BIOGRAPHY NOTES

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Nikola Krstović (Никола Крстовић) is Associate Professor at the University of Belgrade – Faculty of Philosophy, Art History Department on the Cathedra for Museology and Heritage studies since January 2018. This is also the University, Faculty and Department from which he finished all levels of studying: MA in 2005 on History of Postmodern architecture of Europe and USA, and PhD in 2012 on Musealisation of everyday life.

He`s holding several obligatory and optional courses on all the levels of studying: BA – Museology, Heritage studies, Heritage technologies, MA – Museology and Heritology, Museography of totalities, and as a separate MA program – American studies (with focus on Americas` museum practices). PhD - Integrative protection of cultural heritage, Critical museology. He`s also guest lecturer at the University of Ljubljana – Faculty of Philosophy, Slovenia, officially since 2019 and guest professor at the University of Applied arts in Belgrade.

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Understanding the constantly decreasing budget and interest in history and past researches and museums and public memory field development, as well as the growing generational gap between experienced museum professionals and young arrivals his optional course Heritage technologies (named  Nine lives of curator) in final year of bachelor studies is completely devoted to establishing the platform between museums, galleries, independent initiatives, exhibition and cultural entrepreneurs and students in their final years. The course resulted in the book of the same name (subtitle From museology to museography) that is to be published (paper) in early 2022. 

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Nikola Krstović is elected ICOM Serbia Chair in 2019 where he promotes the collaboration between senior and junior colleagues through informal mentorships, between main academic disciplines and museum colleagues of diverse specters of museum and heritage filed. He has led the Serbian team of four colleagues in joint endeavor with colleagues from ICOM and 10 countries from Southeast Europe in creating first ever European Red List of the museum objects at risk of looting and illegal trafficking. Together with the ICOM Serbia communication team and the ICOM Serbia Award Board he transformed the Award scheme of National committee in 2021 in a several months lasting promotional concept of best practices, professionals, publications and institutions with the big final ceremony.   

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Dr. Nikola Krstović is the member of the advisory boards of couple of museums in Serbia, Board of Advisors of The Best in Heritage (Dubrovnik, Croatia) and National correspondent of European Museum Forum for EMYA (European Museum of the Year Award). During 2020 and 2021 he was a member of the working group that produced the first ever National Law on Museums in Serbia adopted in October 2021.  

 

Prior to the academic career Prof. Krstovic has gained the highest curatorial rank in Serbia - museum adviser in 2017. That year also represent the turning point in his career, as he was awarded as the Museum professional of the year (curator) by over 500 members (museum professionals) of ICOM Serbia. He continued his curatorial researches throughout two fellowships (CWF Foundation/EXARC and Thesaurus Poloniae) in Colonial Williamsburg (largest living history museum in the world) and International cultural center in Krakow. During his stay in Poland the University of Belgrade has chosen him for Assistant Professor at the University of Belgrade.

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In his museum career Nikola Krstović was the author or initiator of numerous exhibitions, projects and activities (Main Exhibitions and Projects) that were highly influential not just in Serbia, but in region, Europe and USA, thanks to his numerous conference appearances and invitations to represent the museum projects. Most of them were experimental and/or innovative in the domain of subject matter, overall theme, and/or methodology of communication. Theoretical base and justification of the practices were important factor in his curatorial career, as well as collaboration. This is obvious in his Yearbook that was published five years in row growing steadily to the last edition in 2016 where over 40 authors from all over the world presented their work, innovative approaches and perspectives to curating past and history. (Selected Publications).

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Dr. Nikola Krstović published over 30 academic papers, being initiator and editor in chief of five books with international collaboration (Yearbooks – Memoir, From another perspective, Founding fathers, Unheard Voices, Everything you wanted to know), the book in collaboration with University Sorbonne (Paris 1) (Discussing heritage and museums), the monography Open-air museums: Musealisation of everyday life, and second on the way (Nine Lives of curator).  

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By Prof. Dr. Milan Popadić.

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“Regardless of their history and tradition that we should respect, museums and heritage are symbolical consensus about us now. I truly believe in open source models of collaboration and exchange and in honesty about every question from past, as well as present or anticipated future. Past is part of our lives as much as future. Both are equally unknown and both are equally influencing our daily lives. Yet, we have evidences about the first one that might blindfold our way to the second uncertainty. History is not over (yet) and we cannot hide or escape anything from the past. There`s no other option except to deal with it the best we can now. And ever-changing now demands ever-changing museums.

 

Nikola Krstović