Of course, it would be fully naive
and unconvincing assert that the idea
on certain group of professional
workers organizing in five decades
long time flow couldn’t be realized in
whole having in mind also the complete expansion of its appearance
shape. Five decades - fifty years! - it
is really a long time, and it is surely
sufficient for many appearances to
appear and - disappear, for many
our efforts and orientations to be
exposed to the judgment and verification of time, for many our wishes to remain the illusions and chimeras which enthralled us, in which we trusted. For that reason, fifty years
from founding assembly of the Association of Applied Arts of Bosnia and Herzegovina (October 24, 1054)
would certainly be a sufficient period
for seeds thrown in a fertile ground
to develop into a complex and rich
treetop of this artists’ association activity, following the developmental
courses of universal and industrial
process in the society.
The Decision on establishment of an
association of workers in the field of applied arts, defines the year 1954
(October 24) as a moment when it
became necessary to organize in a
new and more modern way an old
and lengthy tradition of engagement
in artistic shaping in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Therefore, the newly established
association was only an
expression of necessity this activity in
new social situation to be placed on
stronger foundations of social attention
and care. Therefore, that first
ULUPUBiH (Association of Applied
Arts of Bosnia and Herzegovina) didn’t
mean the beginning of a new engagement in arts. That new association was only one actual organizational form that linked the group of artists with similar determination, while the historical context and the very ambient
in which the new association was
born, were full of rich and long tradition
of aesthetic shaping of various
materials. All that was described by
our leading researchers and scientists:
Hamdija Kresevljakovic, Pavo An|eli},
Mehmed Mujezinovic, Muhamed
Karamehmedovic, Zorislava Culic,
Ljiljana Hadzidedic, Marion Vencel,
Nada Miletic, Astrida Bugarski, Svjetlana Bajic, Smail Tihic and others
whose texts mean valuable contributions to cultural history of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Ornaments on Bogomil tomb-stones, jewelry of medieval Bosnia, illustrations on paper (Miroslav’s Gospel, Hval’s Manuscript, Islamic and Oriental Manuscripts, old
charters, as well as the famous Sarajevo Haggadah, etc.), textile, carpetmaking, wall inscriptions, tombstone epitaphs, calligraphy, works of braziers’ and various craftsmen, artisans ... all that today, when we look back to the past, makes a very rich sediment of experience and tradition deposited in our spiritual memory from the ancient times until today. Also, the period after just ended Second World
War brought its needs and orders in
the field of artistic creation. Especially
photography, graphic design, film and
theatre arts (scenography, costume,
makeup) accompanied the daily needs
of society in transformation “on
the road of building of socialism”.
Those were also the first steps in industrial manufacturing of goods for
market, and consumer goods. All that
caused that the association of people
who are involved in artistic shaping
sees the light of day, which happened
in October 1954 in \URO \AKOVI]
Hall in Sarajevo. Here we must
mention the main initiator for establishment of this Association - Vojo Dimitrijevic, academic painter, as well as Professor Jovan Korka the first President of the Association, and the first secretary Veselin Badrov, the scenographer in National Theatre in Sarajevo.
The most eminent names in the
field of fine arts were among the founders (Vojo Dimitrijevic, Hakija Kulenovic, Radenko Micevic, Arfan Hozic, Veselin Badrov, Zeljko Marjanovic, Vlado Vojnovic, Mario Mikulic, Branko Subotic, Ante Kostovic, Mirko Ostoja, Predrag Furtula) and architecture (Juraj Najdhart, Jovan Korka, Jahijel Finci, Zdravko Kovacevic, and others). Also, some of students of Engineering College in Sarajevo who
will later become the leading persons in the sphere of the applied arts and
pedagogic activity in this field were
present. That October day, by founding
of the Association of Applied Artists
of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the
necessary organizational presumptions
for successful development of
the activity in the field of shaping in visual arts terms, design and interior in
Bosnia and Herzegovina were created.
