Gjorgji Zdravev (1941, Radoviš – 2007, Skopje) is one of the most prominent Macedonian ethnologists and researchers of folk clothing and folk textile products. He was a professor of ethnology, costume design and costume history. He was a prominent costume designer and applied artist – costume designer, who made a great contribution to the development of theatrical costume design and the contemporary Macedonian military festive costume. Gjorgji Zdravev’s contribution to the presentation of Macedonian ethnographic materials from the Russian State Museum is particularly significant, a large part of which consists of costumes and parts of costumes from other eastern, southeastern and southern parts of ethnic Macedonia (today within the state borders of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Republic of Greece), which until the 1990s were largely unknown to the professional and wider cultural public.
In 1997, he was awarded the "Goce Delchev" science award, awarded by the Ministry of Science of the Republic of Macedonia, as social recognition for his published monograph "Macedonian Folk Costumes 1", Skopje 1996. In 2006, he received the prestigious "13 November" award for his latest published monograph "Macedonian Folk Costumes: Fabrics, Embroidery, Knitting, Decoration and Jewelry", published by Matica Makedonska (2006).
Brief biography and education
Gjorgi Zdravev was born in 1941 in Radoviš. He completed his primary and secondary education in Skopje, and graduated from the Academy of Applied Arts in 1967 in Belgrade, in the Department of Costume Design. In the same year, at the same Academy, a Department for Postgraduate Studies was opened where he enrolled in the third level of studies in the class of Prof. Pavle Vasić and, as a candidate with the highest average, was admitted as the only student in the third level of studies. He completed his studies in 1972 with the thesis "Noble Costume in Macedonia in the 14th and 15th centuries" ("Plemićki kostim u Makedonija u XIV i XV veku").
In 1981, the Department of Ethnology at the Faculty of Philosophy in Belgrade approved his doctoral dissertation on the topic "Social and Aesthetic Aspects of Macedonian Folk Costumes", which he successfully defended in 1991.
Work in an institution
A year after completing secondary education in 1961, at the age of twenty, Gjorgji Zdravev began working as an art teacher in Radoviš. After graduating from the Academy of Applied Arts, Department of Costume Design, in 1967 in Belgrade, as a scholarship holder at the "Makedonka" clothing store, he worked for one year as a fashion designer at the "Makedonka" clothing store in Štip.
In the period 1968 - 1969, Gjorgji Zdravev was serving his military service in Belgrade and as a soldier at the Quartermaster Institute he was involved in the preparation of a Study for changing the uniform and in the meantime he worked on the Schedule of Orders of the President of the Republic - Tito, for regular occasions. After serving his military service, towards the end of 1969, Gjorgji Zdravev got a job at the Institute of Folklore "Marko Cepenkov" in Skopje and in 1970 was elected as an assistant researcher of textile folk art.
From the beginning of 1973 he worked at the textile department at the School of Applied Arts in Skopje, as a professor of textile design. The following year he returned to the Institute of Folklore "Marko Cepenkov" where he was elected as a research associate and head of the Department of Folk Ornamentation. From 1.4. to 31.10.1975 and from 1.6.1978 to 15.3.1979 he was the acting director of the Institute of Folklore. Gjorgji Zdravev worked at the Institute of Folklore "Marko Cepenkov" in Skopje for 24 years, first as an assistant, then as a research associate and senior research associate - researcher of textile folk ornamentation and folk costumes.
From 1993 to 1999 he worked at the Institute of Old Slavic Culture in Prilep as a scientific advisor, and in 1999 he was elected to the title of associate professor at the Department of Ethnology of the Institute of Geography at the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics of the University "Sts. Cyril and Methodius" in Skopje, where he retired.
For a certain period, from 1983 to 1986, and in 1994/1995, he taught Costume Design at the Faculty of Fine Arts. In 1985 he was elected as an assistant professor, and in 1991 he was elected as an associate professor at the Faculty of Fine Arts in the subject of Costume Design and History of Costume. In the period 1993-1995 he taught the same subject at the School of Applied Arts "Lazar Ličenoski" in Skopje, and his students were holders of gold plaques for participation in "Modest 94" and "Modest 95".
In parallel with his scientific research activity, Gjorgji Zdravev was engaged in artistic activity in the field of fine and applied arts. With his works of art he realized numerous solo exhibitions, and since 1970 he has participated in all group exhibitions of DLUPUM, in Macedonia and abroad. With his narrower specialty - costume design, Gjorgji Zdravev realized a large number of theatrical, television and film artistic achievements.
