The exhibition has been adapted to the historical and urban setting of the city, and its presentation in Nikšić was organized as part of the program of the project Nikšić 2030 – European Capital of Culture.

Drawing on the Montenegrin tradition of dry-stone walling—stone structures that define boundaries without binding material—the exhibition transforms this practice into a metaphor for spaces of encounter. The project was developed in cooperation with the Institute for Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering of the University of Belgrade and is based on research into soil bacteria which, under the influence of UV radiation, produce pigments, opening possibilities for the application of microbiological processes in architecture and the development of ecological materials.

The exhibition “Understanding the Ground: Interstitium” was created by a team consisting of commissioner Mirjana Đurišić, curator Miljana Zeković, and authors Ivan Šuković, Dejan Todorović, and Emir Šehanović.

The President of the Municipality of Nikšić, Marko Kovačević, emphasized that winning the title of European Capital of Culture 2030, together with events such as this one, confirms the importance of cultural development and contemporary trends in the city.

He stated that this space possesses great potential that is often not sufficiently recognized, but that initiatives like this and the energy of young people show how many opportunities exist. He added that successful results, such as this exhibition, are achieved through mutual understanding and cooperation.

The exhibition was officially opened by Montenegro’s Minister of Spatial Planning, Urbanism and State Property, Slaven Radunović, who pointed out the importance of similar initiatives within the Nikšić 2030 – European Capital of Culture project, as well as their contribution to contemporary and responsible spatial planning.

Project manager of Nikšić 2030 – European Capital of Culture, Mato Uljarević, stressed that this exhibition demonstrates how Nikšić is becoming an important center of cultural events in Montenegro, as well as a place for connecting art and science and for rethinking sustainable models for the development of future cities.

The opening ceremony also featured speeches by the exhibition curator Miljana Zeković and architect and co-author of the exhibition Ivan Šuković.

The exhibition will remain open until 19 June 2026 at the premises of the Public Institution Museums and Galleries of Nikšić.