Commissioner for the Protection of Equality Brankica Jankovic spoke at the opening of exhibition “Perceptions: Woman Tailored to Society” which was organized in Novi Sad by Gallery of Matica Srpska and British Council in partnership with Commissioner for the Protection of Equality.

At the exhibition that presents the artistic heritage of Serbia and Great Britain in one place, Commissioner Jankovic said that intensive promotion of women creations is necessary, especially when we have in mind the necessity to change gender stereotypes. She stressed that women have learned through history to be not only wives and mothers, but also doctors, painters and writers, and much more, but even if we live in different times, women are still fighting for equality in all spheres, including the art. Commissioner stressed that painting, literature and theatre once made a dominant trio that made cultural and civilizational progress of every society, but now their importance is progressively decreasing, leaving a room for different forms. We are living in societies of instant culture, where the main way of communication and educations is content on social networks. Although today is prestigious to be on social networks, real values in real shapes always survive and therefore it is an honor and prestige to attend such an exhibition.

She also said that usually women are the only speakers at the gatherings about equality and that round tables which will be organized during this exhibition will involve men, which is good, because they should show that gender equality is not only women issue.

Project “Perception” started its regional tour in July with exhibition “Why there are no big male arts?” in the National Museum of Montenegro in Cetinje. This art project consists of five exhibitions which will be presented in Western Balkan countries.

Other speakers at the exhibition in Novi Sad were also Tijana Palkovljevic Bugarski, director of Gallery of Matica Srpska, Emma Dexter, director of Visual Arts, British Council, Clare Sears, director Serbia and Western Balkans British Council and Denis Keef, Ambassador of Great Britain in Serbia.