is no boundary between the stage and the auditorium
and the bar. This is exactly how Le Studio works. Just slouch back in the sofa and
enjoy the play. It was exactly as Sanja Maljković, the production designer, told us
before the beginning of the play:“We talk to the audience, we don’t narrate. Feel
free to join in the conversation!”
As opposed to the other theatres where the audience and the actors say farewell
when the curtain falls, here the after party is a must! The members of the audience
can get a chance to have a drink with the actors, have a chat with them and at least
for a moment delve into their world.

Laughter and satire in BEN

AKIBA club
Address: Braće Krsmanović 6
You won’t find Branislav Nušić in this place, but you’ll definitely have a whale of
a time with the most talented Serbian comedians. Ben Akiba is a stand-up club and
bar that often organizes dark comedy nights or open mic shows.
The crew, with Milica Mihajlović running the show, has been promoting laughter
and satire in the best possible way since 2010. The stage is not reserved only for
Serbian jokesters, who often engage the audience in their shows, but is open to all
the comedians from the countries of the former Yugoslavia. Even foreign
performances from Sweden and Great Britain, which take place during the Stand-
up Fest, are becoming more and more frequent. So if you enjoy a great belly laugh,
a laugh that has you doubled over with giggles while you’re sipping your drink,
then this is the place for you. Who knows, you may become venturous enough to
grab the mike and step onto the stage!

Paintbrush and canvas at

LEMON BERRY studio
Address: Andrićev venac 4
Do you know how to paint? This is of no importance whatsoever at Lemon
Berry studio. This studio offers a new experience with a paintbrush, canvas,
colours and an easel. It’s up to you to show how good or bad you are in this form
of art.

They offer absolutely everything – from object painting to themed couples

evenings. The studio is run by Marina and Gordana who will help you to hone your
painting skills. If nothing else, you’ll definitely have a great time in a truly unique
way while you’re listening to jazz, gorging on sweets and sipping wine.

Sculpturology and graffiti in

CIGLANA: THE CLUB OF
HEAVY INDUSTRY FANS
Address: Slanački put 26
Ciglana is hard to define. This is perhaps the closest thing that Belgrade has to
offer for time travel. Ciglana is an abandoned complex, a sculpture studio, a
meadow, a gallery, a heap of rubble and waste, a bar… It encompasses everything,
because art can spring from anything!
At the place where the former brickyard “Trudbenik” used to stand are a sculpture
studio of Viktor Kiš, who is the mastermind behind the whole project, a coffee
gallery and “Art Depo” gallery set in one of the factory halls, which probably
makes it the largest exhibition venue in the country.

Ciglana is proud to have the largest street art gallery in Serbia and projects such as
Spajalica, Dev9t and CirkoBalkan.

Plays and the written word in

POLET art gallery
Address: Cetinjska 15
Polet is one of those places that offer everything. Jazz is a part of Polet, as well as
exhibitions. However, as you approach this place, which is located at the very end
of Cetinjska 15, you’ll most probably hear words in silence.

by Nevena Marković
Sometimes it is a monodrama, sometimes reading of love poems and sometimes a
presentation of the latest works of literature. The leading lights of Serbian theatre,
such as Radoslav Milenković and Zoran Ćosić can often be seen on stage here.

Anime and cartoons in VENTIL

bar
Address: Kapetan Mišina 14
The Transformers, The Brave Little Toaster, The Elm-Chanted Forest, Batman,
Ninja Turtles. All the cartoons believed to be forgotten are regularly shown here
every Tuesday and Wednesday.
Ventil bar is a small place in the typical Dorćol style that has a regular crew that is
always ready to accept everyone who is willing to join them in remembering the
famous cartoons.

Interactive exhibition in
TESLA restaurant and museum
Address: Karađorđeva 21
You can hear so many things about Nikola Tesla and yet so little is known about
him. Tesla restaurant is trying to build a concept that is about to change that
altogether. This place offers dishes inspired by Tesla’s life stages – from his
studies to the years when he became a scientist. You can even try Tesla’s favourite
dishes, especially those made from apples.
The basement of the restaurant is a museum where you can get acquainted with the
details of his life via a mobile application. One of these details include the fact that
Mark Twain was his close friend and that he was obsessed with number 3. You can
see some of his inventions and find out about some of his favourite activities with
the aid of VR technology and holography.

Slam poetry of POEZIN

organization
Address: A number of clubs in the city
Poezin organization is responsible for the development of slam in our country – an
artistic, poetic style that is performed on the open stage in the form of a
competition.
This poetic contest requires no previous experience. All you need is talent,
creativity and the balls to step in front of the people and recite in a way that is
often comic and more than often serious criticism of society. You can find them in
Polet art gallery, club “Petak” and many other places. We suggest that you follow
them on social networks where they regularly post the time and venue of their
forthcoming performances.

Craftsmen and designers at

Belgrade NIGHT MARKET
Address: Belgrade markets
Once a month, at sixish p.m. when it gets dark, one of the Belgrade
markets reopens its gates. On this day the market stalls begin their second or, to be
more precise, third shift. Imagine French cheeses and nougat, homemade pasta
according to a Tuscan recipe, hot Mexican sauces, truffles, waffles and ginger
biscuits and then imagine wine, craft beer, mulled brandy, German sausages and
Czech spit cakes. Smells are wafting on all sides and you can’t tell which is more
tempting.