After that “birthday” moment, in the
flow of time, permanently increasing
the numerousness of its membership
the newly established association
was the faithful companion of occurrences and events that happened
in common social plan. The development processes that changed the material basis of Yugoslav, and thus of Bosnia and Herzegovina social
community had its natural reflexes
to spiritual and creative sphere in
which our newly established association
participated in full extent. Moreover,
perhaps no one other artistic
activity was to that extent close
and linked with the occurrences that
happened in the material basis of the
society as it was the case of association of the applied arts artists. Because the manufacturing processes
and the development of industrial
manufacturing unavoidably have raised
the issue of aesthetic shaping of
goods that were offered in the market. The development of visual correspondence itself in relation manufacturer - customer was in direct causal& resultant connection with the
situation in the market, which also in terms of Yugoslav socialistic social
system had its significance and was
permanently developed. For that reason, with already traditional fields of activity of the applied artists, as for
example one-of-a-kind design, certain
graphic disciplines, illustrations,
works for film, theater, interior
equipping etc., the work of these artists reflected more and more in the
field of industrial design and aesthetic
shaping of products for domestic
and foreign market what led toward
development of competition, appearance of new creative ideas and generally, created a favorable and stimulating atmosphere for development of this kind of artistic activity. Five decades of work of the Association of Applied Artists of Bosnia and Herzegovina - ULUPUBiH - if we look at them in a condense resume
with abstraction of time and chronologic course, give us the picture of full blooming of the activity of artistic design in Bosnia and Herzegovina, from the initial step (establishment of the Association) to today’s, in time of jubilee celebration, its full degree of advancement and multiple appearances of shapes and categories of aesthetic idea uniting with products for daily and public use. |
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Certainly, the development of artistic shaping of all that what the man’s space means, including the products that surround him, as well as his multiple visual communication with the ambient in which he lives, assumed the need for development of many activities that in widest meaning accompany all events in this field. So the newly established association from the first days of its existence started to build the network of its links with similar associations in other Yugoslav Republics, and became the member of the Association of Applied Artists at the state level. At the same time, with those “interior” relations also the cooperation in the international field in both directions was developed. So ULUPUBiH accepted from abroad the exhibitions of artistic shaping and design in almost all its aspects carrying out the role of an engaged host, as it in the same way also offered the opportunity to its more and more numerous membership to present their works out of territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Yugoslavia. Those activities of BiH applied artists, naturally, led ULUPUBiH toward joining into the international associations of the highest reputation and significance. So ULUPUBiH soon became the member of INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL
OF SOCIETIES OF INDUSTRIAL
DESIGN (ICSID), INTERNATIONAL
COUNCIL OF GRAPHIC DESIGN ASSOCIATIONS (ICOGRADA),
etc. Certainly, that exchange
of ideas and experiences in the field
of artistic shaping and design was
precious and challenging for development of this activity in the environment in which the association of our artists created - in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
It didn’t take much time to wait for occurrence of bigger number
of exceptionally talented persons in
this field of creativity, who, as the
members of ULUPUBiH begun to acquire high affirmation both in country
and in the international field. Many
prizes and recognitions of the highest
significance, which were awarded in
domestic and international exhibitions
of artistic design and shaping, have
became almost regular occurrence.
