POČIMALJA – she who starts the song @ National Museum of BiH, Sarajevo

Written by lalarascic

solo exhibition
October 10 – November 10, 2024
opening reception: October 10, 2024 @ 19h

Zemaljski muzej BiH / National Museum of BiH
Zmaja od Bosne 3
71000, Sarajevo

Public Program:

  • October 12, 2024, at 12 PM: Performance: Tepsija Summit, at 1PM Mini-Conference
  • October 26, 2024, at 12 PM: Guided exhibition tour and conversation with the artist

Curator: Ana Dević / WHW, Zagreb
Production: Ana Kovačić / WHW and Lala Raščić
Production assitants: Zanin Berbić and Alma Gačanin
Organization and Co-production: What, How & for Whom / WHW, Zagreb, and National Museum of BiH, Sarajevo

Lala Raščić’s show POČIMALJA – she who starts the song spans two exhibition spaces of the National Museum of BiH. The project POČIMALJA is displayed in the Ethnological Collection pavilion, while the GORGO series, which focuses on the ancient myth of the Gorgon Medusa, is exhibited in the Natural Sciences pavilion – the “Serpentarium“. POČIMALJA is based on the regional folkloric musical practice known as tepsijanje. Tepsijanje is a practice of singing accompanied by the manual spinning of a copper pan, still practiced mainly by women today. POČIMALJA is an innovative example of working with tradition through the language and methods of contemporary art. Raščić interprets tepsijanje as an authentic expression of repressed female subjectivity and a proto-feminist gesture.
Combining ancient myth and local folklore, the exhibition focuses on acoustic specificities, while constructing a visually poetic narrative about liberation and resistance—exoneration from tradition.

Support: Ministry of Culture and Sports – Canton of Sarajevo • City Office for Culture and Civil Society, Zagreb • Ministry of Culture And Media of The Republic of Croatia • Federal Ministry for Arts, Culture, Civil Service and Sport of The Republic of Austria • Austrian Cultural Form, Sarajevo • Crvena Association For Culture and Art, Sarajevo • KUD Baščaršija

Zahvale/Thank you: Branka Cvjetičanin • Damir Imamović • Lejla Kalamujić • Tamara Karača • Sabine Kernthaller • Ana Marić • Azra Pondro • Amila Ramović • Haris Sahačić • Samir Sarajlija – Čaka • National Museum of BiH staff