Youth Initiative for Human Rights announces
AN ALTERNATIVE CALL
for an Art Solution
of the dr. Franjo Tuđman Monument on the location of the dr. Franjo Tuđman Square in Zagreb
This call by the Youth Initiative for Human Rights reffers to the call by the City of Zagreb as the investor and the executor and organiser the Croatian Architects Association with the following description: Producing an art solution of the Monument for the first Croatian president dr. Franjo Tuđman on the location of the dr. Franjo Tuđman Square in Zagreb.
In the introduction of the mentioned call the City of Zagreb Office for Strategic Planning and City Development stresses that the first Croatian president, dr. Franjo Tuđmans’, life and work has undeniably marked the contemporary Croatian history thus the importance of erection of the monument to the first Croatian president represents a greatness and honor that needs no second thoughts.
As an organisation that advocates human rights, critical reflection of history and a multiperspectival and inclusive dialogue about the past we believe that everything could and should be given a second thought, especially people and events whose activities or occurrences were a direct or indirect cause of many violations of human rights, which is the case with Franjo Tuđman.
Franjo Tuđman for sure was a notorious figure in the recent Croatian and regions’ history. He was a member of the National Liberation Army, general mayor of the Yugoslav National Army, director of the Institute for history of the Croatian workers movement, president of the Yugoslav sport association Partizan, president of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) and the President of Croatia from 1990 to 1999.
This call offers an alternative creation of memorial space. By advocating democratic memory construction, inclusiveness and equality of historical narratives against hegemonic, unilateral and institutionally forced historical interpretations, by respecting rights of all social groups within our community, the Youth Initiative for Human Rights wants to commemorate the memory on some of the darkest times of the modern Croatian past.
Thus, the monument with its symbolic determination can take into account that the mandate of Franjo Tuđman as the President of Croatia from 1990 to 1999 was marked by:
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a corrupted model of privatization of public property and normalization of the corrupted practices in the highest government positions
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an authoritarian state structure that repressed democratic processes, media freedoms and critical civic action
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crimes and grave human rights violations, especially against national minorities aided by the inflammatory and chauvinistic politics of the party he presided
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the criminal nature of Croatian participation in the war in the neighboring Bosnia and Herzegovina
By the valorization of the memory of the recent part this call aims to foster a public debate and add to the critical reflection of Franjo Tuđman and his heritage.
THE SUBJECT OF THE CALL is the production of an alternative art solution for the monument to dr. Franjo Tuđman on the location of dr. Franjo Tuđman square in Zagreb. The art solution can aim to a critical portrayal of Franjo Tuđman or the portrayal of some of the components of his political and social heritage. The art solution can be an expression of solidarity with the victims of the Franjo Tuđman regime.
Start date of the Call: January 18th 2016
Deadline for Submissions: March 1st 2016
Eligible participants are all physical and legal persons as individuals or a group of authors. Each participant, individual or a group of authors, can participate with only one entry.
The winner of the Call will be decided by a Jury formed by the Youth Initiative for Human Rights. The Jury composition will be announced after the Deadline for Submissions.
The prize for the winning art solution: 1.000,00 HRK
A submission of the art solution consists of:
1. At least one model or sketch of the art solution of the monument:
If the art solution is a model, the authors decide on the ratio
If the art solution is a draft the authors can deliver sketches, spatial simulations (AutoCAD, drawing, sketch, photo-montage, collage etc.)
2. Narrative explanation of the art solution (3 page limit)
3. Personal information: name, surname, contact (e-mail, telephone number)
Delivery:
Art solutions should be delivered to by email (if you’re proposal is a model send photographs):
Youth Initiative for Human Rights
Zagreb, Croatia
croatia@yihr.org
subject “Za alternativni natjecaj F. Tudman”.
Interested authors can pose further questions to croatia@yihr.org until February 25th 2016.