Biljana Bosnjakovic

He was The Almond Tree.
The first to bloom each year, heralding the end of winter. The biggest among all surrounding trees, about 20m tall, about 1 century old.
I met him 20 years ago and instantly fell in love.
The dry grass around the bare trunk is not because it’s winter. It’s Autumn Equinox.
First they cut his branches, but soon new branches started to grow.
Then they cut his trunk, but soon new branches started to grow.
Then they’ve sprinkled both tree and grass with a mortal herbicide, to stop the vital lymph circulation even in the most remote parts of his roots, and nothing has grown anymore.
Now they can plant a vineyard. The almonds don’t generate profit, wine does.
Here I am, the night is warm, the stars are bright, all seems peaceful and joyful, but it is not.
Ode to you, my beloved tree!

Ode to you, my beloved tree/ Biljana Bosnjakovic/ 2020/ Italy/ Biljana Bosnjakovic

Biljana Bosnjakovic, born 1970 in Serbia, lives and works in Italy since 1992, from 200in Verona. She experiments with a variety of techniques, without ever dwelling on a single medium, moving from photography to performance art, from sculpture and installation to video art, where she alone coordinates, curates and creates every single achievement, often focuses attention on her own body. Wildlife and habitat preservation have an important role in her works although set in an urban context. Her constant research is based on the observation of the influence of weather and natural elements on her art, which is preferably executed and performed in open spaces, allowing the environment to intervene on every step of the evolution of her works. It is as though she feels the need to fuse and merge with Nature, in an effort to return to - as well as the search for - the Self.

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