Odavde/Otuda (from here/from there)
An International Exhibition of Contemporary Bosnian Artists
February 8 – March 14, 2008

Alen Basic - Isak Berbic - Zlatko Cosic - Sejla Kameric
Margareta Kern - Damir Niksic - Nebojsa Seric Shoba

Curated by Jeffrey Hughes and Dana Turkovic

The Cecille R. Hunt Gallery is pleased to present Odavde/Otuda (from here/from there): An International Exhibition of Contemporary Bosnian Artists. This exhibition will be an opportunity to engage the St. Louis public in a dialogue addressing the Bosnia-Herzegovina diaspora and will include works by seven contemporary artists born in Bosnia, including representatives of those who emigrated as a result of the Bosnian War (1992-1995). To date, about 50,000 Bosnians settled in the St. Louis area in the 1990s after the war in the former Yugoslavia and is thought to be the largest outside of Bosnia. The exhibition brings together work by artists who incorporate issues of individual and group identity, land and politics, the laws of art and war, tradition, belonging and place. An exhibition of this nature is particularly pertinent as a means to examine and emphasize the important contributions made to the broader fabric of St. Louis cultural life by the local Bosnian community. Odavde/Otuda will also aim to not only bridge a gap but open a door of consideration on an important new community in St. Louis of people rebuilding their lives in the aftermath of one of the twentieth century's most brutal conflicts. One way to better serve this community is to understand its culture and religion through the work of these international artists, as the events of the war are undoubtedly now part of the history of the city of St. Louis.

We are indebted to the Arthur and Helen Baer Charitable Foundation for its major financial support for this exhibition. Our thanks also go to the Whitaker Foundation, the Missouri Arts Council, and the Regional Arts Commission for their generous support.

Odavde/Otuda Catalog