BELGRADE, SERBIA – Re-installing the chimney was, on Saturday, February 8th, the symbolic act of breathing new life into the steamboat “Župa”.
steamboat “Župa” in Belgrade
The re-installation of the chimney marked a turning point in the now 100 year´s history of the ship. Beginning in late 2013 when community events, workshops and film screenings were organized by students of Academy of Fine Arts Hamburg as part of the Urban Incubator: Belgrade, more activities will now follow: the old steamboat is being re-activated and transformed into a public, cultural space. Once the vessel has been stabilized and secured for visitors´ access, she might be available for exhibitions and cultural events of all kind.
However, the ship will not be restored and rebuilt at the moment as some media reports of the event already claimed. Although the ship in her present shape is a historic monument reflecting her colourful past there are, until today, no proper funds available for a full restoration.
Urban Incubator in Belgrade
The Urban Incubator: Belgrade is a unique project supporting the re-vitalization of the now neglected Belgrade city-quarter of Savamala. It is not planners, politicians, or investors but artists, architects, activists and the residents of Savamala and Belgrade who will contribute to shaping the future of the Savamala city quarter.
The Urban Incubator is a Goethe-Institut ‘project of excellence’, supported by the City of Belgrade and the Municipality of Savski Venac. The Urban Incubator: Belgrade involves more than ten local and international projects from the fields of art, architecture, urbanism and social engagement, which will be present and operational in Savamala for during 2013. Project authors include raumlaborberlin, the University of Technical Sciences (ETH) Zurich, “Third Belgrade” Artists´ Initiative (Belgrade), the University of Fine Arts of Hamburg, the Zurich University of the Arts, Nexthamburg (Hamburg), GingerEnsemble (CH), Camenzind (Zurich), Maja Popović and Boba Stanić (Belgrade/Amsterdam), Goethe-Guerilla, and many others.