South Slavic Requiem, Zlatko Ćosić, 2015, video, 6:00

South Slavic Requiem, Zlatko Ćosić, 2015, video, 6:00

South Slavic Requiem concludes a series of art projects related to the War in Yugoslavia but also opens up new territories to address current political and social issues. In remembrance of the 20th year anniversary of the end of the War in Yugoslavia, South Slavic Requiem is a tribute to people who died as a result of national, racial, religious and other types of discrimination. We cannot ignore racism and political divisions that continue to cause hatred and strife around the world. Be cautious while exposed to media and political language and continually search for truth. George Orwell said: “Political language is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give the appearance of solidity to pure wind.” South Slavic Requiem symbolizes an end of one culture which allowed hate to take over.

“In the summer of 2014 I was searching for the spring of the Cetina River in the southern part of Croatia, near the Dinara Mountain and the Bosnian border. I arrived to a small village where the beautiful Cetina River runs. On the top of a hill there was an Orthodox Christian church overlooking the Cetina Spring. Next to the church I spotted a bell tower and inside a long chain swaying in the wind. While recording video I heard a distant flute rolling over the hill. The sound was beautiful and eerie, reminding me of Yugoslavia and its end. I wanted to record that sound but could not locate the musician. I came back to the village several times and finally met the flute player. His music became the main component for the soundtrack of South Slavic Requiem.

Now, twenty years later since the end of the bloody war, I reflect upon the days when we lived in peace. Hate and greed continue on this planet and new conflicts are upon us. War can happen anywhere, it can happen to you and your neighbor. The sound of the flute is a cry for human kind to work together on solving current conflicts.”




SOUTH SLAVIC REQUIEM
(6:00)   [VIDEO]




EXHIBITIONS


:: Bruno David Gallery, St. Louis, October 16 - December 19, 2015     [press release]
:: REFUGEE!, artvideoKOELN, Carnival of e-Creativity, Shillong, India, February 26-28, 2016     [catalogue]
:: CologneOFF 2016 USA, In the Name of Truth: Time, Peace and Humanity, Torrance Art Museum, Los Angeles, April 2 - May 28, 2016
:: Festival x-24, x-church, as part of “Refugee!” Film Collection, presented by artvideoKOELN, Gainsborough, England, July 16-17, 2016
:: Syracuse International Film and Media Festival, CologneOFF 2016, Syracuse, Italy, December 28, 2016
:: OtherMovie Lugano Film Festival, Switzerland, June 5-14, 2017
:: Refugee Film Collection, Peace Letters to Ukraine, Alphabet Art Centre, The New Museum of Networked Art, July 17, 2022







PRESS

:: Sounding the Bell: Zlatko Ćosić's "South Slavic Requiem" by Stefene Russell, St. Louis Magazine, September 17, 2015
:: Video artist Zlatko Ćosić celebrates harmony, commemorates conflict in simultaneous exhibits by Áine O’Connor, St. Louis Public Radio/NPR, October 16, 2015
:: Zlatko Cosic’s ‘South Slavic Requiem’ video installation, interview by Kim Hudson, FOX 2 St. Louis, December 14, 2015
:: Interview with Zlatko Ćosić by Semilla Bland, ALL THE ART, December 2015

Copyright © ZLATKO ĆOSIĆ