Artwork

During the siege, the continuation of normal life in the city, continuation of creativity, for all citizens of Sarajevo was as important as bread or medicine or water.

This segment in FAMA research period 1992-1996 contains the question "Could you describe a creation of yours?" and interviewees' answers. Sarajevans (in this case: interviewees) created and accepted this model in order to survive: "We were all innovators of our own methods of survival" – as put by one of the respondents.

Sources: FAMA Collection 1992-1996: Oral History, Survival Questionnaire, Sarajevo Life Magazine, archival video and photo collection.

THE CYCLIST

© FAMA Collection - Visual Archives 1992-1996

Sculptor Enes Sivac had a great desire for the runners (people running across bridges under sniper fire) to see his flying man in the air. While putting the Cyclist in between the two banks he was constantly under sniper fire. At the time artists couldn't prevent the destruction of the city, but there was some kind of resistance: they maintained at least the city's spiritual pulse, not to let this city's spirit to die.

CENTAURUS FIGHTING

FAMA Collection - Visual Archives 1992-1996

Sculptor Alma Suljević, thought that in terms of technology, the easiest way to deal with that tram burnt by shell, was to turn it into a sculpture. So in those first few days she and her team used the rotary welding machines and cranes UNPROFOR had on trucks, and raised the tram and Centaurus in fight sculpture on the truck.

A TINY SCULPTURE

© FAMA Collection - Visual Archives 1992-1996

Nedžad Begović, artist, was able to recognize different shapes in objects and used to find them in the street. Certain parts of rubble he collected thus and exhibited with almost no intervention; their forms were so clear.

JEWELRY

© FAMA Collection - Visual Archives 1992-1996 (Jelena Oksenfeld)

Emir Kasumagić, designer, was making jewelry although nobody had ordered it. But it was something to do. He worked very hard carefully followed patterns, crafting every piece with attention – to make it beautiful.

A COMIC STRIP

© FAMA Collection - Visual Archives 1992-1996

Dragan Rokvić, a comic book artist, was commissioned to draw a comic strip for Fama Sarajevo ‘Life’ magazine and he drew several panels.

PIECE OF ART

© FAMA Collection - Visual Archives 1992-1996 (Drago Resner)

Artist Nusret Pašić said: "Limit creates creation".

AN ARTIST

FAMA Collection - Visual Archives 1992-1996

"Laughter is the recipe for our mental health. And creation is a source of joy."

BLUE

© FAMA Collection - Visual Archives 1992-1996

"Although I never complained, during the third year of the siege I felt a tremendous need to see the sea. Whatever I looked at appeared to be blue. To console me, my friend Edo Numankadić, a painter, painted Blue."

'TRASH' FASHION SHOW

© FAMA Collection - Visual Archives 1992-1996 (Milomir Kovačević)

The fashion show made by Riad Ljutović, artist, was actually cheerful: although shells were falling all around, the atmosphere was nice. There were torches instead of electric light, or reflectors. Observers could tell that those dresses brought out of mothballs were beautiful, and those young girls looked beautiful in them.

'ALL I NEED IS LOVE'

© FAMA Collection - Visual Archives 1992-1996 (Drago Resner)

Amra Zulfikarpašić, an artist made a female nude with meat pie and baklava. She forced her mother to make meat pie and baklava for the exhibition, although exhibiting these without eating them was a pure luxury at the time.