Ahmed Dzuvic: Colours of Place

The exhibition of watercolours and other works by the Bosnian architect and painter Ahmed Dzuvic is on view at the Bosniak Institute in Sarajevo.

The donor exhibition Ahmed Dzuvic: Colours of Place in the gallery of the Bosniak Institute consists of a display of 117 watercolours and other works by the distinguished architect Ahmed Dzuvic, 35 of which will be donated as part of a representative selection from the total painting oeuvre to the Institute's art collection, at the request of Dzuvic's daughter Amina Rizvanbegovic Dzuvic and son Emir Dzuvic.

Ermin Lagumdzija, the curator of the exhibition, points out: "Ahmed Dzuvic's painting oeuvre testifies to his dedication and commitment to building a coherent visual language capable of using the aesthetic means of the artistic form to express a wide range of thematic and content motifs such as landscapes, vedutes, war casualties, figuration, animal and other scenes. The subtlety of tonal gradations, a safe drawing compositional basis, the desire for harmony of natural beauty and striking artifacts - these are some of the features of Dzuvic's watercolor language".

The opening of the exhibition / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

The opening of the exhibition, Amina Rizvanbegovic Dzuvic / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

Ahmed Dzuvic, watercolours / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

From the opening of the exhibition / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

Ahmed Dzuvic (1935–2006) is the author of many architectural projects, among which the Igman hotel, built in 1983 for the Sarajevo Olympics, for which he received the 'April 6 Award of the City of Sarajevo', stands out. He dealt with the revitalization and restoration of cultural heritage buildings; among the more notable projects in the field of restoration are numerous shops in the Bascarsija area, Daire restaurant, Sebilj in Sarajevo, Bascarsija plateau, Han in Pocitelj, and shops next to the Gazi Husrev-beg Hamam as part of the architectural complex of the Bosniak Institute. He is the recipient of many professional awards for projects and realizations. He exhibited at seven independent painting exhibitions during his lifetime.

The exhibition, as stated by the curator Ermin Lagumdzija in the catalogue, is conceived as a cross-section of painterly creativity that affirms heritage values in full accordance with the mission of the institution. At the wish of the artist's heirs, the donated artworks will remain and occupy a well-deserved place among the works of authors who enriched the precious Bosnian-Herzegovinian watercolour expression. In addition to the curator's introductory text, the catalogue accompanying the exhibition is enriched with an expert review by the respected art historian, Professor Aida Abadzic Hodzic. The selection of works from the painting legacy of Ahmed Dzuvic for the exhibition was made by a long-time associate of the Institute, prominent independent artist, and conservator-restorer Enes Halimic.

One of the missions of the Bosniak Institute - Adil Zulfikarpasic Foundation is the affirmation and promotion of Bosnian artistic creativity through ongoing programs and activities related to the Institute's collection of works of art and through the continuous building of their art collection, preservation and exhibition of the works by local artists.

Visitors can visit the exhibition in the gallery of the Institute until September 20, 2023.