From the 1st to the 30th November 2024, the Art Gallery BiH hosted a retrospective exhibition titled "Eternally"¹, a significant event celebrating centenary of birth of the architect Bogdan Bogdanović. Emina Čamdžić, a prominent World Architecture Country Reporter and accomplished architect, has been diligently covering the developments surrounding the exhibition, providing insightful commentary and bringing the news from this exhibition. Her reporting delves into the various elements of the exhibition, highlighting key pieces and installations that reflect the profound central themes to Bogdanović's projects.

The exhibition was shown in various cities, allowing a wider audience to appreciate the works and ideas that Bogdanović introduced throughout his illustrious career. The exhibition consisted of a classical exhibit in forms of circles and multimedia. Showcased were posters of the architects 20 realised projects consisting of sculptural and urban design with special place given to heritage of memorials located in historically significant cities Mostar, Travnik and Bihac in Bosnia and Herzegovina, emphasising the importance of preserving historical contexts within modern design. Then 20 books and monographies were part of the exhibit. The exhibition featured a selection of sketches from some of his project ideas. To enrich the visitors’ experience, the exhibition included informative posters that detailed the biography of Bogdan Bogdanović, providing context about his life, influences and the socio- political landscape. Additionally, these information panels mapped the topography of his works across the region.

Image of the exhibition "Eternally“ about the projects of the architect Bogdan Bogdanović, in the Art Gallery BiH. Image © The Art Gallery BiH

Image of the exhibition "Eternally" about the projects of the architect Bogdan Bogdanović, in the Art Gallery BiH. Image © Mare Janakova Grujić, organiser

At the closing day of the exhibition in the gallery space of the Art Gallery BiH was held a round table about the projects, valorisation of Bogdanović's memorials in BiH and restauration and conservation aspects.

Image of the opening manifestation of the exhibition " Eternally “ in the Art Gallery BiH. Image © The Art Gallery BiH

About the architect Bogdan Bogdanović

The architect Bogdan Bogdanović was born in 1922 and died in the year 2010. His projects include different memorial projects. Bogdanović was an important architect of memorial architecture, for memorials built in the second half of the 20th century. His works further includes writings about towns and architecture.

About the Art Gallery BiH²

The Art Gallery BiH, located in Sarajevo, serves as a cultural institution dedicated to the preservation, exhibition and promotion of visual arts in the region. Visitors to the Art Gallery BiH can explore an array of exhibitions that highlight the works of both local and international artists. Established with the mission to foster an appreciation for artistic expression, the gallery showcases a diverse range of artworks that span various styles, mediums and historical periods. The gallery regularly hosts temporary exhibitions, workshops and educational programs aimed at engaging the community and enhancing public understanding of art.

The building of the Art Gallery BiH was built in 1912 for trading purposes by the architect Josip Vancaš. Mainly considered as a work of the Bosnian style in architecture, the building has marks of Historicism, Classicism and Secession style. The Art Gallery BiH is located in this building since the year 1953, as one of 7 national institutions of culture that are in Sarajevo and was opened to public in the year 1959 with its first main exhibition.

In the recent years, renovation of the whole building of the Art Gallery BiH was completed. Today the Art Gallery BiH has more than 6000 inventory units of modern and contemporary art in many collections.

The sponsor of the aforementioned manifestation "Eternally" was the Western Balkans Fund.

Top image in the article: The exhibition "Eternally" about the projects of the architect Bogdan Bogdanović, in the Art Gallery BiH. Retrieved 9 January, 2025 via Mare Janakova Grujić, organiser.

1. Information about the exhibition "Eternally" of the projects by architect Bogdan Bogdanović. Retrieved 29 November, 2024 from (https://ugbih.ba/2024/10/25/bogdan-bogdanovic-vecito/) via the Art Gallery BiH. Copy-Paste into your browser.
2. Art Gallery BiH information. Retrieved 22 October, 2024 from (https://ugbih.ba/udi/o-nama/). Copy-Paste into your browser.

Art Gallery BiH exhibition