In five decades of ULUPUBiH’s
activity, it is not too unreasonable to
say that many hundreds of this “medals” for the professional work came to Bosnia and Herzegovina thanks to giftedness and engaged work of its members. Literally, really, the members of this Association won some of the highest “world” prizes - in the field of graphic design, product design, unique design, etc. Neither this text, nor the jubilee which ULUPUBiH celebrates are the occasion for individual quoting of association’s member who were so high ranked for their ideas and work in domestic and world scene what would be the “high
risk” job. Here we should satisfy ourselves only with our conviction and
assertion that in ULUPUBiH exists an
enormous creative potential and that
some of its members by their ideas
and professional work attain the highest global successes. Fortunately, by good managing of staff policy in the field of professional staff education
(Applied Arts School in Sarajevo and
the Academy of Fine Arts in Sarajevo)
these eminent creators transfer their
experience to the younger ones, and
the interest for this kind of artistic testimony and work is exceptionally great. That is the fact, which opens many hopes in future development of shaping and design arts in Bosnia and Herzegovina, including plenty of varieties in which this activity occurs -
from unique works on paper, wood,
glass, ceramics, metal, ornaments
and jewelry, from gold, silver, in cartoons, on scene and in film, illustration, photography (which, however, only partly belongs to this field), interior.... up to shaping of factory product lines - product design. There is also the graphic design that covers most various fields - from trademarks to jumbo posters, book production, various publications, etc. Lately, the design activity more and more includes electronic media - from the design of various information inscriptions, jingles, and advertising TV spots, to use of video media in advertising and other purposes in a way which the fantasy could imagine and this new technique could enable.
Development of the activity in the field
of artistic shaping and design in
Bosnia and Herzegovina, although in
global meaning it was in permanent
rise and progressive development,
still was not spared from periodical
crises and stoppages. Certainly, it
was the reflection of situation in social
ambient in which these artist acted.
Since the fine arts more independent
and more free than the clientele
to which the works of these artists were offered (galleries, institutions, ollectors, individuals, etc.) as we have seen, the applied artists were directly dependent on the situation in the market, on orders of manufacturing organizations, up to engagement in realization of various events, social actions, campaigns, etc. But, in spite of all that, the development of this activity was in permanent progressive rise what could be concluded on basis of the fact that in the early period of existence of ULUPUBiH various advertising agencies as for example OZEBIH, PROSPERITET, INTERPUBLIC, INSTITUTE FOR FINE AND APPLIED
ARTS “LIK” (with its exhibition and
sales gallery) were established. In some of more developed anufacturing
organizations the bureaus for artistic
shaping and design (ENERGOINVEST,
UNIS, [IPAD, STANDARD, etc.), were established. With all of that, numerous individuals have used the benefits of independent artists status and developed their activities in scope of that. After the last war (1992 - 1995) in which many of mentioned agencies and bureaus disappeared, the artistic shaping and design artists, for example in Sarajevo, became ssociated and established their advertising agencies (FABRIKA,
IDEOLOGIJA, BOOM). Also numerous design bureaus are on the scene, as well as large number of those who carry out this activity having the status of “independent”. Let us mention that this development of the applied arts in Bosnia and Herzegovina was periodically followed by professional publications and informative bulletins (ATELJE, ARH) whose life, nfortunately,
was not long mostly of organizational
and financial reasons. However, it is interesting that in those official organs already begun to appear the names - from “domestic” field - of the authors who have shown the interest for theoretic and critical considerations on actual themes from the field of artistic
shaping and design. Normally, in five decades long chronicle, ULUPUBiH, with its numerous membership, was forced to fight many battles and accept numerous challenges, which it met in its surroundings, in Bosnia and Herzegovina. |
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Because the members of ULUPUBiH strove the applied arts to
acquire the significance of permanent
and progressive humanization of life and life streams, the beauty of things which a man uses to the beauty of environment in which he lives, except its unavoidable practicality and fact of spiritual and aesthetic adventure, become the expression of imagination of creativity, a phenomenon of visual seductiveness and act of victory over triviality of conditions of human existence and slowness of human spirit. But in that five decades long calendar of existence and work of ULUPUBiH and its membership stay two dates, two moments in which this association of artists was put before the biggest examinations of professional and human conscience.
First, those were XIV Winter Olympic
Games in Sarajevo - ZOI 84! Literally, during February and March of 1984, the whole world aimed its eyes toward Sarajevo - host city of those Games. Fine arts artists - members of ULUPUBiH- in the most successful way solved numerous tasks related with organization of this event. From sign - Games’ symbol (snowflake!) to various labels, postcards, pplications, badges, emblems and anything other what makes unforeseeable rich system of visual communications and jokes that accompany such one event... From inspired, imaginative ZOI 84 posters, which with its confusionally successful creations have stayed until today as the most beautiful tracks - ornaments of those Games, to the suits of hostesses and participants in Games opening and closing programs, official persons, and numerous associates that took care on program performance... Therefore, of everything what makes artistic imagination of this event - to ZOI 84 Museum where the memories of this celebration of sports and friendship of the world’s community! It was the task, which caused the fear and insecurity into the own forces.