Gjorgji Zdravev occasionally worked on creating theatrical costumes, which he exhibited at several solo and large group exhibitions in Macedonia and abroad. In addition to the Steria Award for Costume Design in Novi Sad in 1975, Gjorgji Zdravev received the Award for Best Designed Costume in Novi Sad in 1975 and the "Vojdan Cernodrinski" Award in Prilep in 1987. In 1980, Gjorgji Zdravev was decorated with the Order of Labor with a Silver Wreath. In 1987, he received the "Bigorski Sljedeći" Award for many years of activity (DLUPUM).
Participant as an expert in the field
– Member of the expert jury at the Belgrade Fair "Fashion in the World" in: 1975, 1976, 1978, 1979 and 1980;
– Member of the jury of the event “Revija na narodni nosii”, Struga, in: 1976, 1983 and 1984;
– Member of the expert jury of the Skopje Fair “Modest 82” and “Modest 84”;
– Member of the evaluation committee of the Costume Designers section of DLUPUM at “Modest 82” and “Modest 84”;
– Member of the expert jury of the “Fashion Show of Skopje Boutiques”, Skopje, 1984;
– Participation in expert evaluation committees in the field of folk art, at folk gatherings and other events as a lecturer;
– Lecturer on folk costumes in Macedonia at the “Summer School of Folklore”, on the island of Pag in 1979 and on the island of Korčula in 1982;
– Participation in the “Review of Folk Costumes” in Struga in 1983 and 1984, at the Round Table with introductory papers on the topic “Application and Adaptation of Folk Ornamentation in the Modern Textile Industry”;
Participation with papers in the field of folk art at several international, Yugoslav and republican scientific meetings in Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, Ohrid, Krushevo, Chaplina, Berovo, Bitola, Tetovo, Radoviš and other places.
2005. Македонски народни носии: Ткаеници, везови, плетила, китење и накит / Macedonian folk costumes: Weavings, embroideries, knittings, adornment and jewellery. Скопје: Матица македонска.
1998. Текстилното народно творештво и народната носија во Титоввелешко. Посебни изданија 22. Скопје: Институт за фолклор „Марко Цепенков“.
1976. Народните тантели сорки во Овчеполието. Посебни изданија 5. Скопје: Институт за фолклор „Марко Цепенков“.
While working at the Marko Cepenkov Institute of Folklore in Skopje, Gjorgi Zdravev participated in all the institution's projects, of which, within the framework of the international project "Comparative Monographs for a Southern and a Northern Village of the Slavs", a research stay in Poland was organized, during which field research was carried out in the villages of Piętki and Twarogi. Field materials and photographs from this research and this project are archived and preserved in the Gjorgi Zdravev Collection in the Digital Archive for Ethnological and Anthropological Resources (DAEAR) of the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology.
Gjorgji Zdravev was a member of many committees, a lecturer at many schools of applied art, ethnology and folklore. For the most part, his lectures were related to his long-standing interest in the Macedonian folk costume, from which his narrow specialty stems.
Articles
2007. „Makedonya'daki Yörüklerin tekstil halk yaraticiliğinin incelenmesine ait bir çalişma“. Uluslararasi Türk Halk Kültürü Sempozyumu Bildirileri, Çalikli, Valandova, Makedonya: 1996–2000. Üsküp: MATÜSITEB (Makedonya Türk Sivil Toplum Teşkilatlari Birliği); Çalikli, Valandova: HID BAH ŞEN FEST, 119–125.
2004. „Народната носија во Голо Брдо“. Живот на граница: Голо Брдо (зборник на трудови). Скопје: Македонско етнолошко друштво.
2003. „Народната носија во Порече“. 70 години од истражувањата на Јозеф Обрембски во Порече, Р Македонија. Меѓународен научен собир, Самоков, 14 – 16 септември 2001. Прилеп: Институт за старословенска култура, 301–312.
2001. „Типологизација и класификација на македонските народни носии / Typology and classification of the Macedonian Folk customes“. ЕтноАнтропоЗум 1. Скопје: Завод за етнологија, 42–53.
2001. „Носиите во Горновардарската етнографска целина“. Предавања на XXXIII меѓународен семинар за македонски јазик, литература и култура, Охрид, 5 – 25 август 2000 година. Скопје: Универзитет „Св. Кирил и Методиј“, 209–228.
2000. „Аристократијата (благородништвото) во Македонија на фреско-живописот од XIV век“. Balcanoslavica 26–27. Прилеп: Институт за старословенска култура, 59–72.
1999. „Носиите и празнувањата“. Македонија 45/558, 15 септември. Скопје: Матица на иселениците, 22–23.
1999. „Естетски форми и појави при обликувањето на народните носии: Везени кошули за дарови“. Македонија 45/554, 15 јули. Скопје: Матица на иселениците, 30–31.
