Hadzihasanovic, Sadko. War and Piece. Redeemer Art Gallery, Ancaster, Ontario, January 25-March 29, 2024. Organizational/curatorial involvement by Phil Irish (uncredited).
Sadko Hadzihasanovic grew up in Bosnia, with a childhood shaped by the conflicts there. This series, War and Piece, alternates scenes of conflict or military tropes with pastoral or Arcadian images of peacetime. It also reflects on moments of peace within times of conflict, such as soldiers sharing a meal together.
The ferocity of war and its aftermath in a society does not end at a specific time but runs through the history. For a long time, artists keep reflecting the terrors, humiliations and frustrations caused by wars in diverse forms of art. War is something that has always had a significant impact in the world of art and especially on the art of its survivors.
With the ever-present looming of the next war in the future, we try to patch up traumas from the last one and also enjoy the present moments of peace. The difficult and daunting task of raising a new generation on the postulates of peace is our most important role.