By Irfan Hošić and Pierre Courtin
Thanks again to the fantastic team at the KRAK art center in Bihac. A beautiful exhibition, good atmosphere, a very nice opening. Really happy to have had the opportunity to present the collection in this place curated by the great Irfan Hošić.
The next step will be in Italy, more information soon…
The exhibition Pierre Courtin Collection is a compilation of contemporary Bosnian art created from 2004 to 2018, which was collected with passion and curiosity by Pierre Courtin, then a temporary Sarajevan of French origin.
The collection has brought together more than 300 art pieces, and the exhibition at KRAK will present only a part of it as an insight into the intensive practice of collecting, documenting, and mediating art artifacts during this period. As a sort of cultural treasure, this collection raises questions about the status and function of art collecting in Bosnia and Herzegovina at a time when culture and art are systematically moved to the margins of social events. On the other hand, the presence of gallery owner and curator Pierre Courtin in the domestic field of culture and art represents a huge contribution to the stimulation of the development of contemporary art practices in the country.
The realization of numerous exhibitions, lectures, promotions, and round tables is an indispensable contribution to the recent past in the field of art and culture in Sarajevo and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The exhibition with its accompanying program is supported by the Foundation for Arts Initiatives from New York and the French Institute in Sarajevo.