BHAAAS PRESENTS YOU: Branka Kopecki and Slobodan Radosavljević, world artists of our roots In art as in life, everything rests on love
It seems to us that today it is more necessary than ever to write about art and science, to promote true values, and at least try to oppose this civilizational collapse of ours, where the devaluation of all life values has become the standard along with living in a "Kafkaesque atmosphere," which most of us euphemistically called tradition. Although a relatively small country, Bosnia and Herzegovina can boast of excellent artists and scientists who have achieved notable results around the world, but for most of them, unfortunately, the public did not hear. Bosnian-Canadian artists Branka Kopecki and Slobodan Radosavljević, professors at the University of Quebec, are well-known names in the art world and welcome guests throughout the world, Europe, and the countries of the region. There is almost no country where they have not visited, presented their exhibitions, taught, and participated in various cultural events—except Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Radosavljević: Success is a relative thing, but experience means a lot. I think that in science as in art, the exchange of different experiences has always been the basis for progress and improvement of knowledge. Today, this exchange is not only a basis; it is a condition for the improvement of all disciplines as well as the development of new epistemological directions. Thanks to the exchanges, today knowledge intersects, views change, and dogmas are overcome. As a member of the Physical Environment Research Group (GRAP) at the School of Architecture and Urbanism at Laval University, as part of my doctoral studies, I regularly participate in the exchange of knowledge between architects, engineers, and artists. These exchanges enable incredible research results in terms of conceptualizing and understanding space. We were educated here as well as in the world, but of course, it is a special joy to participate in everything that can contribute to the development and modernization of the field we deal with in the country of our origin and within its cultural and linguistic heritage. With our membership in BHAAAS, the opportunity for knowledge exchange and collaboration will of course increase, and we are very happy about that.
Kopecki: It is precisely thanks to the exchange that we are witnessing the development of completely new forms of knowledge, such as, for example, the research of creations that unite the intellectual and sensory aspects of art. Unlike the conventional scientific form of advancing knowledge through empirical evidence, this procedure enriches the process of enlightenment by not bypassing but integrating into essential understanding what is mysterious and inexplicable in art. I think that connections are important for scientists and artists working in BiH as well as for those working in the world, regardless of whether Bosnia is their homeland or not. Overcoming differences is what makes a person better in any case. We are often surprised at how useful and usable our knowledge is for areas that seem far away at first glance. I am currently working on research that brings together people from criminology, medicine, microbiology, philosophy, and art intending to illuminate the phenomenon of death. Just a few years ago, such a research group was unthinkable. Membership in BHAAAS is an exceptional opportunity to share some of our experiences but also to be enriched by the experiences of others. We are looking forward to that membership, and we are intensively thinking about the projects that we can realize within the organization.
Kopecki: There were several attempts to cooperate with the Academy of Fine Arts in Sarajevo, but unfortunately the projects did not come to fruition. It's hard to say exactly why. In May of this year, I was supposed to teach as a visiting professor at the University of Sarajevo as part of the "Diaspora for Development" program, but the cooperation did not materialize due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I was very motivated by this project, in the framework of which I had to hold a seminar on work methodology and the organization of doctoral study programs in creation. The idea was to offer a seminar organized by the Academy of Performing Arts to all faculties and departments that are based on the process of creation. Many people were mobilized in the organization of this project, and thanks to the continued involvement of coordinators Alma Šunja and Aleksandar Andjušić, as well as colleagues Srđan Vuletić, Pjero Žalica, and Sanja Burić from the Academy of Performing Arts in Sarajevo, I hope this cooperation will be realized next year. You see, participation in this project was possible thanks to the support of many institutions, such as the Rectorate of the University of Sarajevo, the Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as foreign organizations (UNDP, IOM, etc.). Without all those important actors, this kind of collaboration is not possible. However, it is very important to say that my participation in this project was initiated by the contacts of individuals such as Šejla Šehabović and Tamara Sarajlić from the Museum of Literature and Professor Elmedin Muratbegović from the Faculty of Criminology in Sarajevo, who has been following Slobodanov and my academic and artistic work for many years. work. A lot of institutions, a lot of work, but also individual initiatives are necessary for the realization of such collaborations.
