EURONEWS: A Forgotten Craft Making a Comeback: The Book ‘Glass’ Reveals the Importance of Glassmaking for Serbia’s Culture and Economy

How has glass shaped culture and art throughout history? What role has it played in Serbia’s modern economy, and does it still hold the same influence today? Answers to these questions can be found in the book “Glass” by Hristina Mikić, which examines the historical, cultural, and economic significance of glassmaking in Serbia, with particular attention to Paraćin as a former centre of this industry.

The book was produced as part of the “Creative Glass Serbia” initiative, which aims to preserve and revitalise the glassmaking tradition of Paraćin, while also linking traditional craftsmanship with contemporary art and design.

Mikić notes that the project is part of international cooperation established with American artists, contributing to the exchange of knowledge and contemporary artistic practices.

“Special emphasis is placed on the industrial heritage of the Paraćin glass factory and the ways it can be utilised today. Rather than glass remaining solely a part of industrial production, it is increasingly moving into studios and the realm of artistic and design expression. Creative glass is thus moving out of factories that produce hand-blown glass and into studios, where the designer-artistic approach to glass is becoming more prominent than craftsmanship alone. Since 2021, the initiative has been working to establish a studio in Paraćin that would provide the technical conditions for the continued production of hand-blown glass.”

Media report: Dejan Kukljić, Jutarnji program Euronews, 03.04.2026.