Stones Between the Fronts

During Josip Tito’s reign (1953–1980), more than 200 monuments – known as “spomeniks” – were erected to commemorate the partisans’ resistance and the crimes of World War II. Many of the “stone witnesses” built at that time are now forgotten, neglected, or destroyed. The monuments, which at the time stood as symbols of the unity of all residents of Yugoslavia’s republics and autonomous provinces, now symbolize political and social division as well as the ethnically, nationally, and religiously motivated conflicts that persisted long after the end of the Balkan Wars (1991–2001). 

In June 2022, while conducting research on anti-fascist monuments in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Melanie Hollaus and Christoph Lammerhuber witnessed the politically motivated destruction of Bogdan Bogdanović’s Partisan Necropolis. The architectural legacy of Bogdanović, who lived in exile in Vienna, is part of the collection of the Architekturzentrum Wien (Az W). This gave rise to the idea of bringing the monuments to this location.

Through multichannel video installations and sound collages, as well as three-dimensional digital models and photographs, these enormous surrealist monuments are brought to life, showcasing not only their uniqueness but also all their ambivalent interpretations. Today, the “spomeniks” – like many other historical monuments – raise questions about the culture of remembrance and contradictory historical narratives.

The digital exhibition is on view in Courtyard 7 of the MuseumsQuartier and can be accessed via QR codes located on marked concrete stools. In addition to the augmented reality exhibition, Bogdanović’s architectural designs and sketches can be viewed in the Az W’s permanent collection.

A project by Melanie Hollaus and Christoph Lammerhuber, in collaboration with the MuseumsQuartier and the Architekturzentrum Wien