Radosavljević: As Branka already pointed out, there were several attempts but cooperation did not occur. A few years ago, I started preparations for the university exchange project with Anura Hadžiomerspahić. Unfortunately, his sudden death interrupted us. With the Belgrade Faculty of Fine Arts, more specifically with Professor Vladimir Milanović, I have had a long-term collaboration that has resulted in numerous exhibitions in Canada and Serbia. I am preparing a similar exchange with the University of Split in agreement with Professor Verdan Perkov and Sagit Mirjam Sunar, Vice Dean for Arts, Science, International Cooperation, and ECTS. Artistic collaborations are always easier to achieve than those of an academic nature, in which we often encounter difficulties due to the diversity of programs and ways of functioning. Fine arts programs in the world today are largely based, in addition to traditional disciplines, on the development and application of technological possibilities. The development of new programs in art and especially in the field of new media, in which Branka and I participated outside BiH, enabled us to practice the intersection of knowledge in the work on changes and modernization of educational programs. These changes are necessary for monitoring new trends and expanding the spectrum of issues in the process of researching creations. It would be a real pleasure for me to contribute in any way to such changes and modernizations in Bosnia and Herzegovina as well.
Kopecki: We really had multiple collaborations with academic and art centers in the countries of the region. We exhibited several times in Serbia, and I taught three times at doctoral studies in creation as a visiting professor at the invitation of Professor Aleksandar Mladenović and the Faculty of Fine Arts in Belgrade. Slobodan and I exhibited in Split thanks to the invitation of the Croatian artist Vedran Perkov, a professor at the Academy of Arts in Split, and several times in Dubrovnik thanks to long-term cooperation with the artist Božidar Jurjević and Studio Let 777, as well as the Lazareti Center with the organizational support of Jelka Tepšić and the office of the mayor of the city of Dubrovnik. We also experienced an exceptional reception by the artists Dorinda Bulić Ćotić, Ivana Pegan Baća, and Sven Klobučar in the Flora Gallery in Dubrovnik, where we exhibited in 2019. We are currently in negotiations with the University of Ljubljana regarding a possible artistic and academic exchange with this institution, thanks to Mr. Vojko Bratanič from the Ministry of Education of Slovenia. 
Radosavljević: Architecture and general issues of space have been at the center of my interest for many years. I have been intensively dealing with this problem since the beginning of my doctoral studies within the research group GRAP (Group for the Research of the Physical Environment), which operates at Laval University. The "Architectural Memories I and II" projects, which we realized in Split and Dubrovnik in 2019, consider architecture in the context of the strong presence of virtual realities in which the complex relationship between the objective and the subjective changes our perception of time and space. The projects are based on the interweaving of simulated, hybrid, and documentary images of architectural elements in a multisensory device. This device, whose elements are: photography, drawing, the capture of space with infrared cameras, and 3D projection in real-time, allows us to extend the usual perception of space and buildings to evoke symbolic, temporal, intimate, and collective values that architecture conveys through its existence.
Kopecki: In art, as in life, everything rests on love, and that love and interest in architecture was passed on to me by my uncle, Sarajevo architect Branko Tadić, who has been living in the USA for many years. Thanks to him, for the first time in my childhood I encountered the fervor of creation and the sleepless nights in which we work diligently to achieve what we dream of. Thanks to his work, I became interested in the history and philosophy of architecture. You know, we have such names as Zlatko Ugljen, whose works are part of world heritage. Slobodan and I were moved by the presentation of his architectural achievements as part of the exhibition Toward a Concrete Utopia in the MoMA museum in New York and the book of the same title dedicated to the architecture and important architects of Yugoslavia in the period 1948-1980. I was also thinking about architecture during my studies at the Faculty of Philosophy. The topic of my thesis was the structure of Gothic cathedrals. I have always been interested in the fact that before its material existence in the form of a functional building, architecture was essentially a concept and an idea. In the form of a ruin, in its tragic and inevitable rupture with the original form, it is realized and completed by a duration in which cultural, historical, and spiritual constellations, but also social norms and political powers and influences, are absorbed and interwoven. In this sense, it is a specific form of memory that largely determines our identity and our cultural, intimate, and social way of being. 
