On 17 November, the DISSIDENT club hosted Pumpaj, a photographic exhibition by journalist and photographer Tara Mirković, whose work captures the student uprising that erupted across Serbia following a national tragedy, and led to demands for free and fair elections in Serbia. Under pressure at home and abroad, reportedly President Aleksandar Vucic has indicated elections will be held in 2026, but what comes next is still anyone’s guess.

HOW THE PROTESTS STARTED

On 1 November 2024, the canopy of the newly renovated Novi Sad train station collapsed, killing 16 people — an indiscriminate disaster that exposed deep structural corruption, failed institutions, and a sense that “anyone could be next.”

For Tara, this was the moment that ignited a movement. “It was the straw that broke the camel’s back… it showed we are not safe in our own country, that institutions are not working,” she explains.

The exhibition’s title, Pumpaj, comes directly from the protests. “Pumpaj… it means ‘pump it’ or ‘pump it up’. It became the symbol of the movement — putting in energy, pressure, so that the system changes,” Tara says.

TARA’S WORK DOCUMENTING THE PROTESTS

Her photographs trace the evolution of a small student-led response into a nationwide mobilisation demanding accountability, safety, and democratic reform.

Whilst the reason behind the protests occurring are tragic and difficult, Tara’s work highlights unity and collective care. “The goal is to show the beauty and the solidarity of the protests,” she says. Her images reveal intergenerational crowds, families with children, students from various faculties, and people travelling from the countryside to join. “You can see a lot of love in it, a lot of creativity and humour — that’s really the glue.”

Tara’s scenes place you directly among the crowd, fostering a deep sense of connection with the Serbian people—no different from you or me—simply seeking dignity, fairness, and the fundamental respect every human deserves.

VISIT AND TALK BY STUDENT DELEGATION FROM SERBIA AT THE DISSIDENT

An important part of the movement was its spirit of non-violence, which was further explored during a public discussion at another event at the DISSIDENT club following the exhibition on 28 November, where Tara spoke alongside members of a visiting Serbian student delegation invited by 1152Paris.

The students described how they coordinated peaceful blockades and even a symbolic 16-kilometre march, emphasising that their power lay in discipline and moral clarity. “We’re not like them — we’re exactly the opposite,” Tara recalls hearing repeatedly at the protests that she covered, referring to the regime. “Non-violence is the cornerstone of the whole movement.”

The testimonies shared at the talk also exposed the risks faced by protesters. Several students described arbitrary detentions, intimidation, and sustained psychological pressure. One female student recounted being held for 24 hours with only a single sanitary pad and one bottle of water, and also spoke of more extreme cases, including that of Nikolina Sindjelić, who was reportedly threatened with sexual violence.

Despite the hardships, Tara remains hopeful. “When you see the faces of the people, the empathy, the energy… giving up is not an option.”

As the call for fair and democratic elections grows, the movement continues to push forward. Tara emphasises the crucial role of the Serbian diaspora and sustained international pressure in keeping that momentum alive. Pumpaj, indeed.

This exhibition was a series of political art work curated and displayed by the DISSIDENT club for its Dissident Art Project, a self-funded project by the DISSIDENT that invites engaged artists to use our space for show-casing their work. If you are an artist, or know someone who would like to be nominated, write to us: dissidentartproject@gmail.com. 

Write up: Manon Booth-Laure, member of the DISSIDENT club team
Editor: Taha Siddiqui, founder the DISSIDENT club