The Ars Aevi Museum of Contemporary Art is a popular tourist spot in Bosnia. It is a storehouse of some of the finest works of art in the country.
Location
The museum is at the Centar Skenderija, Terezije bb in Sarajevo.
What to See
The museum is a showcase of the very best in modern art. Some of the artists represented are Joseph Beuys, Michelangelo Pistoletto and Joseph Kosuth. Since the edifice was built in 1992, the collection in the museum has grown.
The museum itself is a work of art, having been constructed during the period of the Bosnian War. Its building was meant as a resistance of culture.
The Ars Aevi Museum of Contemporary Art has over 130 works by numerous artists. One other artist represented is Jannis Kounellis. There are also collections from Istanbul, Vienna, Ljubljana, Venice and Milan.
History
People have been living in the area around Bosnia from the Neolithic times, but it is uncertain if there were people living in the area before that time. The Illyrians would settle in the land around the Bronze Age.
The Illyrians would mix in with the Celts that came to the land in the 3rd century. In 220 BC, the Romans and Illyrians engaged in a battle. The Romans would eventually take over the area in the 9th century. By the first century, some inhabitants of the land were being converted to Christianity.
The whole area fell under the control of the Ostrogoths in 455. The succeeding years would see the Huns and Alans fight for control over the land. The sixth century saw the Byzantine Empire take over the land. The Slavs would enter the site into southeastern Europe in the 6th century.
Many of the Slavs would settle in the present day Bosnia and Herzegovina. Knowledge of the country during the so-called Dark Ages is limited. The 9th century saw the area being invaded by more Slavs.
More and more Bosnians were Christianized around this time. The borders of the kingdom of Croatia during these times were somewhat fluid.
Cost
The entrance fee is 4 KM.
Other Info
The goal of the museum is to fuse the east and western arts. By combining the best of both contemporary arts, one will be able to see the beauty in both. Its building is also meant to promote cultural exchange.
The Ars Aevi Museum of Contemporary Art is open from Mondays to Fridays. The opening hour is 9:00 AM and closes at 16:00.
