STARTING POINTS
Exhibition of Works by Professors and Associates of the Academy of Fine Arts of University of Sarajevo
Academy of Fine Arts was founded in 1972, as one of the youngest members of the University of Sarajevo. It was a natural sequence of both the social and economic development of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the development of arts after 1945.
There had been a significant cultural tradition and artistic heritage of architecture, literature, music and theatre in Sarajevo. As early as in the late 19th century the city witnessed activities of painters of genre painting, and in the early 20th century the presence of the first painters educated at European academies of arts. Between the two wars, artist groups and private studios were active and exhibitions of paintings were organized. By the end of 1946, the Public School of Fine Arts was founded, which was soon transformed into the School of Applied Arts with departments of painting, printmaking and sculpting. In the 1950s, the Teachers College was established with a department of educating teachers in visual arts in elementary and high schools.
As early as in the first academic year upon its establishment the Academy had five departments: Department of Painting, Department of Printmaking, Department of Sculpting, Department of Art Education and Department of Graphic Design. Over time, Department of Product Design, Chair of the History and Theory of Art, Chair of Photography and Multimedia and, recently, the Interdisciplinary Program in Conservation and Restoration were opened. Classes were initially delivered in the building of the Teachers College, until 1981, when the Academy moved to new renovated premises of the former Evangelical Church (Obala Maka Dizdara 3).
The time of the establishment, development and formation of the integral four-year programme, which is presented by exhibits of this exhibition, at the time of tremendous flourishing of creations which reflected contemporary tendencies existing in former Yugoslavia and Europe, witnessed activities of teachers and associates, artists whose works had already been present and verifies by awards of juries at world biennales of contemporary art. At the same time, teachers and associates, painters, graphic artists, sculptors, graphic and product designers have been the backbone of creativity and artistic life of their environment and artistic scene of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Only symbolically, with several examples of photographs and facsimiles, the exhibition also presents successes of the first generations and indirectly indicates the educational and creative capacity of the selected teachers and their role in recognizing talent of the young, in formation of their knowledge and abilities of expression. Besides, with only one copy of the published books, it presents teachers in the area of theory.
Over half a century of its activity, the Academy of Fine Arts has educated excelling artists and experts of high creative achievements, who successfully represent the Academy at international artistic and designing scene. We are pleased to say that it is the staff who give their full contribution to the high-quality transformation of the cultural ambiance in a wide range or fine and visual arts.
prof. dr. Ibrahim Krzović
Exhibition of Works by Professors and Associates of the Academy of Fine Arts of University of Sarajevo
November 3 – December 21, 2022
National Gallery of Bosnia and Herzegovina