“Bosnian Born,” a multimedia art exhibit showcasing the work of artists born in Bosnia-Herzegovina, opened May 29 in the Fine Arts Gallery of Fontbonne University. It will be on display in St. Louis through June 27. St. Louis is home to more Bosnians than anywhere in the world outside of the country itself.
Curator Sejla Holland created the exhibit two years ago to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Bosnian War.
“People often associate Bosnia with destruction and everything related to creativity, prosperity, hard work is often lost in translation,” said Holland. “So our mission was to show Bosnian communities in a different light, and there is no better way to do it than through art and creativity.”
The newly-formed non-profit St. Louis Friends of Bosnia-Herzegovina brought the exhibit to St. Louis as their first project. The exhibit is a good fit for the group because it fits with its mission of focusing on the positive, said the organization’s president, Elma Mujanovic.
“Our goal is to…present our country in a positive light,” said Mujanovic. “We’re strictly focusing on art, music, everything positive about Bosnia….There’s enough in the media about the war and suffering and other things that we don’t want to be associated with, like religion and who’s from where.”
Fontbonne University English professor Ben Moore also joined the show. He is co-founder of the Bosnia Memory Project, and a member of the St. Louis Friends of Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Cityscape is produced by Mary Edwards and Alex Heuer and sponsored in part by the Missouri Arts Council, the Regional Arts Commission, and the Arts and Education Council of Greater St. Louis.
Related Event
Bosnian Born
Open now through June 27, 2014
Fontbonne University's Fine Arts Gallery, 6800 Wydown Blvd.
For more information, call 314-889-4553 or visit the Fontbonne University website.
Cityscape is produced by Mary Edwards and Alex Heuer and sponsored in part by the Missouri Arts Council, the Regional Arts Commission, and the Arts and Education Council of Greater St. Louis.
