The making of 1+1: Life and Love
One afternoon in March 2009, a group of people from six Balkan countries sat in a cold room in the National Museum in Sarajevo. The subject under discussion was how to produce a joint exhibition. The problems seemed huge. Political divisions and disagreements meant that it was sometimes difficult for some museums to work together. Travelling across borders was not easy, for people or objects. At the same time, the conversation was littered with connections, from the past and the present.
Objects were common, stories were shared and histories touched all areas. Jokes, food, textiles, words and songs were familiar. Eventually, a solution was found, to have a ‘simultaneous exhibition’ that would open in multiple venues at the same time. There was complete agreement that the theme would not be related to the recent history of the Balkans. Everyone felt that the image of the region was negative and based on recent conflict and divisions.
The desire was to show the other Balkans; the one that shared a rich, diverse heritage that crossed boundaries, histories and identities, and the universal values that were common to all.