1999. „Носиите во брсјачката етнографска целина“. Предавања на XXXI меѓународен семинар за македонски јазик, литература и култура, Охрид, 3 – 20 август 1998 година. Скопје: Универзитет „Св. Кирил и Методиј“, 191–204.
1999. „Трансформација на некои форми од областа на народното ликовно творештво во современиот живот“. Фолклорните импулси во македонската литература и уметност на XX век: Зборник на трудови од Меѓународниот научен собир во Скопје, 23 – 24 октомври 1998. Скопје: МАНУ, 361–372.
1998. „Ориентално-турското влијание врз облекувањето во Македонија“. Balcanoslavica 25. Прилеп: Институт за старословенска култура, 81–92.
1997. „Прилог кон проучувањето на народниот накит и китењето во Македонија“. Balcanoslavica 19–21/1992–1994. Прилеп: Институт за старословенска култура, 85–97.
1997. „Носијата на Мијаците“. Предавања на XXIX меѓународен семинар за македонски јазик, литература и култура, Охрид, 8.VIII – 29.VIII 1996 година. Скопје: Универзитет „Св. Кирил и Методиј“, 155–187.
1997. „Естетските аспекти на македонските народни носии“. Народно творештво на почвата на Македонија. Прилози за истражување на историјата на културата на почвата на Македонија 6. Скопје: МАНУ, 157–206.
1996. „Типологизација и класификација на македонските народни носии“. Етнологија на Македонците. Скопје: МАНУ, 177–184.
1996. „Македонските народни носии според намената и функцијата“. Етнологија на Македонците. Скопје: МАНУ, 185–198.
1996. „Костимирањето и маскирањето во зимските обредни игри во Македонија“. Обичаи со маски: Трудови од Меѓународниот симпозиум одржан во Вевчани – Струга 1996 г. Скопје: Музеј на Македонија, 63–69.
1998. „Театралноста во македонската фолклорна свадба“. Македонската драматика/драматургија помеѓу традицијата и современоста: Зборник на трудови. Јелена Лужина (прир.). Прилеп: Македонски театарски фестивал „Војдан Чернодрински“, 99–108.
1998. „Ориентално-турското влијание врз облекувањето во Македонија“. Balcanoslavica 25. Прилеп: Институт за старословенска култура, 81–91.
1998. „Празнично облекување при колективното прославување на селските празници во македонското патријархално село“. Етно-културолошки зборник IV. Сврљиг: Етно-културолошка радионица, 85–90.
1995. „Облекувањето во Македонија во минатото“. Бјанка II/4, август/септември. Скопје: НИП „БИГ цо“, 27–30.
1991. „Некои социјални аспекти на македонските народни носии“. Македонски фолклор XXII/44. Скопје: Институт за фолклор „Марко Цепенков“, 17–30.
1988. „За некои симболи и симболички форми во македонското текстилно народно творештво“. Зборник радова XXXV конгреса СУФЈ – Рожаје, 26 – 29. септембра 1988. Титоград: СУФЈ, 636–642.
1986. „Текстилното народно творештво во Радовишко-струмичкиот регион“. Зборник од XXXI конгрес на СЗФЈ во Радовиш 1984. Скопје: СЗФЈ, 65–70.
1986. „Зооморфни и антропоморфни мотиви во македонското текстилно народно творештво“. Македонски фолклор XIX/38. Скопје: Институт за фолклор „Марко Цепенков“, 269– 273.
1986. „Обид за анализа на значењето на свадбената носија и нејзината орнаментална декорација“. Во коавторство со Јадвига Кошутска и Аница Петрушева. Македонски фолклор XIX/37. Скопје: Институт за фолклор „Марко Цепенков“, 15–23.
1985. „Јуручка свадба во с. Коџалија – Радовишко“. Македонски фолклор XVIII/36. Скопје: Институт за фолклор „Марко Цепенков“, 115–118.
1985. „Некои согледувања за сценското презентирање на народната носија“. Zbornik radova XXXII kongresa SUFJ. Sombor: SUFJ, 611–614.
1984. „Народното творештво и неговата примена во современиот живот“. Билтен на Културно-просветната заедница – Струга 3. Струга: Културно-просветна заедница – Струга, 13–16.
1984. „Современата состојба на текстилното народно творештво во Македонија“. Македонски фолклор XVII/34. Скопје: Институт за фолклор „Марко Цепенков“, 83–87.
1983. „Текстилното народно творештво и неговата примена во индустријата“. Билтен на Културно-просветната заедница – Струга 2. Струга: Културно-просветна заедница – Струга, 21–24.
