IDEOLOGISTS & CREATORS
Mr. Kosta Hadzi Antonovski
The ideological creator of "The Small Montmartre of Bitola", Mr. Kosta Hadzi Antonovski this year marks his two important jubilees: 76 year of his life and 55 years career as a painting artist and art pedagogue educator.
Born in Bitola on 22. 05. 1935, he graduated at School of Applied Arts in a class of the most famous Macedonian fine arts artists Borko Lazeski and Lazar Lichenoski. Since 1981 he is the manager of the Children Art Studio St. Cyril and Methody - Bitola. Although since 2001 Mr. Kosta went on a deserved rest, the retirement, he continue to work with the members of the Studio and at the same time he continue to organize the festival The Small Montmartre of Bitola. These and many more obligations after his retirement he performed voluntary.
Kosta Hadzi Antonovski has given a precious contribution in the field of children education and artistic creation of Macedonian culture. He is an exceptional and very genuine person, a great enthusiast of the art, idealist but also a practitioner. At the same time he is a born pedagogue, someone with untold love for the children.
For his lasting and fruitful wirk, Kosta Hadzi Antonovski has been awarded with great number of domestic and international appreciation. He is a winner of the Ministry of Education of R. Macedonia "St.Climent award", twice he is awarded by the highest recognition of the city of Bitola, the award of "4th of November" (once for the art education and the second time for a life achivment award). For his exceptional training work he has been procalimed as a "distinguished pedagogue of Yugoslavia"…He was granted with the highest recognition - Medal of Honor of the City of Paris (France) as well as the award of the Festival Montmartre of Europe - Paris for the great contribution given by The Small Monmartre of Bitola for the multimedia festival Montmartre of Europe held in Paris. Order of Republic of France for culture,Nehru Award for culture and award by Television “Orbis” - Bitola for lifetime achievment.
For the restless art pedagogue - educator Kosta Hadzi Antonovski it is of great success that "The Small Montmartre of Bitola" exists for 30 years.
"PEARLS OF MONTMARTRE" IN EUROPE AND AROUND THE WORLD
The most representative collection of the Children Art Studio "Pearls of the Small Bitola Montmartre" was found after the Second State children Art Colony "Bitola 83". The first exhibition of this collection (around 20 works) for the first time was promoted in 1984 in Mataruska Banja (Serbia and Montenegro), in the framework of traditional winter school of art pedagogues of foregone Yugoslavia.
After each such art colony in Bitola this collection became wealthier for new art works created by the participants from many Macedonian towns: Bitola, Ohrid, Krusevo, Prilep who create works on theme "Old Macedonian Architecture". This collection nowadays counts more than 15 000 "pearls".
"Pearls" of Bitola's Montmartre visited many towns in Macedonia, many towns from former Yugoslavia, Europe and worldwide. Here are some of the important visits of the "pearls" around the world.
Mataruska Banja, Lipik (twice), Vrsac and Obrenovac as a part of Winter School of art pedagogues of Yugoslavia.
- Skopje, Kumanovo, Kocani, Stip, Strumica, Resen, Ohrid
- Subotica, Rieka, Veternik, Zabalj, Novi Sad, Banja Luka, Zivinice, Okucani, Belgrade
- (Twice), Kraguevac
- Slovenia: Kranj, Ljubljana, Piran and Maribor
- Bulgaria: Sophia, Asenovgrad, Pleven
- Germany: Coln
- Belgium: Bruxsseles, Vilwoard
- France: Paris (twice)
- Sweden Stockholm (when this city was capitol of culture of Europe), Baros, Gisslaved and Halmstad
- Australia: twice for the first time in 1998 when "pearls" visited Sidney, Melbourne, and New Castle; for the second time this collection was promoted at Olympic Games in Sidney 2000.
- Greece Florina and region Little Prespa art caravan
- Czech Republic: Prague
- Hungary: Pech
- USA: Boston (organized by World Bank)
- Romania : Bucharest
- Finland - Savonlinna
- China - Hong Kong
The interest about exhibition of "Pearls of the Small Montmartre of Bitola" grows from year to year and the best proof of this are the new invitations for visit to a great number of countries.
"PEARLY" AWARDS FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE STUDIO - SEVEN DAYS OF WORK OF BITOLA'S MONTMARTRE IN PARIS
The members of the Children Art Studio "St. Cyril and Methodi" Bitola win hundreds award on almost every world famous children art manifestation. Among them there are two "pearly" awards: the award of the French Embassy in Republic of Macedonia and the first prize of NATO Alliance.
Zoran Sekulovski, a member of the Studio win the prize of the French Embassy in Republic of Macedonia. He was granted a seven-day visit and work in Montmartre in Paris.
Young and talented Zoran Sekulovski accompanied by his mentor Kosta Hadzi Antonovski worked at Montmartre in Paris from 12th to 19th March 2003.
Surrounded by affirmed artists from around the world Zoran Sekulovski in Paris Montmartre worked on a painting about the "old architecture of Montmartre". This painting was exhibited in one of the most famous private gallery in Paris "The Gallery of Iron" where the exhibition 'The Pearls of Bitola Montmartre" was accommodated.