Denizen / 2009

 

Following the concept of the collective exhibition ”Unprejudiced”, I had a wish to make a photographic portrait of sarajevan actor Alban Ukaj in the international zone of the Sarajevo International Airport. Alban (Kosovo-born), unfortunately, still do not have Bosnian citizenship, despite the fact, that for some years now, he is resident and active participant of the cultural and social scene of the city of Sarajevo, awarded as the best young actor on the Festival of BH Drama in Zenica and winner of the “Mirna Filipan Award” for the Best young actor in 2007.

By photographing him, near the luggage lain (in accordance with international rules on residence and movement) as allegory of his constant/obligatory going in and going out of the city where he lives, (inter/ex) territorial zone of the Sarajevo International Airport, could be watched at the end, as the only territory where he belongs.

 

Andrej Ðerković

 

 

The work is premierly shown in the frame of the exhibition ”Unprejudiced” that was exhibited in the National Gallery of Bosnia-Herzegovina as a part of the International Festival Sarajevo Winter 2010. After Sarajevo, the exhibition was shown in the frame of “Days of Sarajevo” in Cultural Centre of Belgrade in Belgrade (Serbia).

 

The work is also selected to represent Bosnia-Herzegovina in regional-curatorial project “Aftermath - Changing Cultural Landscape (Tendencies of engaged post-Yugoslavian contemporary photography)”. First exhibition of this project organized in period 2012-2014 and resulted with photographic monograph book, was exposed in may 2012 in National Museum of Slovenia in Ljubljana (Slovenia), in October 2012 in Pordenone ARte COntemporanea - PARCO 2 in Pordenone (Italy), after what it was shown in April 2013, in Klovićevi dvori in Zagreb (Croatia). By the end of 2013, the exhibition was shown in Cultural Centre of Belgrade (Serbia), in National Museum of Montenegro in Cetinje (Montenegro), and in the Bratislava’s Castle in Bratislava (Slovakia) in the frame of the European Month of Photography 2013. Year after, it was shown in the frame of Monat der Fotografie in Vienna (Austria). In 2018, the work was presented on the National Pavilion of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the frame of Month of Design in Ljubljana (Slovenia).

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During 2013, this administrative fight for existence and whole campaign (including this work), resulted finally by accepting Alban Ukaj in the book of Bosnia-Herzegovina’s citizens.

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Thanks:

State Border Police Unit Sarajevo Airport

Sarajevo International Airport

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               Cultural Landscape: Tendencies of engaged post-Yugoslav contemporary photography 1991 - 2012

                 Monat der Fotografie, Vienna, 2014

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