1981. „Ориенталните тантели и тантеларски техники во Македонија“. Македонски фолклор XVI/31. Скопје: Институт за фолклор „Марко Цепенков“, 151–155.
1981. „За некои појави и верувања во врска со текстилното народно творештво во Битолско“. Во коавторство со Лепосава Спировска. Фолклорот и етнологијата на Битола и Битолско. Скопје: МАНУ – Битола: Друштво за наука и уметност – Битола и УНК „Илинденски денови“, 173–281.
1980. „Современата состојба на текстилното народно творештво во Малешево“. Зборник од XXV конгрес на СЗФЈ во Берово. Скопје: СЗФЈ и ЗФМ, 87–90.
1980. „Мотивот ’Ѕ‘ во македонската текстилна народна орнаментика“. Македонски фолклор XIII/26. Скопје: Институт за фолклор „Марко Цепенков“, 69–73.
1979. „Мотивот ’лоза‘ во македонската текстилна народна орнаментика“. Македонски фолклор XII/23. Скопје: Институт за фолклор „Марко Цепенков“, 139–44.
1977. „Односот на луѓето од прилепскиот крај спрема везот“. Зборник од XIX конгрес на СЗФЈ во Крушево 1972. Скопје: СЗФЈ и ЗФМ, 69–73.
1976. „Traditional textile art in Yugoslavia“. The Folk Art of Yugoslavia: Papers presented at а symposium. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: DUTIFA, 49–63.
1975. „Играта ’џамала‘ во Агино Село (Кумановско)“. Македонски фолклор VIII/15–16. Скопје: Институт за фолклор „Марко Цепенков“, 369–373.
1974. „За некои карактеристики во носијата на сточарските предели Мариово и Река“. Rad kongresa SUFJ – Čapljina 1974. Sarajevo: SUFJ, 285–291.
1974. „Везилките се откриваат зиме“. „Починка“ – додаток на дневникот „Нова Македонија“, септември 1974.
1973. „Цвеќето во македонската текстилна народна орнаментика“. Македонски фолклор VII/13. Скопје: Институт за фолклор „Марко Цепенков“, 79–82.
1971. „За три симбола во македонската текстилна народна орнаментика“. Македонски фолклор IV/7–8. Скопје: Институт за фолклор „Марко Цепенков“, 187–193.
The number of projects that Gjorgji Zdravev has managed and participated in is large. During his time at the Marko Cepenkov Institute of Folklore in Skopje, Gjorgji Zdravev participated in all the projects of this institution:
"The Contemporary State of Textile Folk Art in the Radoviš-Strumica Region";
"The Ornamental Decoration of Macedonian Folk Costumes", which has been implemented since 1988;
"Comparative Monographs of a Northern and a Southern Village of the Slavs" - a topic that was implemented by collaborators of the Marko Cepenkov Institute of Folklore in Skopje and collaborators from the Department of Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology at the University of Warsaw in Poland. Gjorgji Zdravev highlighted this collaboration as special because contacts with prominent Polish ethnographers opened new vistas in the study of folk culture from various aspects, especially related to the issue of folk costumes and their social role. He noted that since then he began to consider the costume with its complete, complete purpose in all its functions. This approach allowed the costume to be analyzed as a system of signs, where the term “sign”, according to Zdravev, can be understood as an object, condition, event or phenomenon that functions in the process of communication of people in a given society, i.e. in a given village community. He applied this way of considering the folk costume in his monograph “Macedonian Folk Costumes”, where he analyzed its social functions with equal attention: the practical, aesthetic, festive, ritual, ritual-magical function as an indicator of a certain status, i.e. of a certain socio-social position, the function as an indicator of a certain age, the function as an indicator of a certain occupation, the function as an indicator of economic power and others.
During his activity within the Institute of Old Slavic Culture in Prilep, Gjorgji Zdravev's main preoccupation was the work on the project "Clothing Culture in Macedonia from the Earliest Historical Period to the End of the Last Century". The subject of research was the clothing culture in Macedonia in the specified time frames, which was considered from a historical, ethnographic, sociological and aesthetic perspective. The work of collecting and studying materials from this area was quite specific because the subject of analysis were materials that most often had practical application, which made them susceptible to fragility and loss. Here, the socio-historical upheavals that in their own way caused sudden changes and destruction of material culture should also be taken into account.
