Jovanka Popova is a curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art – Skopje and at Press to Exit Project Space, an organisation for contemporary art and curatorial practices in Skopje. She was curator of the North Macedonian Pavilion at the 58th Venice Biennale (2019) and curator and coordinator of the Parallel Program (2021–2023) held at MoCA Skopje in connection with Manifesta 14, Prishtina. Previously, she was the executive director of the Jadro Association of the Independent Cultural Scene of North Macedonia and the president of the Macedonian Section of AICA (International Association of Art Critics). She presented her work at several universities and art academies, including Humboldt University in Berlin, Central European University in Budapest, Goethe University in Frankfurt, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in Seoul, Bahcesehir University in Istanbul, and Trondheim Academy of Fine Arts, among others.

In the wake of Skopje’s devastating earthquake of 1963, an initiative spearheaded by the International Association of Plastic Arts prompted artists worldwide to respond with valuable donations of artworks. This generous gesture created a unique solidarity collection at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Skopje. The collection reflected the geopolitical tensions of its time and served as a diplomatic tool to enhance political alliances, foster international unity, and address the needs of a devastated city. Yet, how can we speak of solidarity in an increasingly globalised yet divided world? And how should cultural institutions continue embodying solidarity in addressing today's social and political challenges? By revisiting the museum’s historical roots and envisioning its future, and through drawing parallels between solidarity in the past and our present, the presentation will focus on the ongoing relevance of collective action in addressing current and future crises.