How the “Billboard wars” led to actual war
The premises of BiH Arts Gallery hosted the exhibition “STRAŠNIZBORI” on 16th of September by known photographer Milomir Kovačević Strašni with current address in Paris. Other than the Center Municipality, no other official institution supported the exhibition. Other supporters included UG “Zašto ne”, Center “Andre Malraux”, festival MESS and Arts Gallery.
“When I was here in December last year, I heard of preparations for elections and remembered the exhibition ‘Rat plakata’ (Billboard war) which we organized in the 90-s, then we looked at our archives and got to the idea to organize another exhibition 20 years later. We want to get people thinking and send out a message of importance to participate in elections and that every vote matters”, stated Milomir. In 1990, from 1st of October to 18th of November he spent every day walking around the city taking photographs of billboards and other propaganda material of political parties which participated in elections.
“Some put up billboards, others tore them down so I named the entire series “billboard wars”. Later on it turned into a actual war. Portraits of party leaders were everywhere, mixing with the day to day life of the city”.
The exhibition can be viewed every day except Sunday in the Art Gallery from 9th of October.