After leaving the Institute of Folklore, in 1995, by the Republic Institute for the Protection of Monuments, Gjorgji Zdravev was engaged as the lead researcher of an interesting project that the Institute began to implement within the framework of international cooperation through the famous American foundation "Earthwatch" under the title "Macedonian Identity in Costumes, Jewelry and Water-Powered Objects", the main goal of which was, through the discovery, recording and registration of objects in the field of folk costumes, jewelry and water-powered objects, to protect part of the Macedonian ethnological cultural heritage.
Gjorgji Zdravev was engaged in the project of the Museum of the City of Skopje "Museum Cultural Heritage in Foreign Collections". In this project, the interest was focused on the collection of folk costumes and ethnographic materials from Macedonia, which originate from the mid-19th century, collected by the famous Slavicist, ethnographer and archaeologist Stefan I. Verkovich, which are kept in the State Ethnographic Museum of Russia in St. Petersburg. Stefan I. Verković sent these materials to Russia in order to be exhibited at the first world Slavic exhibition that was held in 1867. Regarding the content of Verković's Collection, Gjorgji Zdravev noted:
– “The materials are kept in the funds, in the manuscript and photo archive of the State Ethnographic Museum of Russia in St. Petersburg. It is a collection of objects (150 exhibits) consisting mainly of costumes (costumes or parts of costumes), musical instruments and texts on 57 lists, which contain historical and ethnographic data about the population of the researched regions.
– In the Archives of the Museum there are separate records of rituals and customs. The value of the collection is especially increased by the presence of detailed characteristics of the costumes for the manner of their wearing and decorations, for the local names of individual elements of the costumes and for their functional purpose.
– The collected materials are formed in 9 letters addressed to the professor of Moscow University N. A. Popov. A brief characteristic of 4 costumes is presented in the systematic catalog of the Ethnographic Museum” (DAEAR of IEA, PMF, UKIM, Skopje).
Of particular importance among television projects is the participation of Gjorgji Zdravev as a costume designer in the series "Bushava azbuka" in 31 episodes, filmed in 1985.
Artistic activity
Exhibitions
1961
Exhibition of paintings and drawings, Kocani (on the occasion of the radio show "Contest of Cities", Radoviš - Kocani).
1967
Solo exhibition of paintings and drawings, Radoviš.
1967 and 1968
Exhibition of DLUS in Shtip, Kumanovo and Bitola.
1972 - 2007
As a member of DLUPUM, he participated in all collective exhibitions at which the members exhibited costume designers.
1973
Solo exhibition of fashion drawings and costumes, Skopje.
1981
Exhibition of scenography and costume design (on the occasion of 35 years of MNT), Skopje.
1983
IV Prague Quadrennial, Prague.
1985
"Mothers' Salon", Belgrade.
1985
Exhibition at the "25 Maj" Youth Center, Skopje.
Theater performances
– On the stage of the Drama Theater in Skopje: “Black Comedy”, “The Ugly Narcissus”, “Escurial”, “The Blind”, “The Legend of Boško Buha”, “Henry IV”, “Jane Zadrogaz”, “Chuuk, chuuk Stojanche”, “The Giant”, “Bash Çelik”, “Tsar Oedipus”, “The Liberation of Skopje”, “Fishermen's Quarrels”, “Shakespeare in Stories”, “John Peoplefox”, “Chairs”, “Kosančić's Wreath”, “The Miracle of St. George”, “Double Bottom”, “YU Antithesis”, “Hunting Tale”, “The Tempest”, “Caligula”, “The Godfathers” (Drama Theater and Ohrid Summer), “Amadeus” (Drama Theater and Ohrid Summer).
– On the stage of the Youth Center “25 May” in Skopje: the play “Flight in Place”.
– On the stage of the Macedonian National Theatre: the play “Time to Sing”.
– On the stage of the National Theatre in Skopje: “Antigone” and “View of the Bridge”.
– On the stage of the National Theatre in Shtip: “Zona Zamfirova”, “He”, “Kir Janja”, “Without a Sickness”, “Tango”, “Hitler Among the Partisans”, “The Seven”, “Ogniste”, “Prenoqishte”, “Stuffed Bird”, “The Lucky Ones” and others.
– On the stage of the National Theatre in Kumanovo: “Straw Hat”, “Stormy Night”, “Rococo Mustache” and “The Grieving Family”.
– On the stage of the National Theatre in Prilep: the play “Thessaloniki Partridii”.
– Universal Hall in Skopje: the play “Ticket to Hell”.
Other costume design achievements
– “Ninja Turtles”, realized by “Detska radost” – Skopje, 1991.
– “Angels of the Waste”, realized by “Vardar Film” – Skopje, 1994.
Television shows
– Costume design for the television project “Bushava azbuka”, realized by MRTV, directed by: Goran Stefanovski, music: the group “Leb i sol”, 31 episodes.