BOŽIDAR MANDIĆ – THE FAMILY OF CLEAR STREAMS

The Family of Clear Streams (Porodica bistrih potoka) is ecological and art commune, located in the village of Brezovica at the foot of Rudnik Mountain, on a piece of land surrounded by three streams. Modeled on the Šempas Family, it was founded in 1977 – the artist, poet, performer, and playwright Božidar Mandić. The Family of Clear Streams tries to overcome the senselessness of our civilization and the crisis of ideas of the time we live in by experimentally searching for something that Mandić describes as the “5E Age.” Simply put, this is an attempt to base the life of this micro-community on principles founded on respect for Ecology, Ethics, Esthetics, Eros, and Emotion. The Family lives according to a philosophy of life and art based on a harmonious relationship between the Individual and the Planet – that is, on developing an awareness that the struggle for the planet begins with the individual. Every year, the Family awards the unique Family of Clear Streams Award to individuals who have distinguished themselves by contributing to nature conservation, and since 2002, the Šumes art festival has been organized at Rudnik.