Draft:Nebojša Delja

Nebojša Delja was a Serbian architect, set designer, and artist. Born in 1934 in Niš, he graduated from the Department of Interior Architecture of the Academy of Applied Arts in Belgrade in 1962. He was one of the founders of "The Applied Artists and Designers Association of Serbia" (ULUPUDS) from 1963 with the status of distinguished artist. An awarded architect and artist, Nebojša Delja is best known for his contributions to Yugoslav World War II monuments and memorials in Serbia. The works of Nebojša Delja are in the collections of the Museum of Applied Arts in Belgrade, in the Museum of Contemporary Art - Collection of Prints and Drawings, and in private collections in Serbia and abroad.

As a student and young artist, Delja studied and apprenticed with many notable Serbian and international artists, including drawing and sculpting in the studio of Rista Stijović; planning and programming in fine arts with Prof. Architect Zivorad Piperski; landscape architecture, horticulture and outdoor furnishings with Prof. Aleksandar Krstić; industrial design for furniture with  Prof. Arch. A. Heller, Bern, Switzerland; sacred architecture with Prof. Rene Bourbone, Paris, France; film and TV scenography with Igor Vakevič, Paris, France; and art ceramics and glass with Veljko Forcan, Belgrade.

Monuments and Memorial Parks
Delja's contributions to Yugoslav memorials and monuments were part of Galerija Dessa’s 2020 exhibit dedicated to the monuments to the victims of the People's Liberation War entitled, “Architecture. Sculpture. Remembrance: The Art of Monuments of Yugoslavia 1945–1991.”

Delja’s most well-known and recognizable artistic contributions are monuments and memorial parks. He participated in numerous Yugoslav nationwide competitions, including:


 * First prize in the Yugoslav nationwide competition for the Brazde Monument "Jabuka" at the Stratište Memorial Complex, 1981.
 * First prize in the Yugoslav nationwide competition for the memorial to a Roma youth at the Šumarice Memorial Park, Kragujevac, 1963.
 * First prize in the Yugoslav nationwide competition for the memorial mosaic SUP Belgrade, 1958.
 * First prize in the Yugoslav nationwide competition for the BIGZ mosaic in Belgrade.
 * First Prize in the Academy for Applied Arts internal student competition for the interior design of the Art Academy Students Club - Akademija, 1962.
 * Second prize in the Yugoslav national competition for the Monument to the Soviet Generals at Avala, 1977.
 * Design curator of the Belgrade Museum Exhibition in the City Assembly of Belgrade:  Belgrade in the 19th Century, July-September 1967.
 * First prize in the Yugoslav national competition for urban planning of the memorial landmark in Subotica (with Oto Logo and Čedomir Krstić), 1977
 * Participant in Yugoslav national competition for the Kozara monument, 1968 https://hrcak.srce.hr/file/435317
 * First prize in the Yugoslav competition for the Architectural, Horticultural and Art solution of the Alley of National Heroes in the Belgrade Cemetery (Co-author Prof. Ing. Aleksandar Krstić), 1978
 * First prize for art interior decoration of the general secretariat of the European Railway Union (now the International Union of Railways) in Paris (ceramic panel 500cm-300cm), 1979.
 * First prize in the Yugoslav national competition for art and urban planning of the Branka Krsmanovica Square and monument in Paracin (co-author Oto Logo)
 * Second prize in the Yugoslav national art competition at Dom Omladine, Belgrade, 1962.
 * Second prize in the Yugoslav national competition for art furnishing of a youth home in Belgrade, 1962.
 * Second prize in the Yugoslav national competition for urban planning of the Smederev Fortress (co-authors End Branislav Jovin and Arch. Eng. Vladimir Velickovic).
 * Second prize in the Yugoslav national competition for the Memorial Cemetery in Barletta, Italy, 1964.
 * Second prize in the Yugoslav national competition for the Memorial Cemetery in Gonars, Italy, 1964.
 * Second prize for urban planning of the Titov Gaj complex near Belgrade (900 hectares) in the national Yugoslavian competition (co-author Prof ing Aleksandar Krstić)
 * Eighth biennale, sports and architecture competition in Madrid, Thematic Exhibition.  Participation of athletes, 1971.
 * Fifth prize in an international competition for three villas in Hollywood, 1980
 * First Prize for urban planning of Freedom Square in Sombor (co-author Oto Logo), 1979.
 * Urban Planning complex for the Battle of Liska Memorial in Ljig, 1980.
 * Design project of the memorial cemetery of the victims of Bulgaria.

Interior Design
In addition to his work on monuments and memorials, Delja led the renovation and restoration of many notable projects in Yugoslavia. Working with the Atelje 212 theater and the first Belgrade International Theater Festival (BITEF) director Mira Trailović, he carried out the first and second redesign of the Atelje 212 theater. He also discovered three locations that were renovated for the BITEF festival and are now indepensible elements of Belgrade culture today. Notably, the cave at the base of the Belgrade medieval fortress Kalemegdan that is now Barutana; the church on Bajlonova pijac, now Trg Mire Trailović and BITEF Teatar; and the Boško Buha theater decor warehouse.

Delja also undertook commercial renovations of several well-known locations, including the National Theater of Subotica in 1971. He developed a study of children’s playgrounds in Belgrade, and a survey of the Belgrade City Assembly in 1971. As part of the first FEST film festival in 1971, Delja was responsible for the design of the "Mala Sala" Hall at the Dom Sindikata.

Set Design for Theater and Film
As a representative of Yugoslavia at the Fourth Biennale of Young Artists in Paris in 1965, he received the Biennale Award for Theater Decor, at that time the highest award in the world for young artists-scenographers. Part of the award was a scholarship from the French government to specialize in scenography at ORTF Television. The awards were presented by the French Minister of Culture, André Malraux.

