Otkazna Pisma
collaborative visual collage, 2022 - ongoing
Otkazna Pisma (Letters of Termination) is a collective protest against Bosnia and Herzegovina's deep-rooted political, environmental and economic issues. Scribbled by over 180 individuals, our drawings are intended to bypass the often censored mother tongue and allow us to – freed from language – express our frustration. Our hope for change.
The drawings were collected online and in three Bosnian cities – Banja Luka, Bihać and Sarajevo. When collaged together, our drawings form one large, collective letter. This letter is addressed to all who made Bosnia the most corrupt, the most polluted country in Europe. By drawing, we keep score. By drawing, we hold accountable.
Otkazna Pisma is an ongoing project. Our letter grows as our frustrations grow. There is no indication we will stop: there is always news to scribble against.
The work was created in several phases:
- The individual drawings were collected through a designated website and collaged into one work. This work, the first version of the project – Otkazna Pisma I, was exhibited in August 2022 at DKC Incel, Banja Luka, during the Banja Luka Art Festival.
- The second version of the project, Otkazna Pisma II, was collaged from drawings collected both online and during the Banja Luka Art Festival. This version was exhibited between 29.9 and 10.11.2023 at KRAK Center, Bihać.
- Following the exhibition, drawings gathered in Bihać were added to the collective work and exhibited between 01.12 and 24.12.2023 at Gallery Manifesto, Sarajevo as Otkazna Pisma III.
- Drawings collected from Sarajevo were then added to the work to compose Otkazna Pisma IV.