Everywhere I travel, my camera log is full to the brim with images of public art. Not only is it free to enjoy, but its like a treasure hunt to find. Here in Bosnia, there is no shortage of either. The amazing street art & graffiti in Sarajevo is bold, interesting and fun.
Political Graffiti
There is a lot! Before the Bosnian war in the early 90’s, graffiti became a popular form of expressionism among the youth. Once the war began, the graff became prolific and much of it was political. There are a number of these pieces around today, and they are interesting to see.
Tags
Tagging is everywhere here. The lower portions of some buildings are absolutely covered and overlapping. These are mostly the Austro-Hungarian structures close to the Old Town. Many of these include large pops of bright colours with the more typical bubble letter font style.
Alleys
I have wandered up and down these streets in the down town core. Some of the smaller alleys that lead to ancient staircases are an absolute cacophony of colour. Akin to a rainbow vomiting all over the walls.
Usually, these alleys are a little dark, overgrown with vegetation and vacant of humans. They might be littered with trash, broken bottles and a few stray cats.
Mr Chat
One very positive and bright graffiti artist is the producer of Monsieur Chat. French-Swiss artist Thoma Vuille has adorned many a wall in the city with this smiling cat and has been doing so for years.
Originally a mystery who the artist was, one night it was discovered as he was seen in action. Since 2003 the cat has appeared with white wings. Visitors to Sarajevo might also see this happy fella in Vietnam, Belgrade, South Korea and Morocco.
Sports Graffiti
With a very patriotic fan base, are the football teams of Sarajevo and Mostar. There is sports graffiti and art everywhere. I especially noticed this is Mostar, so much sports-centric art. I love this as it gives me a true sense of how loyal and keen these countrymen are for their respective teams.
Street Art
While there is not a whole lot of what I would term street art, there is some. A few walls downtown have been painted with large mural like pieces, showcasing all of the most touristy parts of the city. These are bright and fun and add a vibrancy to an otherwise concrete heavy area.
1984 Olympics
Vucko, the mascot from the 1984 Olympics, shows up often in the street art of Sarajevo. He is a jovial little wolf and a reminder of a busy time for the city, and perhaps a happier time before the war.
Ciglane
One neighbourhood I explored, specifically because it might contain a fair bit of graffiti and street art is that of Ciglane. The tiered buildings in this district represent a great example of brutalist architecture from the socialist era.
Connecting all of the tiers here, is a funicular, and beside that the central staircase which has been painted with a bright cartoon-like forest scene. It feels a little bizarre and out of place but is a happy image to brighten this otherwise bland area.
I walked along the mostly desolate and empty shops on several of the tiers and these were some other images I found. Not quite what I was hoping for, but interesting none the less.
Sarajevo and Mostar have offered me a glimpse into the youths’ expressions of these Bosnian cities. The art is bright, colourful and prolific. As I don’t speak the language, much of the graffiti is lost on me, but the images have been impactful and memorable.
