The dissolution of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s was the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War II. Newly independent Bosnia-Herzegovina witnessed the most bloodshed; it was the site of concentration camps and rape centers, ethnic cleansing and sustained sieges of major cities. Hundreds of thousands died and millions fled their homes to forge new lives elsewhere in Bosnia or abroad. Today, almost 20 years after the Dayton Peace Agreement ended the conflict, Bosnia-Herzegovina, its citizens and its diaspora continue to grapple with the war’s effects.
To explore the legacies of this conflict, UNC Charlotte will present “Ruined and Rebuilt Landscapes: Memories of the War in Bosnia,” a series of lectures, movies, discussions with survivors and cultural gatherings.
Organized by UNC Charlotte professors John Cox, global, international and area studies; Emily Makas, architecture; and Jill Massino, history; these events are rooted in an exhibition that will be displayed in the Cone University Center’s Northeast Gallery Monday, March 17, through Wednesday, April 2.
The exhibition will feature paintings by British artist Laura Buxton of ruined buildings in Bosnia-Herzegovina, completed in 1994 and 1995 in the immediate aftermath of the war. Each painting is accompanied by additional information and photographs depicting the rebuilding of these sites, as well as the ongoing conflicts surrounding them.
Related programs will examine the personal and collective memories of the conflict and how it shaped people’s lives, ethnic relations, cultural practices and the built environment in the last two decades. The focus is on the destructiveness of war but also on survival and rebuilding.
According to the organizers, the aim is to promote personal reflection, discussion and to raise awareness about the region and its identity issues and tensions that continue long after the media and political spotlight has shifted to other global wars.
Schedule of Events:
Exhibition: “Ruined and Rebuilt Landscapes: Memories of the War in Bosnia” March 17-April 2, Cone University Center, Northeast Lounge
Lecture: Emily Makas, "The Ruined and Rebuilt Cityscapes of Mostar and Sarajevo” at 6 p.m., Monday, March 17, in Cone University Center, McKnight Hall (followed by an opening reception for the exhibition in Cone Center, Lucas Room)
Film Screening: “Grbavica,” with an introduction by Jill Massino at 5 p.m., Wednesday, March 19, in College of Health and Human Services, Room 281
Lecture: Robert Hayden, "Memories of War in Bosnia: Conflicting Commemorations in a Contested Country" at 5 p.m., Monday, March 24, in CHHS, Room 281
Film Screening: “Srebrenica: A Cry from the Grave,” with an introduction by John Cox at 5 p.m., Wednesday, March 26, in CHHS, Room 281
Panel Discussion: “The Bosnian Diaspora,” moderated by John Cox at 6 p.m., Wednesday, April 2, in Cone Center, McKnight Hall; followed by a closing reception for “Celebrating Bosnian-American Culture” in the Cone Center, Lucas Room
“Ruined and Rebuilt Landscapes: Memories of the War in Bosnia” is funded by the UNC Charlotte Chancellor’s Diversity Challenge Fund and is co-sponsored by the UNC Charlotte Department of Global, International & Area Studies; Department of History; School of Architecture; Office of International Programs; and Bosnian Student Association, as well as the Bosnian-Herzegovinian American Cultural Center of Charlotte.