Miodrag Zivkovic was a Serbian sculptor, most known for his work on memorial complexes throughout the Former Yugoslavia. Born and raised in the small southern Serbian town of Leskovac, at the age of 16, Zivkovic and his family moved to Belgrade directly after the liberation of Serbia from Axis forces in 1944. Having been inspired by art at a young age, Zivkovic enrolled at the Academy of Applied Arts in Belgrade in 1946 to study sculpture after graduating from high school. Upon graduating in 1952, he entered compulsory military service, then, after complete this obligation, he began his tenure of teaching sculpture at several different schools across Serbia, all the while working on refining his personal sculptural style. He was working as an arts teaching instructor in Mladenovac and Novi Beograd and was later employed as an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Applied Arts within the University of Arts in Belgrade, where he became Dean in 1974, a position he occupied until 1977. From 1977 to 1984 he was head of the Faculty's sculpture department. From 1991 to 1996 he was again Dean of the Faculty.

Monuments

Through the 1960s and 1970s, Zivkovic received a number of prominent commissions from across Yugoslavia to design memorial sculptures to commemorate victims and events of the National Liberation War. These monuments are among his most famous and recognized works. His sculptural style in many of these monuments, and much of his other work is characterized by sharp geometric abstract forms that act as an elegant foil to the stunning beauty on which they are situated, appearing to almost burst forth or arise from within the landscape itself. In addition, these geometric shapes often hide mysterious peering gazes of stylized faces hidden within the angular abstractions. It is a distinctive and powerful style that lends itself to contemplation and reflection.

In addition to creating public sculptural pieces across the Yugoslav region, Zivkovic has been commissioned to create works abroad. In the early 1970s, Zivkovic spent several years in Chile where he organized the installation of several monuments he was commissioned to create. Then, in subsequent years, he also ventured to countries such as Italy, Nigeria, Egypt to install public sculptural works. In 2004, he was honorably awarded the 'Golden Ring' prize for a lifetime of contributions to art and culture in Serbia. Presently he resides in Belgrade, Serbia, where he continues to study and work within the medium of sculpture.

Opus

Zivkovic is the author of a number of sculptures throughout the territory of the Former Yugoslavia and abroad, including Broken Wings, Kragujevac, Serbia (1963); Monument to Yugoslav Immigrants, Punta Arenas, Chile (1970); SSMemorial complex to the Battle of Sutjeska in the Valley of Heroes, Tjentiste, Bosnia & Herzegovina (1971); Monument to Fallen Fighters, Pristina, Kosovo (1971); Monumental Crypt, Gonars, Italy (1973); Monument Park Uprising and Revolution, Grahovo, Montenegro (1978); Kadinjaca Memorial Complex, near Uzice, Serbia (1952-1979); Freedom, Ulcinj, Montenegro (1985); Monument to the Royal Yugoslav Air Force defenders of Belgrade, New Belgrade, Serbia (1994).