The campaign to bring awareness to the acute crisis affecting major cultural institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina CULTURESHUTDOWN

CULTURESHUTDOWN Barrier Tape / Courtesy of Azra Akšamija

National Museum (Zemaljski Muzej) / Photo by Islamic Arts Magazine

Six other state-level institutions, including the National Art Gallery (Umjetnička Galerija BH) and the National and University Library (Nacionalna i Univerzitetska Biblioteka BH) are also about to become permanently inaccessible. The safety of precious artifacts and heritage are at stake.

The platform CULTURESHUTDOWN, an international initiative connecting scholars, artists and cultural producers is responding to this crisis. Cultural institutions in Bosnia-Herzegovina are keepers of the unique historical and cultural treasures that provide evidence of coexistence in the region. Preserving them is crucial for securing a sustainable peace. Artifacts kept in these institutions are an important component of the world’s cultural heritage. Preserving them is a matter of global relevance.

This call is directed to every individual and other museums across the globe to demonstrate their solidarity with threatened Bosnian cultural institutions by symbolically “erasing” one precious artwork or artifact, rendering it inaccessible for the Day of Museum Solidarity.

How?

On March 1, place the yellow barricade tape in front of the chosen object (ranging from a dinosaurs skeleton to a painting, depending on your collection and your choice). Azra Akšamija, one of the founding members of the platform CULTURESHUTDOWN, will provide you with the custom-designed non-adhesive tape featuring the CULTURESHUTDOWN logo. Take a picture of the “crossed out” object and send it to her. The “crossed out” artifact should be publicly visible in your institution from March 1 – 3. The collected pictures of Museum Solidarity across the world will be posted on the CULTURESHUTDOWN website on Monday March 4, the scheduled Day of Museum Solidarity. As many museums are closed on Mondays, this global campaign will take the form of a virtual collective exhibition on CULTURESHUTDOWN website. Please post images of this campaign or host this virtual group exhibition on your institutions’ website, should that be possible.

February 1, the date of this public call, marks the 125th Anniversary of Zemaljski Muzej’s existence. March 4, the date of this Day of Museum Solidarity, marks the six-month anniversary of the Zemaljski Muzej’s closure. This crisis in Bosnia-Herzegovina requires political, economic, and institutional solutions. By participating in the Day of Museum Solidarity, you will make an important and much needed contribution to resolving this crisis.

To participate, please follow the simple directions provided on the CULTURESHUTDOWN webpage