If you don’t know where to spend a lovely Sunday afternoon, pack some basic necessities and head for one charming little village in Vojvodina. Kovačica is said to be a place where fairy tales are painted. And such a place you simply have to visit!
The people who make fairy tales literally come to life are the naive painters of Kovačica. Were it not for these astounding artists, this magical place would be just another village in Vojvodina.
And were it not for them, this small village wouldn’t have been visited by world famous celebrities such as the Rolling Stones, Pele and Alain Delon, and even the former president of France François Mitterrand.
Naïve art is inspired by the love for one’s homeland, people and their traditions, as well as luscious nature. In Serbia, naive art usually portrays people in national costumes, their life in the countryside such as them working on a field or in a meadow, their various customs, and everyday moments of love, happiness and sadness.
Naïve art is an art genre often characterized by a childlike simplicity in its subject matter and technique. Simplicity rather than subtlety are all supposed markers of this art genre.
However, the colourful and fairytale-like paintings, painted on a canvas, stool and even a squash, depicting beautiful rural landscapes and the simple life in Banat, simply make one want to live here. Or at least buy a piece of naive artwork.
What else makes Kovačica special?
Kovačica is a small village in South Banat, but even in such small a place, 4 nationalities live. In peace and harmony. In front of every single (beautifully painted) house is the obligatory little bench, the traditional meeting place of neighbours and friends.
In this charming Serbian village there is also a workshop famous for its handmade violins. Here everything is violin-related. The house number is in the shape of a violin as is the wooden porch of the house. But perhaps the best sight is that of the tree in front of the workshop where freshly painted violins are hung to dry. The Kovačica violins can take up to a couple of months to craft but they do produce a special tone.
There is also a huge number of ethno houses and rooms for rent, traditional cuisine restaurants and “salaši”, as well as museums, important cultural and sacral objects, picnic places and fishing spots.
It’s up to you to choose how to make the best of your Sunday. We’re sure that whatever you choose, you’ll return home refreshed and happy, eager to tell everyone about this magical place. Don’t waste your words but convince them to take the trip themselves. And join them, of course!