Delja was engaged in set design for numerous theater productions, television shows, and films:

Theater

 * Acrobats (Akrobati) directed by Mira Trailović.  Atelje 212, 1975
 * Play Strindberg, directed by Radoslav Dorić.  Atelje 212 1972
 * The Play (Komedija) by Samuel Beckett, directed by Milovan Novcić.  Atelje 212, 1965
 * Play Strindberg, directed by Radoslav Dorić.  Hungarian Theater Novi Sad, 1977
 * (Rucante) directed by Radoslav Dorić.  Hungarian Theater Novi Sad, 1977
 * The Old Lady’s Visit (Poseta Stare Dame) directed by Radoslav Dorić. Hungarian Theater Novi Sad, 1977
 * Pod Razno, directed by Srboljub BOŽINOVIĆ, 1979

Television and Film


 * Proces Djordanu Brunu, directed by Mario Faneli,  1976
 * Sister Griselda's Night Duty directed by Ljubomir Draškić, 1968
 * The Oppenheimer Case directed by Arsenije Jovanović, 1970
 * Skandal, directed by Arsa Jovanović, 1969
 * Jovca, directed by Dragoslav Lazić, 1976
 * Ignjatovic Protic Gebelsa directed by Dragoslav Lazić, 1975
 * Srbija na Istoku directed by Dragoslav Lazić, 1970
 * Serija Ulicni Sviraci directed by Ratko Ilić, 1984
 * Film:  Treca Sreca directed by Dragoslav Lazić, 1994
 * Serija Omladina Pita directed by Ratko Ilić, 1975-1976
 * Serija Disco Folk directed by Ratko Ilić 1983-1987
 * Dan Mladnosti Stadion JNA directed by Jovan Ristić, 1968
 * Designed a system of component elements for TV Beograd, 1970
 * Simposium for Yugoslav TV Scenography, Bled, 1970
 * Radost Evrope at Dom Sindikata, 1972
 * Film: HAJDUČIJA (1970)

Prints and Paintings
At the beginning of his career, Nebojša Delja represented Yugoslavia at exhibitions in Yugoslavia and abroad for graphic prints, including:


 * the International Graphic Bieniale Ljubljana ,1965:
 * the Exhibition of Yugoslav Prints, organized by the Museum of Contemporary Art in the National Gallery in Prague, 1968
 * Exhibition of CONTEMPORARY SERBIAN ART, MODERN GALLERY, LJUBLJANA, SLOVENIA, 04/08/1971 • 05/05/1971

Later print exhibitions included:


 * 8th Mondial de l'estampe et de la gravure originale Mondial de l'estampe et de la gravure originale, Vichy, France, 2010
 * Chamalieres, France 2011
 * Vichy, France 2013
 * 9th Triennale Mondiale de L’Estampe, Chamalieres-Auvergne, France.  August-October 2014.

Nebojša Delja began painting in his 7th decade. In January 2006, an exhibition of his paintings and graphics dedicated to the anniversary of Jules Verne's death was held under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture of Serbia transferred at the Paris Cultural Center SCG, as part of the general celebration of Jules Verne's anniversary. These artistic works were highlighted in the August 5, 2005 issue of Politicin Zabavnik (issue 2791).

Also in 2006, an exhibition of graphics themed “Fantasy Ships” was held in the Port Authority of Belgrade, dedicated to the first steamship company, under the patronage of the Ministry of Water Transport and Roads of Serbia.

Ceramic Sculpture
Delja represented Yugoslavia at representative exhibitions in the country and abroad:


 * First Independent Exhibition for Sculptural Ceramics, Museum of Applied Arts in Belgrade, 1962 - the first exhibition of its kind and content in Serbia.
 * Independent Exhibition of Sculptural Ceramics in the Framework of the Evening of Surrealistic Poetry by Dušan Matić, former Altelje 212 in the Borba Building, 1965.
 * Grand Prize in the Yugoslav Ceramics Triennale in Subotica, 1968
 * International Ceramics Exhibition in Faenza, 1964.
 * Vrnjacka Banja Ceramics Symposium, 1965
 * Symposium in Mali Iđoš, 1967
 * International Exhibition of Ceramics in Barcelona, Spain, 1968
 * 10th Yugoslav Triennal of Ceramics in the Museum of Applied Art, Belgrade 1997, including an organized tribute to the first-prize winner of the1st triennial.  Exhibition of large format porcelain plates.
 * Represented Yugoslav Ceramics and Tapestry, Scandinavian countries, 1970.
 * Contemporary Ceramics and Glass from the Museum of Applied Art, held in the State History Museum in Moscow in 1975. The authors of the exhibition were Mirjana Teofanović and Svetlana Isaković.
 * Study of a Chinese Warrior Costume on Porcelain, from the Gime Collection in Paris.
 * Study of the Collection of National Ceramics from the Legacy of Prof. Academic Painter Aleksandar Tomasević.
 * Study of sculptural forms for porcelain in technology.  Worked with porcelain factories in Mladenovac.
 * Art Glass Exhibition at the Prva Srpska Fabrika Stakla in Paraćin, 1992.
 * Contemporary Ceramics in Serbia, Museum of Applied Arts in Belgrade, 1979.
 * Study program for the industrial production of ceramics at Keramia Mladenovac, in Mladenovac.

At the First Yugoslav Triennial of Ceramics, he received the highest award, the then established Triennial Award, and at the Tenth Triennial, the organizers prepared a tribute as the first winner of the Triennial Award.