However, it isn’t all about hedonistic overindulgence. You can also find a variety
of creative things made by young designers and craftsmen on the tightly packed
market stalls. The things you can find here include an assortment of jewellery
made from metal, rope or clay, hand-painted pottery, T-shirts, shopping bags and
socks, natural soaps and other cosmetic products, jack o’lanterns and wooden and
glass figurines. In the midst of all this buzz is a makeshift bar where you can lean
on the table and enjoy this colourful diversity with a glass of drink and music in
the background. An out of the ordinary event that heightens all the senses!

Absolutely everything in the

club PETAK
Address: Lomina 14
Petak is the most creative nook in Belgrade. Here you can listen to poetry recitals,
dance, watch ballet dancers performing, see puppet shows about Old Church
Slavonic mythology and find out about the project “Dosije Umetnik” which serves
to promote the work of all kinds of artists by organizing exhibitions. In Petak, you
can have a chat with film directors, journalists and writers. They also organize
karaoke, table football tournaments, stand-up comedy and cooking competitions
for charity.

Petak is the only snug and cosy place that simply oozes creativity. The best
testament to this is an experimental play Laura, molim te with Nikola Rakočević in
the role, which is also called a Facebook monodrama.

Circus and performance in

MAGACIN KOD KRALJEVIĆA
MARKA
Address: Kraljevića Marka 4-8

Magacin u Kraljevica Marka abounds in unusual things. Alternative theatres, such

as Hleb and Mimart, regularly perform here. Circus is live in MKM! Acrobatics is
live! Performance is live!

More than a thousand events take place here in the course of one year. Rehearsals,
plays, literary evenings, exhibitions, performances, film projections etc. A lot of
things that you see at other places in the city have previously been prepared,
rehearsed and created here.
MKM is the last cultural asylum of migrants and other marginalized groups. Here
you can often see them in the audience and have a chat with them. In order to
inspire people to address them, the words of one of our citizens were written on
the entrance: “I was watching the show and occupied as I was, I didn’t even notice
the migrants. Then I noticed a group of people and thought to myself: “YES,
they’re refugees!”. As I walked past them I thought about them, I read in the
papers about them and then I said to myself: “OK, the next time I pass by, I’ll ask
them something.” But I’m very shy. I know, it sounds foolish, but I really don’t
know how to explain it.”
Photography in Zoom art &
photo studio
Address: Dobričina 76

Zoom is a concept that every fan of photography will like. The boundaries between
professional photo shoots, photo exhibitions and a leisurely sipping of your drink
are slightly blurred in this place.

Art & Photo concept was created by Ivan, Sandra, Andrey and Jelena, a quartet
from Sankt Petersburg, who are seriously into photography and even more
seriously into enjoying life! This is why every Thursday you can enjoy motion
pictures on the same cyclorama that is used for photo shoots, as well as occasional
bazaars of handmade knick-knacks.
If you’re a foreigner or you’re giving them a tour of the city, then the first-rate
films and documentaries in Zoom are an excellent choice because they all have
English subtitles.

Nudes in DRAWING ROOM

studio
Address: Ilije Garašanina 9

Drawing in the presence of nude models can be found in many places on this list.
As of late, they have their own address. Drawing room studio aims to create a
community of professional artists, amateurs, enthusiasts, hobbyists and complete
beginners with a simple idea to draw without supervision or any special
assignments in a relaxing bar-like atmosphere.

by Drawing Room Belgrade

Every night a different model poses and admission is free of charge. You only have
to bring your own drawing set and leave a tip for the model.
Gastronomy in KC Grad
Address: Braće Krsmanović 4

The European Centre for Culture and Debate is the product of a joint initiative
of Cultural Front Belgrade and the Felix Meritis Foundation from Amsterdam. It
excels in musical, film and especially culinary events.

by KC Grad
The concept is simple. Experienced gastronomists from around the world come
and prepare the meals. This year, Gil Hovav from Israel hosted a Humus night for
the citizens of Belgrade. And, of course, there’s the traditional “Deli Monday”.
Let’s make it clear, KC Grad is not a restaurant. Imagine this event as a school
canteen but with much better food! Film days are especially interesting and they
often entail the tasting of food from the country whose films are shown.
Places of cultural
decontamination
There are many places in Belgrade where culture is well-cared-for and freely
available every day. Often for free. If you ever get lost in the shallow and
meaningless things in offer or you simply don’t know what you could do during
the week, then we suggest that you visit these places. You’re bound to find
something worthy of attention at least in one of them. After all, Belgrade is a city
where more than two hundred events are organized every day.
If this isn’t enough for you, then you should go and visit cultural nooks that offer
daily activities such as Parobrod, Dom Omladine (Belgrade Youth
Centre), CZKD, Dorćol Platz, Baraka, Kvaka22…
If even this fails to provide you with motivation to breathe in creativity and art that
are all around us … then the hell with it! Maybe it’s not for everyone.
art, belgrade, comedy, drawing, drink, poetry, serbia, theater