The Role of Humour in Bosnian Contemporary Art Practices

Abstract

Humour is often considered a means of self preservation. What is the position of humour in contemporary Bosnian art? The aim of this thesis is to show different approaches to humour, and how they can be used as an artistic tool to combat some of the ongoing problematics of the post- conflict society of Bosnia (Bosnia and Herzegovina). Humour has been a big part of Bosnian culture throughout its complicated and violent past, and continues to be a coping mechanism as well as a cultural strategy that helps address the problems of politics, ethnicity and identity and daily life. I will examine different artworks from Bosnian artists that deal with such social problematics and use humour in their work both explicitly and implicitly. From local to global, through the example of Bosnia, I will try to emphasise certain aspects, and their potential benefits, of the specificity of humour in visual contemporary artworks.