Albania to participate in Bosnia Biennale

TIRANA, Nov. 13 – Albania has confirmed its participation in the 2015 Project Biennial D-0 ARK Underground in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Speaking at the introduction of the project in Tirana, Albanian Culture Minister Mirela Kumbaro said the Biennale shows cultural diplomacy can turn a small Balkan country such as Bosnia into an international art stage and an object destined for war into art energy.
“Previous experience in the 2014 Biennale of Architecture where the Albanian pavilion was appreciated by the press and visitors or the Co-existence exhibition and the participation in the Venice Biennale are the best way to strengthen the Albanian cultural dialogue on the international stage,” said Kumbaro.
The Project Biennial of Contemporary Art, D-0 ARK Underground will take place in Konjic, a small Bosnian town, in an Atomic shelter named ARK, which the Yugoslav army built between 1953 and 1979. This shelter occupies a space of 6.500m2 and consists of 12 connected blocks. It resembles a complicated labyrinth, with residential areas, conference rooms, offices, strategic planning rooms, and other functional areas.
The construction and existence of this bunker was kept secret until the 1990s, when ARK was finally revealed. ARK was built as a military bunker by the former Yugoslav People’s Army (JNA) to function as the Main Centre for Military Operations or Military Command and as the shelter for President Josip Broz Tito, his family and his closest associates in case of war.