Art is there to inspire, enhance, and give a different perspective on how we see the world. Supporting artists around us is a mission and a duty we cherish.
Our 2020 started with the Mistral ArtWall project, whereby the work of the local artists decorated our walls in Mostar and Sarajevo offices. With it, we helped increase the visibility of works of art that deserve a wider audience. We are ending the year with ‘Buđenje svijesti‘ project, initiated by our friend Rikardo Druškić. In this cycle, the project is focusing on the affirmation of 3 amazing female artists from Bosnia and Herzegovina, while helping a local charity.
Let us tell you more about this!
‘Buđenje svijesti’: The Art Platform Pushing the Boundaries
‘Buđenje svijesti’ is the project Rikardo started two years ago. The social media exhibition and sale of Rikardo’s art aimed to raise funds for Pomozi.ba organization, a crew of real change-makers, and one of the biggest charities in BiH. The project had an outstanding response, and raised over 5 000 BAM. The campaign included many individuals eager to get involved, as well as institutions such as the Swedish Embassy and the Delegation of EU in BiH.
As the visibility of the project and its impact were rising, Rikardo began to consciously insert this project into various other projects he worked on, giving them a fundraising aspect.
The initial idea is slowly turning into its own small movement, connecting artists and communities in need while making a tangible change. For the end of 2020, Rikardo and Elma Hodžić, curator of the History Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina, chose 3 female artists to be part of the platform, showcase their work and give all of the proceeds to charity.
Female Artists in the Spotlight
Three artists that will showcase their work in this cycle are Hana Dujmović, Eldina Kožljak, and Rebeka Abdagić. Aside from creating art, this generation of young female artists takes on an active role in their community through personal initiatives. Here are the 3 artists:
Hanna Dujmović
Hanna presented her work at nine collective exhibitions, three of which she considers to be particularly significant (London, San Francisco, and Naples). She had her first solo exhibition of sculptural works in 2017. She is the co-founder of the educational art studio ‘EdusKreativus’. Through the creative program of the studio, she works with children with disabilities, and organizes art-therapy workshops for adults, using art as a tool for enhancing mental health.
Meet Hanna:
Rebeka Abdagić
Rebeka holds an MA from the Academy of Fine Arts, University of Sarajevo. She was one of the best students in her generation, winning the University Golden badge. She has exhibited at several collective exhibitions, including two thematic exhibitions related to EU projects, focusing on women and ethnic minorities. She is a participant in several art colonies in BiH and worldwide. Since 2020, she has been the Secretary-General of The BiH Association of Applied Artists and Designers.
Meet Rebeka:
Eldina Kožljak
The youngest artist of the three from this cycle holds a BA from the Academy of Fine Arts (Department of Graphics). During her studies, she was the Vice President of the Association of Student Councils of the Academy of Fine Arts. So far, she participated in many collective exhibitions. Her work is mostly based on depictions of the marine world and research in human psychology. She perceives the sea world and its creatures as a never-ending inspiration for her work which resulted in numerous graphics she made, and it is the main motive of her MA thesis, that she’s currently working on.
Meet Eldina:
So, What’s Next?
Whether the mission is to popularize art, improve educational syllabus through art involvement, or strengthen communities – the work of local artists matters now more than ever. As firm believers in the vision of everyone behind the project, we supported it by ensuring the purchase of 80 printworks by these 3 phenomenal young women, which we intend to gift to our friends and the most active members of the Mistral community.
Throughout the month of January, you will get to know Hana, Rebeka, and Eldina better. Stay tuned to hear how the pandemic influenced their creativity, what inspired them during times of isolation, and how platforms helped them reach out to a completely new audience.
What better way to start off the year than with art?