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The exhibition Prefabrication of Solidarity: IMS Žeželj between Yugoslavia, Cuba, and Angola opens on Friday, May 16th at 6 PM at the Museum of African Art in Belgrade.

This exhibition sheds light on the fascinating and little-known story of international technological cooperation among three members of the Non-Aligned Movement—Yugoslavia, Cuba, and Angola—during the 1970s. It focuses on the IMS Žeželj prefabricated building system, an innovative skeletal structure made of concrete columns and ceiling slabs connected by steel cables. This system was patented in 1957 by engineer Branko Žeželj at the IMS Institute in Belgrade.

Through photographs, archival material, and video interviews with architects and engineers from all three countries, the exhibition explores how this example of „triangular solidarity“ forged lasting connections across continents.

The curatorial team includes Vladimir Kulić, Vesna Pavlović, Jelica Jovanović, and Fredo Rivera, joined by Ana Knežević and Emilia Epštajn on behalf of the Museum of African Art.

The first public tour will take place on Sunday, May 18th at 11 AM, with Vesna Pavlović offering insight into the exhibition’s concept and development.

The Museum of African Art, located in Belgrade, Serbia, is the first and only museum in the region entirely dedicated to the cultures and arts of the African continent. For forty years, this institution has made a significant contribution to promoting and fostering cultural relations, and encouraging the principles of multiculturalism and cultural diversity. Endorsing the importance of African and non-European cultural and artistic heritage is the foundation upon which the museum’s overall work is based.