Alma Suljevic's kinetic sculpture "Kentauromahia" toured Sarajevo on Wednesday recalling the city's resistance during the 1992-1995 siege and marking the 25th anniversary of its creation.
This monument to the civilian resistance of the Sarajevo toured the city as part of the 3rd International Festival “Grad” (City) under the motto “Freedom of Expression” and the motto of the promotional ride was “CITIZENS / CITY / GRAS / IPC-SWF / BH / PRESS.”
Festival art director Ibrahim Spahoc said the sculpture is an “artistic, heroic and magical act of a besieged city.”
The sculpture's creator said she finds the sculpture as important as memory itself.
“We must never forget the heroism of Sarajevo residents. I stress this in the light of perhaps being a miracle that was observed by the entire world,” Suljevic said.
She pointed out that her work aimed to draw the attention to a Sarajevo mother who took her child to see the doctor, but on her way – she had to take the tram. She said wanted to draw the attention of all the Sarajevo residents who had to take the tram during the war – to the “arteries of the city of Sarajevo.”
She aimed to make the memories of the siege of Sarajevo permanent and for artists to contribute to this cause a bit more. She argues that artists have perhaps done too little for the cause.
The third “Grad” international festival began on August 6 and it will last until September 6. Organisers say the entire festival is a synthetic theatre that wants the streets, squares, the city and its galleries, but above all the people feel free to speak, think and listen.
The festival will also host an exhibition titled “The 12th Century of Bosnia's Statehood” in honour of 830 years of the Kulin Ban Charter – the first written state document proving Bosnia's statehood.
