Art vs. bullets : culture and theater in Sarajevo during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina (1992-1995)

Bibliogr.

Joanna Zielińska describes how culture was made in besieged Sarajevo. She forwards the thesis that the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina was urbicide - the attacks were mainly aimed at demolishing important sites for the cultural identity of the local society. The author defines the function of art and the role of theater as places of gathering and maintaining a community in a cultural, emotional, and material sense. She proves that in besieged Sarajevo there was a movement called "city art" - the space of Sarajevo determined the aesthetic and rhythm of the artistic activities. She also proves that the besieged city itself was the stage for art events and activities. Zielińska primarily looks at the relationship between theater and everyday life, and traces the theatrical repertoire of the time.