BARBARA BLASIN – Brought to Justice

2010-2011
Video installation, 11′ 10′, (work-in-progress)
Camera and editing: Jadran Boban

 
Barbara Blasin is preoccupied with the specific location of the mass arrests of male and female activists in Zagreb, who occupied Varšavska Street in the city centre in order to fight for the preservation of the public space of the streets and against its privatisation. The works celebrates the unnamed heroes/heroines – male and female activists who fought for the public good through a strategy of civil disobedience and openly criticised local and state government policies at the cost of their own freedom. In Brought to Justice, a recital on freedom, the verses of the baroque poet Ivan Gundulić, is repeated like a mantra and performed by the arrested activists by turns.  In her book of fingerprints which accompanies each video, the artist invites visitors to participate by joining the long line of activists from Varšavska Street with their unique fingerprints and signatures, highlighting the importance of personal engagement in the collective struggle.

Barbara Blasin is graphic designer, dealing with design and photography, and working in interdisciplinary art projects, particularly on public art projects. She has earned her degree at Graphic department of Design Studies – Faculty of Architecture, University of Zagreb in 2002. Her major interest in art is necessity of the participation of public during the work on project as well as in presentation of project. Blasin has received the Special award of the International jury at 46th Zagreb Art Salon in 2011 and the award of the AICA Croatia-AICA International at Zagreb Salon in 2008 and 2011. She was nominated for the literary award Kiklop, for popular science, for her book, Women’s Guide through Zagreb, in 2006. Lives and works in Zagreb.