Memories in Stone: Where We Pray, We Die and Remember

The exhibition 'Memories in Stone' opened at the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Sarajevo, dedicated to the material heritage of Bosnia, namely tombstones.

The exhibition was opened by Mirsad SijariÄ‡, Director of National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Amila RamoviÄ‡, Curator of the exhibition. 'Memories in Stone' features works by Bosnian artists who live and work abroad: Amila ButuroviÄ‡, Azra Akhami, Adis Elias FejziÄ‡ and Velibor BoÅ¾oviÄ‡.

The opening of the group exhibition 'Memories in Stone, Director Mirsad SijariÄ‡ (on the right) with the custos Amila RamoviÄ‡ and the artists Azra AkÅ¡amija, Velibor BoÅ¾oviÄ‡, Amila ButureviÄ‡ and Adis Elias FejziÄ‡ / Photo Â© Islamic Arts Magazine

The opening of the group exhibition 'Memories in Stone / Photo Â© Islamic Arts Magazine

The tombstones of Bosnia have their monumental continuity, from the Middle Ages to the entire Ottoman period. And in both cases, the Middle Ages tombstones (steÄ‡ak), and the Islamic tombstones (niÅ¡an) have taken on extraordinary stone forms, mainly as a sculpture, remaining an eternal example of the great mastership of the Bosnian stone masons.

The group exhibition 'Memories in Stone / Photo Â© Islamic Arts Magazine

The spiritual side of these monuments is also described through this exhibition, as can be seen in the subtitle 'Where We Pray, We Die and Remember', as the starting point of the exhibition is taken by Amila ButuroviÄ‡ from her book Carved in Stone, Etched in Memory. Amila ButuroviÄ‡ regards old graveyard places of Bosnia as the conquest of Bosnia itself, something that still defines the people of this country, so its research at the same time is ethnological and spiritual, and additional documentary emphasis is given by the black and white photographs of Velibor BoÅ¾oviÄ‡.

Velibor Bozovic, Female Muslim tombstone, 1847, VrbanjuÅ¡a, Sarajevo. Photo taken at the exhibition by Islamic Arts Magazine

Velibor Bozovic, SteÄak with inscription, Fatnica, BileÄa / Photo taken at the exhibition by Islamic Arts Magazine

Velibor Bozovic, tombstones / Photo taken at the exhibition by Islamic Arts Magazine

Velibor BozoviÄ‡, Cemetery Complex, Early Ottoman Muslim Cemetary / Photo taken at the exhibition by Islamic Arts Magazine

Azra AkÅ¡amija presented the Bosnian kilim 'Monument in Waiting', The Hague, 2008, which was created by women victims after the Bosnian war, under her supervision and instructions. Concept and artistic direction was done by Azra AkÅ¡amija, and the conceptual contributions by Mihnea Mircan, Dietmar Offenhuber and Amila SmajoviÄ‡. Bosnian kilim is, along with tombstones, another symbol of cultural and material heritage, and through the exhibition is emphasized as a memory and symbolic marker.

Visitors in front of the 'Monument in Waiting', The Hague, 2008, Tapestry, wool kilim. Concept and artistic direction: Azra AkÅ¡amija. Conceptual contributions: Mihnea Mircan, Dietmar Offenhuber, Amila SmajoviÄ‡ / Photo Â© Islamic Arts Magazine

Finally, Adis Elias FejziÄ‡, one of the most famous Bosnian sculptors, presented a very powerful interpretation of old tombstones form. The tombstones have remained to date a great example of sculptural art, and have also influenced the contemporary sculpture in Bosnia and Herzegovina.