More than 7,000 visitors, 124 icons by 103 artists from 18 countries, over 20 international guests, six ambassadors at the official opening and a major international masterclass marked this year’s edition of The Light of the Logos. During the first half of September, Belgrade became the world’s foremost meeting place for contemporary sacred art.
By Gordana Tadić
Photography: Nino Zlatanović, Nikola Đogić
The Light of the Logos, an international juried exhibition of contemporary sacred art organised by the Kaleidoskop Cultural Centre with the support of UNESCO, was held from 1 to 16 September 2026 at the Kolarac Endowment Gallery in Belgrade.
Over the course of two weeks, the exhibition attracted approximately 7,500 visitors, making this year’s edition the most widely attended since the exhibition was launched. It was also described by the media as the cultural event of the year. Due to exceptional public interest, the Gallery extended its opening hours and opened specially on Sundays.
This year’s exhibition was the first major public component of the two-year project The Light of the Logos: Digital Networking, Education and Inclusion for the Sustainable Development of Contemporary Sacred Art, implemented by the Kaleidoskop Cultural Centre with the support of UNESCO through the International Fund for Cultural Diversity.
The project ranked second among 881 applications from around the world and was one of only 11 projects selected for support. Its aim is to connect artists, experts and institutions throughout 2026, 2027 and 2028 through international gatherings, masterclasses, research, professional resources and the development of a specialised digital platform dedicated to contemporary sacred art.
A Magnificent Opening Attended by More Than 1,100 People
The exhibition was officially opened on 1 September before an audience of more than 1,100 visitors. On behalf of and with the blessing of His Holiness Porfirije, Serbian Patriarch, the exhibition was opened by His Grace Dr Tihon Rakićević, Vicar Bishop of Moravica.
The opening was attended by artists from Serbia and abroad, Church dignitaries, clergy and monastics, representatives of cultural institutions, members of the media, citizens and the diplomatic corps, including the ambassadors of six countries.
Speaking about the sacred art heritage inherited from the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, Bishop Tihon emphasised that The Light of the Logos bears witness to the fact that, despite historical interruptions, wars and destruction, this inspiration and enthusiasm have not come to an end.
During the exhibition, a special expert-guided tour was organised for the Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba, who had an opportunity to learn more about the international exhibition, its artists and the broader objectives of the UNESCO-supported project. Expert-guided tours were also organised for students from several secondary schools in Belgrade.
More than 20 international artists from three continents, from the United States to Lebanon, travelled to Belgrade for the official opening and accompanying programmes. Their arrival transformed the exhibition into one of the world’s largest international gatherings of contemporary icon painters.
Record Response from Artists Around the World
The record response to this year’s open call attests to the international standing of The Light of the Logos. A total of 308 icons by 205 artists from 23 countries across four continents were submitted.
Following the jury selection, the international Artistic Council selected 109 works by 91 artists, while a further 15 icons by 12 honorary exhibitors completed the exhibition.
Audiences at the Kolarac Endowment Gallery were therefore able to view 124 icons by 103 artists from 18 countries: Serbia, Romania, Greece, Bulgaria, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Montenegro, Republika Srpska, Latvia, the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Lebanon, the United States of America, Peru, the Philippines and Cuba.
The concept of the exhibition and the project as a whole was created by Luka Novaković, MA, painter-conservator and doctoral candidate at the University of Belgrade, while the exhibition was curated by art historian Vera Vitorović.
George Kordis and Artists from Three Continents
The exhibition’s honorary guest was Professor George Kordis, PhD, from Greece, one of the most influential contemporary icon painters and art educators of our time.
His presence lent particular artistic distinction and international significance to this year’s programme. Alongside Kordis, numerous artists representing different generations, schools and artistic approaches gathered in Belgrade, creating a space for direct encounters, exchanges of experience and conversations about the contemporary development of sacred art.
George Kordis in Belgrade
A special section of the exhibition featured three precious icons from the renowned workshop of St Elisabeth Convent in Minsk: The Most Holy Mother of God, Quick to Hear, Christ the Saviour and Saint Nicholas. For the first time, audiences in Belgrade had the opportunity to see these works, distinguished by their combination of Byzantine and Old Russian icon-painting traditions, exceptional craftsmanship and sumptuous hand-crafted rizas.
Seven Works Created Before an Audience
A major international masterclass was held at the Music Gallery of the Kolarac Endowment on 2 and 3 September. During the two-day programme, six artists and professors from Serbia, Greece and Romania created works simultaneously before an audience.
Approximately 70 selected artists from Serbia and abroad attended presentations of three traditional sacred art techniques: icon painting on wooden panels, fresco painting on fresh plaster and the creation of icons in stone.
Luka Novaković
Professor George Kordis, PhD, Professor Todor Mitrović, PhD, and Professor Jelena Hinić, PhD, presented icon painting on wooden panels. Luka Novaković, MA, demonstrated traditional fresco painting on fresh plaster, while Cristina and Andrei Raileanu from Romania presented two different approaches to creating icons in stone: painting and carving.
Jelena Hinić
Seven new works of art were created over the course of two days. George Kordis painted the Old Testament scene An Angel Feeds the Holy Prophet Elijah, Todor Mitrović created Emmanuel, while Jelena Hinić painted The Unsleeping Eye. Luka Novaković produced the frescoes Saint Peter and The Image of Christ Not Made by Hands, while Cristina and Andrei Raileanu created two different representations of Christ in stone.
