Kovačica naive art, an element of Serbia’s intangible cultural heritage, has been inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, the Ministry of Culture announced.
This decision underscores Serbia’s dedication to preserving intangible cultural heritage and promoting cultural diversity, while highlighting the importance of national minorities and their contribution to the country’s rich cultural legacy.
The decision to include Kovačica naive art was made by the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage during its 19th session, held in Asunción, Paraguay, from 2 to 7 December.
Kovačica naive art, inscribed in Serbia’s National Register of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2012, encompasses the knowledge and skills of painting and decorating objects with vivid depictions of folk life, rural settings, and everyday life. This unique form of naive art originated in Kovačica in the 1930s.
From Kovačica, the art spread to other areas, primarily in Vojvodina, such as Padina, Aradac, Vojlovica, Pančevo, and others. In the second half of the 20th century, it gained widespread national and international recognition.
Serbia now has five elements listed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity: Family Patron Saint Celebration (2014), Kolo – Traditional Folk Dance (2017), Singing to the Accompaniment of the Gusle (2018), Zlakusa Pottery Making (2020), and Social Practices and Knowledge Related to the Preparation and Use of Traditional Plum Brandy – Šljivovica (2022), the statement added.
Photo: Ana Žolnaj Barca / Gallery of Naïve Art