However! Juan Antonio Samaranch,
the President of the Olympic Committee said in the moment of the
Games closing: “Those were the
most successfully organized Winter
Games!” Of course, it was also the
merit of artists who have given to
these Games visually seductive, inspired image and appearance, shape and colors, shine and indelibleness in memory. Also today, when the leaves in publications of the Games are turned, when the archive video records are watched, exhibits in changed in accordance to political
conditions, but they always were
created by the members of Association in state of rest, the members of ULUPUBiH! The world soon recognized authenticity of witnessing about the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Power of that war design of Sarajevo’s artists upset the citizens of many metropolises of power and sharpened criteria. Everything what could be brought from the besieged city - redesigned advertising symbols - gained the attention of most prominent newspapers and ublications.
The invitations for exhibitions in prestigious spaces and galleries
didn’t fail to occur, and then came
the recognitions and prizes of highest
significance and reputation in international plan of validation.
In the war tragic in which Sarajevo
and Bosnia and Herzegovina after
the Olympic lights precipitated,
except the graphic designers, also
other artists of the field of designing
- fashion designers, scenographers,
costume designers, photographers,
cartoonists sent their words ... Also
in this field the creative spirit urpassed the everyday life depression. Horrible particular conditions of war circumstances were used as the reason for creative accomplishments, for an ascent of inspired imagination. By arrival of peace (Dayton 1995) on initiative of its older members (Tihomir [traus, Slobodan Samardzic - Sam, and Emir Cengic) ULUPUBiH renewed its existence and organized professional activity at the restoring meeting. The renewed Association was officially registered with the competent court in Sarajevo on June 14, 1996. Slobodan Samardzic - Sam, photographer, was selected for the President, while Emir Cengic, designer was entrusted with the function of Secretary General. So ULUPUBiH also officially stepped across a threshold of its future with its restoring meeting including itself in universal development courses of “post Dayton” Bosnia. The goals of the new Bosnia and Herzegovina State reconstruction were placed. Way toward European standards and integrations meant the new tasks and new creative challenges for the renewed association of applied artists. It seems that the activities of those artists never before were deeper and more permanent connected with strategic goals of social community in whole. Proclaimed “destination” of general developments were - “the way to Europe” and appearance in its highly developed markets. These were the new challenges for ULUPUBiH members. One principle is becoming more and more obligate axiom of common economic policy and non plus ultra of designer’s doctrine: only
with high level of products shaping
and designing it would be possible
to make choosy clientele of domestic
and international market to become
interested. Normally, the primary
product quality itself and its elementary usability remain
unquestionable. Therefore, in these
circumstances the applied arts more
and more become an unavoidable
component of each public offer,
each public act and each visual
exposition from intimate to macro
plan, from everyday detail to manifestations and events of highest significance. Therefore, more that in
past time five decades long, ULUPUBiH Association has the task with its activities to integrate more and more into the full total of public and private life realizing in that way the idea that our entire existence is more human, more aesthetic imagined and more generous in the territory in which we live. After all, it was one of most lasting inheritances of common civilization development of human community. In each historical moment the social community has placed clear and defined goals and tasks before the artists. In time like our time is, when interstate enclosures and barriers lose its significance and when narrow local criteria lose its positions and influential powers, artistic shaping and design are once more before the examinations, which impose the open markets and highly developed aesthetic awareness of modern man.
And regarding ULUPUBiH today, in
days of this jubilee we are the witnesses that its members fully successful active appear in international scene, participate in most prestigious presentations of modern artistic.
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