Immediately after the masterclass, the works were incorporated into the exhibition and remained on view until the exhibition closed.
One of the most valuable aspects of this gathering was the opportunity for artists to observe experienced masters at work, discuss techniques and materials, and exchange knowledge that is usually acquired through many years of independent work in the studio.
This international masterclass was the first of eight educational programmes scheduled to be implemented by 2028 as part of The Light of the Logos UNESCO-supported project.
Four Awards and Eight Commendations
At the proposal of the Artistic Council and the Kaleidoskop Cultural Centre, four awards and eight commendations were presented at the official opening to artists whose works demonstrated exceptional artistic strength, originality of expression, harmony of colour and a fresh vision of contemporary sacred art.
The Light of the Logos Grand Prize was awarded to Antonina Sidneva from Russia and Greece for the icon Psalm 90. The Award for Excellence in Colour Harmony was presented to Marija Antić for Emmanuel, executed in encaustic. The Award for Originality in Icon Painting was presented to Romanian artist Alin Bogdan Pater for his icon Saint Simeon Stylites, created in tempera on glass, while the Award for a Young Sacred Artist was presented to Luka Šukilović for The Mandylion.
Commendations were presented to Jelena Marković, Adela Alexe, Renata Trifković, Anđel Šević, Andreea Cebanu, Amy Dean, Jovana Janković and Siniša Trivić.
More information about the award-winning and commended artists and their icons is available HERE.
An International Encounter That Continues
The Light of the Logos 2026 was not merely an exhibition. It was a meeting place for artists, curators, professors, experts, representatives of the Church, cultural institutions, the diplomatic corps, the media and the public.
Over the course of two weeks, the Kolarac Endowment Gallery became a space in which different languages, generations, artistic schools and traditions came together, united by a shared interest in contemporary sacred art.
The exceptional public interest, the presence of more than 20 international artists, six ambassadors at the official opening, the visit of the Ambassador of Cuba, extensive media coverage and daily encounters at the Gallery confirmed that sacred art has a strong and diverse audience and deserves a more visible place in contemporary culture.
The digital exhibition catalogue, featuring all exhibited works and information about the participating artists, is available HERE.
Gratitude to Everyone Who Created The Light of the Logos
The Kaleidoskop Cultural Centre extends its gratitude to His Holiness Porfirije, Serbian Patriarch, for his blessing and support, as well as to His Grace Dr Tihon Rakićević, Vicar Bishop of Moravica, who officially opened the exhibition and made an important contribution through his participation in the work of the Artistic Council.
We owe a great debt of gratitude to UNESCO and the International Fund for Cultural Diversity, whose support enabled this year’s exhibition to grow into a major international artistic and educational event.
We thank the Ilija M. Kolarac Endowment, the Museum of the Serbian Orthodox Church, ComputerLand and Iviron, the Embassy of Greece in Belgrade, the Embassy of Romania in Serbia, the Romanian Cultural Institute in Bucharest, Štampar Makarije, Službeni glasnik and Coca-Cola HBC Serbia.
We thank the representatives of the diplomatic corps and the ambassadors of six countries whose presence enhanced the official opening, as well as the Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba for his special visit to the exhibition.
We extend particular gratitude to Professor George Kordis, PhD, and to the professors and artists who created works before an audience, all international guests who travelled to Belgrade, the members of the Artistic Council, participating artists, exhibitors and masterclass participants.
We also thank the Zvono Vocal Group of the Centre for the Protection of Infants, Children and Youth, whose performance enriched the official opening, as well as our colleagues from the media, who followed the exhibition with great interest. More than 100 television, radio, print and digital reports were published about The Light of the Logos, making an exceptionally important contribution to the visibility of contemporary sacred art.
The media coverage of the exhibition is available here.
We owe a great debt of gratitude to the Kaleidoskop Cultural Centre team, which spent a year preparing the exhibition and its accompanying programmes: Luka Novaković, MA, author of the exhibition concept and the project as a whole; Vera Vitorović, exhibition curator; Gordana Tadić and Miona Kovačević from the organisational team; the photo and video team, Biljana Đogić, Bogdan Đurić, Nikola Đogić and Nino Zlatanović; as well as all associates, volunteers and friends whose work, professionalism and dedication made this major event possible.
Finally, our deepest gratitude goes to all the artists who entrusted us with their works and whose presence, knowledge, creativity and sense of community illuminated Belgrade. We also thank the public, who confirmed every day that contemporary sacred art is neither a closed nor a forgotten field, but a living art form that speaks powerfully to the people of our time.
The closing of the exhibition does not mark the end of The Light of the Logos. The project continues with new international masterclasses, educational programmes, the development of the digital platform and preparations for the next major gathering of artists in Belgrade.
The Light of the Logos Is Only Beginning!
The Light of the Logos: Digital Networking, Education and Inclusion for the Sustainable Development of Contemporary Sacred Art is a project supported by UNESCO through the International Fund for Cultural Diversity, under the 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.
Follow our portal and social media for all information about the exhibition, masterclasses and platform development. Light of the Logos is just beginning!
Light of the Logos – Instagram
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