Creative ecologies

Artists: Alban Muja, Molly Haslund, Ina Weise, Scott Hocking, Šejla Kamerić

Curator: Irfan Hošić

Creative ecologies is an art project in the public space of the City of Bihać (Bosnia and Herzegovina) that wants to draw attention to ecological challenges of the present time. The project involves the installation of permanent sculptures in the urban part of the City during 2022 and 2023, which would thematically and conceptually touch upon the environment threats in a local and global perspective. Creative ecologies includes the participation of five artists: Alban Muja (Pristina), Molly Haslund (Copenhagen), Ina Weise (Dresden), Scott Hocking (Detroit) and Šejla Kamerić (Sarajevo). 

By placing art objects on the streets, squares, facades and shores of the city, the intention is to initiate a critical discussion on climate change and tendencies of environment destruction, using strategies of politicization of public space. Outdoor artistic interventions call for action and change of habits while talking about the relationship between art, ecology and public space policy issues. Having a primary focus on long-term environmental sustainability, the desire is to reduce the distance between the artistic image and real life in the context of the European periphery and marginalized environments such as Bihać. How does modern society understand the urgency of these challenges and what is the role of culture and art in this context? How are these topics discussed in public? Is it possible to re-conceptualize human cooperation with other beings and to what extent? These are just some of the questions which serve as the framework for thinking about the whole project. 

A modern individual has long ago disrupted the protocols of coexistence with other animal and plant species, declaring himself the undisputed owner of life on Earth. Although it is almost impossible to deconstruct such a hierarchy and replace it with a new one, the desire is to imagine things differently and the City space seems ideal for shared responsibility and collective thinking. The goal of artistic interventions is to challenge human anthropocentrism and expose the implicit practice of human domination in the direction of a more socially and environmentally fair future. 

For some time now, cultural institutions and individual practitioners have recognized the utmost urgency of this theme. Ecology has become a central topic of major exhibitions and academic discussions in the humanities. The set of critical questions about the threat to life on earth has been expanded with knowledge that threatens from space as well, suggesting that irresponsibility and inertia could soon become even more devastating.

Additional goal of the project is to declare Bihać a “green city” in 2022 and to create a series of activities that would sensitize, animate and involve the public of all ages in thinking about issues related to environmental challenges. In doing so, the aim is to remind about the importance of education on the exploitation of the Earth’s natural resources as well as the consequences of global warming, but also to raise environmental awareness and bring attention to sustainability of life on the Planet. 

The project is implemented by the Center for Contemporary Culture KRAK. Partners are the City Administration of the City of Bihać and the Government of Una-Sana Canton. The implementation of the project was supported by the Open Society Fund of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Trust for Mutual Understanding, Summa Artium and Danish Arts Foundation.