Ruins as Backdrops of memory

Abstract

This paper examines the contemporary ruins in relation to memory of conflict. It juxtaposes the well-known notion of ruins as demarcation of romanticism in art history with destruction of landscape during the war. This comparison is achieved through depiction of everyday performance that the residents of Sarajevo conduct in order to bridge their most recent history of the siege in the 90s and their Ottoman past. Through mapping, walking and photographing, the inhabitants explore the city architecture, wrapping their memory around it with the creative manifestation that allows for the visual and embodied narrative to emerge. This approach provides them with the opportunity to engage with their creative and political agency, whilst discounting the unjustifiable disconnect between seemingly rational and objective as well as empirical and affective quality of one's historical account. Arts practice most successfully depicts this strategy, but just like the produced artefacts mainly stays the object of study by memory scholars. Arts practitioners delving into memory studies field are often misunderstood and even marginalized as not reflecting scientific backgrounds or following traditional methodologies in humanities that propelled memory academics in that same direction. Participatory practice used to surface memories in the artwork examined here is also be evaluated as a tool for social engagement and a method in memory studies field. This paper is developed from the AHRC funded project Art and Reconciliation, partnership of three London universities: UAL (LCC), LSE (Governance) and Kings (Department of War Studies).