505
In an era marked by escalating global political tensions, the artist uses this project as an exploration of the fragility and devastation brought about by conflict. By repurposing negatives retrieved from a Yugoslav intelligence military airport where they were attempted to be destroyed thirty years ago in a raging war, this project transforms parts of a fractured past into new, constructed image.
The reconstructed visual, built from layers of destroyed negatives, invites viewers to confront destruction and deliberate attempt at erasure of history as a direct result of conflict. The project serves as both a metaphor and a reminder of the destructive force that conflict imposes on history and memory.
Project was created during the 6 month residency "Echo Curve" organized by the Exp Projekat from Novi Sad, Press to Exit collective from Skopje, and the Attack Autonomous Cultural Center from Zagreb and financed by Swiss Hearefact foundation.
‘Object 505’ ~ collage of 36 destoryed negatives
Inkjet print on photographic matt paper
Dimensions: 100 x 150cm
Scans of retreived negatives
Željava Airbase was once Yugoslavia’s most advanced military base. Built during the Cold War, its tunnels stretched 3,5km into the mountain, designed to
survive nuclear attacks. Fighter jets could take off straight from the underground hangars, all while being undetected by either Soviet or NATO radars.
In 1992, as war spread through Yugoslavia, the base was destroyed. The retreating army filled the tunnels with explosives, leaving behind a scarred landscape. Today, the runways are cracked, parts of the tunnels occasionally flood, and the air still smells of fuel and decay.
Destruction of the base also had a negative effect on the environment. Area is filled with unexploded mines, toxic PCB chemicals and rummors about possible radiation from destroyed smoke detectors (this hasn’t been confirmed). Once a symbol of power, Željava has become a silent reminder of conflict—an invisible danger hidden beneath layers of dust and history.