Who is singing over there?

Art Gallery of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Sarajevo)
March 15-22, 2004

“Who is singing over there? / Ko to tamo pjeva?” is an exhibition of art video projections, installations and films, conceived and organized by Sarajevo Center for Contemporary Art. The exhibit took place in the context of “In the Cities of the Balkans”, the 2nd part of the “Balkans Trilogy”, an extension / following programs of the exhibition “In den Schluchten des Balkan  / In the Gorges of the Balkans / U njedrima Balkana” (Kunsthalle Fridericianum Kassel, Germany (September 1 – November 23, 2003), curated by René Block.

The process of collaboration between René Block as the curator of “In den  Schluchten des Balkan / In the Gorges of the Balkans / U njedrima Balkana” with the artists and curators from the Balkan region lasted for years before the exhibition in Kassel, with his research in situ. This collaboration continued after the Kassel’s show with kind of feedback activities in the regional centers with presentations – exhibitions conceived in each Balkan reference center. Having “a free hand” to conceive these local events, gave an opportunity to extend “In den  Schluchten des Balkan” by combining (taking a part of the material presented at the Balkans exhibition) and expend it with our one contribution (selection of the works which are not presented in Kassel). This was a creative dialogue between the initial event and the series of local ones was established.

“ Who is singing over there?” is focused on selection of film and video works presented at “In den  Schluchten des Balkan” with additional video and film material that was not included in theKassel’s exhibition. The focus of Sarajevo exhibition is on cultural identity issues that reflect the interface between the region as a whole and the local diversities.

Name of the exhibition is actually the name of a cult Yugoslavian film from the 80s, directed by Slobodan Šijan. The leit motiv of the film is a song performed by Gypsy musicians (within the film in the function of the “Greek choir”). The text of this song places the plot into a „historical context” in the dawn of  April  6 1941, when Belgrade was bombed.

The Sarajevo presentation focuses on the works (documentary film, video projections and installations), which reflect relationship between the Balkan region and its local differences. Music or sound element as the common denominator of the materials selected for this exhibition connotes different meanings and intentions of individual works: from symbolical and ritual to social and political; from folkloric and local to urban and universal.

Participating artists:

Gülsün Karamustafa , “The Stairways”; Danica Dakić, “Deaf Dance“; Lulzim Zeqiri, “White Map”; Arman Kulašić, “Grandma’s Song”; Milica Tomić, “Alone”; Adrian Paci,  “Vajtojca”; Marina Abramović, „The Hero“; Ayşe Erkmen, “Emre & Dario; Adela Peeva,  “Whose is this song?”.

Curator: Dunja Blažević

Each day during the exhibition one artist’s video was projected in the Art Gallery of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Sarajevo)

At the opening night (March 13. 2004) Mr. René Block presented the exhibition “In den Schluchten des Balkan”. The presentation was followed by the projection of Adela Peeva’s documentary film “Whose Song Is This?”

“ Who is singing over there?” was organized by the Sarajevo Center for Contemporary Art in partnership with the Kunsthalle Fridericianum, Kassel and funded by Kulturstiftung des Bundes (German Federal Cultural Foundation).