Craftwork

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.

RECONSTRUCTION OF KING TVRTKO

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

Constructor: ‘King Tvrtko attracted me as a subject because he was one of our most famous kings. I discovered that he was 207 centimeters tall. He knew how to rule Bosnia. That is what I wanted to show with this reconstruction, that his was the Bosnian mind.’

FURNITURE FOR DOLLS

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

Milenko Simić, architect and designer, made furniture for doll houses. Creating such a small furniture was an achievement – a proof that meticulous creation of a small bed, a small desk, a small closet, small chairs reminded of the great Chinese master from the 18th century, who in an olive pit carved a boat with doors and windows, and with eight figures in it, of which two were playing chess. The doll house furniture is a precise, dedicated work, the art of creation.

BABY BOOTIES

© FAMA Collection - Visual Archives 1992-1996

Hikmeta, housewife used to knit baby booties. She did not know any babies, but her daughters kept bringing her each piece of wool thread they could find. She'd so immerse herself into making the finest and softest baby booties that she wouldn't think about the shells falling on our balcony.