Kopecki: The beauty of what we do is in constant questioning, in eternal dissatisfaction and restlessness that pulls us towards the new and unknown. Paul Eluard said it beautifully: "Unknown was my favorite form." There are different stages in art. There are projects that we work on all our lives and are never ready to share with others and those that we are ready to fight for even when they are not accepted and misunderstood at the moment of their public display. "Architectural Memories I and II" are the last major projects that Slobodan and I realized in collaboration. Each of us has our interests and productions that do not have many points of contact, but architecture is certainly content that motivates both of us and that we will continue to explore both in joint and individual projects.
Radosavljević: Yes, and we are very much looking forward to that opportunity. The plans are to do this precisely within the activities of the twelfth Days of BHAAAS, which should be held next year in Mostar with certain activities in Sarajevo. We are currently in contact with the organizer of the activity, Professor Ismar Volić, with whom we are working to assess the spatial and technological possibilities we can have for the presentation of this exhibition. Of course, we are also working on adapting the conceptual and visual content of this work to the cultural and architectural heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina. 
Radosavljević: There are many artists from all countries of the region who have passed through our house while showing their work in Canada and with whom we have remained in contact. Few artists from BiH exhibited in Québec. Several years ago, the Sarajevo artist Enes Zlatar Bure, whom I have known since my youth, was a guest at the La Chambre Blanche art center. It was an opportunity to get together again. We are in contact with the Association for Culture and Art Crvena, with whom we would like to exchange artists in the future. We are often in contact with artists of Bosnian origin who are active here in Canada, such as my school friend Goran Hamšić, who has lived and worked in Montreal for many years, and Sadko Hadžihasanović, who is very active in Toronto and exhibits all over the world.
Kopecki: Events and, above all, people influenced. Dragan Stenek certainly had one of the biggest influences on me in my youth. Back in our studies, we spent days and nights talking about painting, but also poetry and philosophy. For us, art was an indivisible whole and the meaning of our life. We don't think much about how and what society classifies us according to what we do, but how much what we do fulfills us. After Dragan's tragic death, the book A Fragment of Meaning was published, dedicated to his work, which, along with his work, also represents the spirit of the times in which our generation was formed. Even today, when I read Jergović's great literary works, I often think of the interweaving and accumulation of various expressions that one work can contain. Each of Jergović's novels brings a specific color, sound, and rhythm along with the content and art of literary expression. I deal with fine art, but also writing about that art, which I learned a lot about in Liberation from Zorica Beus and later from many Canadian and French art critics who revealed to me the beauty of expressing the essence of the "unspeakable" in someone else's, not native, languages.
Radosavljević: Role models are those who deeply change things in us and leave forever traces that affect our whole lives. My brother Zlatan Fazlić Fazla is responsible for discovering my interest in art at the very beginning. With him, I discovered the first quality drawings and the creation process itself. I lived with him and his days and years of songwriting and playing music. He undoubtedly influenced my decision to pursue art. Upon arrival at the secondary art school, the person who influenced not only me but also many generations was certainly my classmate Hasan Sučeska, an exceptional man and pedagogue. After that, at the Academy of Fine Arts, it was my professor Nusret Pašić who, even throughout the war, motivated us to continue creating. Upon arrival in Canada, it was Frédéric Lépinay in the graphic design program, and in the master's and doctoral studies, it was artist and educator Marcel Jean, architect André Potvin, and my director of research, architect Claude Demers. I am lucky enough to be surrounded by friends for whom art is life, work, and passion. Artists Jean-François Côté, Martin Bureau, and Éveline Bulva, as well as François Vallé, director of the La Chambre Blanche art center, inspire me every day with their work and their attitude towards art. Jean Pierre-Turcotte, with whom I worked on the conception and realization of numerous projects, is particularly responsible for my experiences and knowledge related to new technologies.
