Murals Through the Eyes of Children

The first graffiti jam, the 100th mural, six murals on a single building, perhaps more than anywhere else in Čačak, and certainly the most murals on a single school in the city. What could it be?

A visit to Vuk Karadžić Elementary School in Čačak is an essential part of every mural tour, and the comment that inevitably follows every glance from the ramparts is: “Those kids are so lucky to go to this school.” And indeed, they are. It must be wonderful to look at murals painted by artists from Serbia, Croatia and France every day, and from a child's perspective, the walls must seem even bigger. It must also be fascinating to watch adults painting on walls and realise that this is something you can do too, since we all know that drawing on the walls at home is one of children's favourite activities.

Here, Stom500's red panda occupies a monumental surface right next to the playground. By the pupils' entrance, they are greeted by a work by Chez and Sarme, featuring the Ninja Turtles watching over them as they head to class. Meanwhile, the long wall painted by Tužni Marin and Erol Sjajni tells a story in the nostalgic style of Yugoslav comics. From the ramparts, you can also see Artez's mural dedicated to tree planting, Demon's abstract piece from 2015, and the large mural bearing the words “The World I Want”, painted by TKV, Jana Danilović and Endo on the very spot where graffiti from the first DUK once stood.

Yet the world of children is beautiful and full of experiences, and we have always been curious to know how they experienced all of this. Fortunately, children remember things. Through a conversation with Lola Lakušić, who was a keen observer of the mural painting process back in 2023, we learned more about what was being whispered in the school corridors between classes while three murals were taking shape. Now a high school student at Čačak Grammar School, Lola recalls:

“When I was in sixth grade, the painting of our school began. At first, it seemed like an idea that would only create a lot of commotion in the schoolyard, but as time went by, we became more and more intrigued. We would walk around the school, watch the murals come to life and get to know the people painting them. I remember that staying after school, sometimes for an hour or two, was the least of our concerns. I honestly think the murals brought our school to life. To me, the outside of our school is one of the most beautiful places in Čačak, with a genuine childlike spirit and a story of its own. I would love to see the artists come back and leave some more of their magic somewhere else in our city, but I am happy that we already have so many of their works. That period in sixth grade has stayed deeply engraved in my memory, and I remember it as one of the most beautiful parts of my childhood.”

It is difficult to add anything to that, but we can recall the moment we first met Lola, as she also left quite an impression on the artists. Back then, a sixth grader, Lola had befriended the artists and, during classes, drew little comic strips featuring each of them, with a paintbrush and their mural in the background. The admiration was mutual, and most importantly, the children were happy and delighted. After all, they are the most important audience, and we hope that one day they will take it upon themselves to continue making the city more beautiful for the generations to come.