I Sacrifice my Great Joy

I am an actor, not a politician, and through this role I seek some future affirmation…As an artist, I am happy to see that the world recognises our cultural values and Serbia as an integral part of Europe, says actor and Serbia’s Minister of Culture Vojislav – Voja Brajović, in an interview with the Jat New Review.

By Radmila Stanković
Photo by Vukica Mikača

For his 58^th birthday (May 11^th, 1949), native Belgrade resident Voja Brajović received his best ever present – on May 15^th he was appointed minister of culture for the Republic of Serbia. Although he is not a member of the Democratic Party, he was recommended by Serbian President Boris Tadić.

This successful and very popular actor has now crowned his acting career with another important function, in which Minister Brajović has already produced results.

Though Brajović is extremely well known for his roles in hundreds of plays, a dozen or so films and TV series, including his role as Tihi in the cult television series Otpisani (The Written Off), few people know that he was only six months old when his father, a high-ranking officer in the Yugoslav National Army, was imprisoned as a result of that era's political upheaval. Thus, he and his older brother were left with their mother. It is easy to figure out that Vukota Brajović "was an IB victim" (short for Informbiro) a common phrase in those days that meant that he was guilty according to the infamous Informbiro Resolution, that marked the end of Yugoslavia's relationship with the Soviet Union. Voja grew up in Valjevo, where he was nicknamed Vojkan, which locals use to this day. He says guest performances in Valjevo are the most challenging for him:

"I always have terrible stage fright when I perform in Valjevo because my friends there are certainly not indifferent. I don’t want to let them down, and they, too, don't want to see me fall short of expectations".

His firstborn son was named after his father, Vukota, and his daughter from the same marriage is Iskra (spark).  

Cultural circles decry the minimal financial support allocated from the budget to culture. As minister of culture, what is the most important issue in Serbian culture, in your opinion?

- I have been engaged in culture for decades, and consequently I think I can recognise the problem in general. Today, I think the greatest problem is an inadequate system of values; the state is not able to understand the importance of science, education and culture, regardless of the order in which we place these fields. These three segments are most important for the social development of a society, for a higher civilisational level of life. We lost an awareness of this long ago, and I would even say that over the last 15 years this has been done on purpose in order to more easily manipulate people. As an actor, theatre manager, and member of various city forums of culture, I have always focused on the main objective – how to give an artist what he deserves so that he can contribute more.

- And when the budget is at issue, my task in government is to make clear to my colleagues-ministers: don't think that with a crumb more from the budget you will save the state. On the contrary, you will destroy the government's entire policy if you don't take into consideration what is most important, spiritual food.

In recent months you have been quite active in terms of diplomatic activity. You have met many ambassadors, European creators, artists, UNESCO representatives … One great artist at the end of his interview with you said to the interpreter: "Happy are the people to have such a minister of culture!" What are the most frequent misunderstandings you have to correct?

- I don't see that there are many misunderstandings, at least not among people I meet. It became clear long ago that it was a big mistake for European culture to have isolated us at one point, to have placed us in a cage. With us, again, the big mistake is that we think we are sufficient to ourselves. In the recent period, from the time I was appointed minister, I've had discussions with some 40 ambassadors who offered cooperation, and this warmed my heart. I am an actor, not a politician, who through this function seeks to affirm plans for the future. As an artist I'm happy to see that the world recognises our cultural values and Serbia as an integral part of Europe. We received a great compliment from Terry Davies, Secretary-General of the Council of Europe, and Jan Figel, who is very important in re-introducing us to Europe, and I think that this ministry does the best job in successfully integrating us on our future European road. This assumes good relationships with UNESCO, UNMIK and anyone who needs to be familiar with our struggle for cultural heritage and values.

What's it like to work all day long in the Ministry, to fill your government seat, tour Serbia and perform in the evening?

I have roles in three Shakespeare plays, one Biljana Srbljanović and one Milena Marković. At Atelje 212 I play in The Visitor with Dragan Nikolic, a play written by a brilliant writer, Eric Emanuel Schmidt, and at Zvezdara Theatre Milica and I perform in The View at the Sky, and at the Belgrade Drama Theatre I perform in Villa Sashino written and directed by Goran Marković.

How do your theatre colleagues behave when you spend time with them before or after performances? Do they use the fact that you are the minister to turn your attention to something?

- This is very useful to me. People are now more active in my presence. I would say that people use more grey cells when we are together, and they direct them to something which is rational and can contribute to improve the overall situation with respect to culture. Especially when the Law on Culture is at issue.

With respect to the Law, what is its most important role in getting things settled in Serbian culture in your opinion?

- I don't think that we have written the best Law, but with all the suggestions we have received it can be very good. You know, my life motto is that it is not a problem if one falls. The problem is if one stands up and doesn't go on. There is nothing to look at on the ground. The same is true of this Law, about which I can freely say that it is the first very serious and expansive endeavour undertaken by the Ministry. The comments and objections we have received and adopted were very important to us. I feel good when amateurs from Irig look upon me as one of their own, someone who can understand them and at least try to help them. And this happens every day.

Cultural institutions, as foreseen in this law, can be privatised and private. Do you think this will cause problems?

- Any institution that will be privatised should not be allowed to change its basic activity. Hence, there is no chance of somebody buying a cinema and turning it into a storehouse or a gambling premise, whatever. The Metropolitan Opera in New York is private, but the president of the Managing Board is the president of the Constitutional Court. Thus, the state can exercise the opportunity to care for and preserve important institutions that are in private hands. Or, if someone donates to one institution, that doesn't mean that he donates money to promote his favourite singer or ballerina. The gist of privatisation or donation is not in this, certainly. One shouldn't be afraid of privatisation because art is stronger than everything.

The media report extensively about the National Museum of Serbia, especially when its paintings were moved in order to restore the Museum. What do you think about this case?

- Recently I visited the National Museum and I couldn't believe that this treasure has been hidden for decades hidden from the public. It was a shock for me. It was enough to see only five paintings -- by Picasso, Degas, Van Gogh, Gauguin, Matisse -- to realise that they deserve to be displayed in a gallery so that people can see them every day. Wouldn't it be a normal thing to display at least these five paintings during renovation of the Museum? We'll do everything possible to see that some paintings from the Museum are permanently exhibited during this reconstruction phase that will last several years. To me this is more important than any other story about this institution.

Artists will certainly be grateful to you for your policy of granting special recognition to those who, for instance, have great merit but a miserable pension?

- The point is that the state should correct this injustice towards distinguished artists who have been working for years and today have no money to buy medicine. These 50,000 RSD that they will be granted, in addition to their pension, will make their lives more bearable and easier. This action was initiated last year and I thought it had to be finalised so that it doesn’t confirm that – as our people say – "only a fool believes everything".