THESAURUS. ARCHIVES OF MEMORY AND THE FUTURE was created as part of the commemorations marking the 30th anniversary of the end of the war in Bosnia, the siege of Sarajevo, and the Srebrenica genocide. Through the languages of art, Thesaurus explores the themes of memory, borders, identity, and encounters with others and with nature, reflecting on the alchemical transformation of pain into rebirth.
At the same time, the initiative draws attention to highly topical issues and prompts new reflections: at a historic moment marked by recent geopolitical tensions, conflicts, and genocides, the project explores how we can become active builders of peace and the future. The comparison between the realities of Bosnia and Italy raises questions about the role of memory, the value of testimony, and the meaning of art, highlighting the need to conceive of cultural systems as dynamic networks of co-evolution. The project is structured around various events: exhibitions, films, workshops, and talks to rethink memory, borders, and identity with Italian and Bosnian artists, high school students, and the general public. Conceived by Simona Barzaghi, promoted and supported by the City of Bergamo, and coordinated by The Blank Contemporary Art, Thesaurus opens on November 15, during the final day of ArtDate, Bergamo’s contemporary art festival organized by The Blank, now in its sixteenth edition. The exhibition *Thesaurus: Archives of Memory and the Future* opens on Thursday, November 19, at the Sala dell’Orologio in Bergamo and features a diverse group of artists:
Simona Barzaghi, who presents *Waterline* and *Below the Line*, works inspired by a performance along the Drina River, the political border between Bosnia and Serbia; *Zastawe*, a 36-meter-long tapestry of flags reconstructed in collaboration with residents of the border areas between Bosnia, the Republika Srpska, and Serbia; Claudio Cristini, a photographer whose work *Where We Stand*—dedicated to the figure of Irvin Mujčić and to nature—explores what it means to inhabit the world; Smirna Kulenović, born in Sarajevo during the siege, who is exhibiting two videos: *Our Family Garden*, featuring 1,000 marigolds planted by 100 women in former war trenches on Zlatište Hill in Sarajevo, and *Down to the Earth*, a reflection on the natural and cultural heritage of the indigenous cultures of the Balkans. As a complement to the exhibition, two documentaries will be screened on select days: *The Boy from the Drina* by Zijad Ibrahimović, which follows the protagonist Irvin Mujčić’s return to Srebrenica twenty years later, and *My Father’s Diaries* by Ado Hasanović, based on amateur footage shot by his father during the 1993 siege. A talk is scheduled with anthropologist Marco Aime and writer Elvira Mujčić, who will discuss the theme “Living on the Borders,” and a second talk, “Where We Need to Be,” featuring Gigi Riva (war correspondent, writer, and director) Simona Barzaghi, Andrea Valesini (journalist), and Maurizio Carrara (Cesvi), with the aim of paying tribute to the organizations in Bergamo that documented the conflict and provided humanitarian aid then, as they do today.
Program The program consists of sessions open to the general public and projects exclusively for students.
For the
general public: Sunday, November 15, 3:00 p.m., Sala dell’Orologio, Piazza della Libertà 7: presentation of the event and the project during the closing day of the ArtDate Festival, screening of *Il ragazzo della Drina* by Zijad Ibrahimović, and a performance featuring Irvin Mujčić and the participating students.
· Thursday, November 19, at XXX, Sala dell’Orologio, Piazza della Libertà 7: opening of the exhibition and the Thesaurus project. Archives of Memory and the Future with Simona Barzaghi, Claudio Cristini, Smirna Kulenović, Ado Hasanović, Gigi Riva, Andrea Valesini, and Maurizio Carrara
· Friday, November 20, 6:00 p.m., Sala dell’Orologio, Piazza della Libertà 7: screening of *My Father’s Diaries* by Ado Hasanović.
· Tuesday, November 24, 3:00 p.m., G. Carrara Academy of Fine Arts: talk with Smirna Kulenović.
· Thursday, December 3, 9:30 a.m., Spazio ABQ: final exhibition of works by students from participating schools.
· Saturday, December 5, 6:00 p.m., Sala dell’Orologio, Piazza della Libertà 7: Talk “Living on the Borders: Between Anthropology and Storytelling,” with anthropologist Marco Aime and writer Elvira Mujčić
· Sunday, December 6, exhibition closing event, Sala dell’Orologio, Piazza della Libertà 7
For high school students
· Monday, November 16, 9:00 a.m., Auditorium, Via Norberto Duzioni 2: Screening of *The Boy from the Drina*, with an introduction by Irvin Mujčić.
· Friday, November 20, 9:30 a.m., Spazio ABQ, Via G. Quarenghi 33: a directing workshop led by Ado Hasanović, to create short visual narratives using smartphones on the themes of borders and identity.
· Saturday, November 21, 9:00 a.m., Auditorium, Via Norberto Duzioni 2: screening of *My Father’s Diaries*.
· Monday, November 23, 9:30 a.m., Spazio ABQ, Via G. Quarenghi 33: a workshop led by Smirna Kulenović, an experience of “social healing” through art.
· Tuesday, November 24, 9:30 a.m., Spazio ABQ, Via G. Quarenghi 33: workshop led by Smirna Kulenović and presentation of the work carried out with students from the participating schools.
· Wednesday, November 25, 9:00 a.m., Auditorium, Via Norberto Duzioni 2: Talk titled “Where We Need to Be.” Eyewitness Accounts from Bergamo During the Bosnian War and the Siege of Sarajevo: Between News Reporting and Humanitarian Aid, featuring Maurizio Carrara (Cesvi), Simona Barzaghi, Gigi Riva (war correspondent), and Andrea Valesini (journalist).
· November 26, 27, 28, and 30, 9:30 a.m., Spazio ABQ, Via G. Quarenghi 33: workshops involving participating high schools in Bergamo, also open to school field trips and public events.
· December 3, 9:30 a.m., Spazio ABQ, Via G. Quarenghi 33: closing event; exhibition of students’ works on the themes of memory, boundaries, and transformation.
Schools and the Local Community
Bergamo is recognized in Bosnia for its volunteer efforts during the war and for its commitment to reconstruction, thanks to Cesvi, Caritas, and many other organizations: Thesaurus honors this connection by organizing a citywide event and involving Bergamo’s high schools, working on the project’s themes to jointly create new opportunities for remembrance and sharing. The collaboration with the Museum of East Bosnia in Tuzla will bring the exhibition to Bosnia in the spring of 2027.