Kopecki: Paradoxically, we are always alone in art, and we are never alone, because what we do is due to many before us, but also to those who are with us, who surround us, and with whom we share something every day. What we admire in galleries and what we discover in books is certainly significant, but the real role models are always those we worked with, who taught us and helped us to persevere in what we want. I am indeed a very lucky woman. There have been many such people in my life, starting from all those I have already mentioned to those whom I cannot bypass in any way when it comes to influences. I am thinking of my dear friend Dragica Orlando, who unfortunately is no longer with us, and of Darko Lukić, a friend from the time of my studies in Sarajevo, whose work in Zagreb I still follow today, but whom I have not seen for years. I am thinking of those from whom I learned, such as my great professors Tvrtko Kulenović and Marko Vešović in Sarajevo. These are certainly great Canadian artists and educators: Marcel Jean, David Naylor, Joceline Alloucherie, and Richard Mill. Even today, I am inspired daily by the thoughts and works of my close artist friends. Jean-François Côté, Alexandre David, and Diane Létourneau are those with whom I have shared doubts and convictions for years. I am also lucky that my life partner is a person who has the same interests. Art, with all that it entails as difficulties but also joy, is the essence of Slobodan's and my life.
Radosavljević: The position of an artist in any society has never been easy, and it is the same today. Many things determine the possibilities of today's young artists, not only in BiH but also in the world. On the other hand, thanks to communication possibilities and the existence of numerous international programs, the scope and importance of their activities are much greater today. I think that young artists should take advantage of every opportunity that gives them the experience of collaboration and change, breaking out of established habits. As the chairman of the board of directors of one of the most active art centers in the technological creation of La Chambre Blanche (translated as The White Room) in Canada, I have the opportunity to meet a lot of artists from all over the world. They all have similar questions, doubts, and preoccupations today. Cultural differences between them are very small; language barriers are almost nonexistent. What I want to say is that young artists from BiH should go to residencies in countries around the world as much as possible, but also work on developing programs and art centers that can organize constant reception of foreign artists in these areas.
Kopecki: I think that young artists should send messages to us elders and society as a whole. We should be there to help them, to open the way for them as others, older than us, opened before us. Working as a professor at the university, I realized what a privilege it is to be constantly in contact with young people who transmit new vibrations and discover new visions, who help us stay awake, motivated, and amazed by the world. They oblige us to constantly work on ourselves, to change and discover. Few professions allow this. We must trust young people and be ready to participate in their risks, hopes, and expectations. Their wishes and ambitions are the only true guarantors of the development and progress of any society.
Radosavljević: I am currently busy working on three publications that I should publish in the next period in scientific journals that deal with issues of space and architecture. Many other projects in the field of visual arts, as well as those in the field of sound and acoustics, are being elaborated. In art, we often work in parallel on several projects, and this is both interesting and demanding.
Kopecki: As always, there are many plans; we always lack time and money, and that's a good balance for making our wishes come true. I always have a desire. Slobodan would add, especially those that are difficult to achieve. As for the achievable ones, after a year of artistic and research leave from the university, I will devote myself first and foremost to my students. If the trips are possible, Slobodan and I are expecting a series of conferences in France as well as a project in tribute to the great Canadian artist. His name is Bill Viola. There is certainly also work on research dedicated to the phenomenon of death. In that research, I will be particularly occupied with the difficulties related to the impossibility of transmitting the experience of death because, as Levinas tells us, "When death is here, I am no longer here," but also with the traces we leave behind. There is certainly work at the exhibition in Sarajevo. Perhaps many more that are not in the plans will open up as a possibility. You see, this conversation with you was not planned, and it allows me to think about important questions that I would never have asked myself over coffee. Your questions take me back in time; they remind me of important people and events in my life. Thank you for that.
Alen Corovic
English
Bosanski
