Summary
Text for Mostar document by Tom Ryan

This is a synopsis of a book with images as part of a multidisciplinary project I am preparing.


Crossing the Neretva in 1994, on the Indiana Jones II bridge in place of Stari Most, destroyed in November 1993.
Photo by Tom Ryan email

Mostar and Stari Most have concerned me since a friend spoke in October 1993 of a white bridge in Mostar about to be destroyed as a consequence of the war going on in Bosnia Herzegovina.

The first art installation about the conflict was Stilled Lives Closer Now presented in Limerick Civic Centre, May 3rd 1993. Charitable people from Ireland allowed me assist and with them I began the first journey to Mostar. Young people clamoured the visitors for sweets, bon-bons. The restorative work had originally begun in 1954.

People were being killed all across the country. The loss to young people in this community was unbearable. People were tracked and hit by snipers in Sarajevo daily. Three died in Mostar in Mortar shelling the week I visited. During a week in May I was visiting and had travelled to Mostar with a group of women going to Sarajevo.

I had spent time in the east of Mostar trying to see if I could be of help. I met some people who returned from the journey to Sarajevo. That summer with help from children in Southill and The Project School Limerick, the art installation 'Twin Rivers', linking in spirit the rivers Shannon and Neretva, was presented at Arthur's Quay. I went briefly to Mostar in September, with a man driving from England with children's musical instruments. On our arrival to Mostar in September, we helped collect British music professors and an accountant from Split airport to Mostar, they were going to work at The Pavorotti Music Therapy Centre. Whilst we stayed I gave someone a drawing for the Mayor in the east of Mostar and showed two others I hope to do more work on in Mostar. I also gave the person a letter to be delivered from then Mayor of Limerick Alderman Jim Kemmy, Member of Parliament, to the Mayoralty of Mostar in support of Councillor Joe Harrington's request to Twin Limerick and Mostar, a proposal I had recommended. That week, vandals destroyed a work unit beside me. I visited Gorazde and Mostar twice each. I delivered this on the morning Oswald Shreoder Head of Department of Youth, Sport and Culture with EUAM, opened The Centre of Culture in Mostar. Thanks to Limerick County Arts and Library Services, I presented a first exhibition after returning. The playwright, Mike Finn supported the proposal to prepare Star Bridge first in Limerick. John Hunt who had begun preparing The Custom House Limerick for the Hunt Collection, heard of plans and provided financial help. The Belltable Arts Centre approved my application to show Thresholds an exhibition due to feature work about The National Library. During preparation for the exhibition to accompany the Star Bridge Artwork being presented on the O'Halloran Bridge beside The Hunt Museum, an art expert intervened at short notice with ideas of his own, causing me to relocate a large component of work intended for installation and exhibition at The Hunt to the Belltable, where it was rationalised with work about The National Library. Further work was later exhibited in The Hunt Restaurant during August whilst the Star Bridge was in place on the Abbey River beside The Shannon outside.

Further work was later exhibited in The Hunt Restaurant during August whilst the Star Bridge was in place on the Abbey River beside The Shannon outside.

Roeland prepared bridge plans, Mike convinced The Umbrella Project to assist with preparation of stars. Star Bridge was presented to a gathering of 1,000 on the night of July 27th 1997. The Cultural Committee of The Department of Foreign Affairs voted to help my work in Mostar during 1998.

Joe Harrington prepared Bridges Between Limerick and Mostar, a CD done in training with his FAS workers featuring the work of musicians in Limerick and Dublin including those from whom I commissioned work. Alderman Jan O'Sullivan, Member of Parliament, officiated at the presentation of a video about the Star Bridge artwork as part of Limerick Civic Week 1998 at the Hunt Museum. The ensuing TV programme was shown in Mostar when we presented the first interpretation of Star Bridge at the site of Stari most between the buttresses of the old bridge in April 1998. Tony Foley then Administrative Officer of O.H.R. Mostar, who followed the EUAM, assisted this work.

The art work Arc of Heaven was supported by Kerry and Limerick County Councils and by The Arts Councils. Ms Noelle Campbell Sharp officiated with contributions being made by Scoip '97 Selector Dr Dorothy Walker, Mayor of Limerick Joe Harrington, and Alderman and TD Jan O'Sullivan.

John Hunt, who supported the work concrning Stari Most and Mostar, came to Mostar, with myself and Eugene Keily who video'd work, in September 1998. The Arts Council supported the journey. We worked with Mostaran colleagues who placed Star Bridge - Bridge of Songs on the walking bridge beside the site of Stari Most, where it remained for many months. It was a gesture of good will from people in Limerick and Ireland to people in Mostar coping with the results of conflict. An Irish child contributing to the 1997 conflict resolution programme asked 'Will my star be in the bridge in Mostar?' On returning I began preparations to bring people from Mostar to perform as part of Limerick Civic Week 1999. 10 young people performed music sang and presented a dramatic interpretation of the situation of contemporary women in '6 Parts of me'. Performances took place in a County Limerick library and in Schools in Limerick and Killaloe. The work was assited by many including Mayor of Limerick Joe Harrington. Droichead na nAmhrán - Bridge of Songs followed. The project was established to confirm cultural and artistic expression as means toward building understanding between people. Visits to prepare work were made in September and November 2000. The Bridge of Songs was presented in August 2001. Councillor Dick Sadlier, Mayor of Limerick for 2001-2002, sent letters of support to Mostar.

The August presentation featured an exhibition of the work I made during 7 years of journeys to Mostar. Murray McCullough Head of the EU Office in Mostar lent further support. The Arts Council gave assistance and John Hunt supported the project. Work by Kila features, as did a commission for Star Bridge Limerick in 1997 by Colm, which he completed for their album Lemonade and Buns. There was work by Eamonn Hehir done for Star Bridge 1997 produced with James Hanley. Web sites were used to inform people of the developing work.

First there was an exhibition of photos and drawings about Mostar especially the Old Town administrative district during the years from 1994 to 2000, This was supported by the Artwork Bridge of Songs, presented in August 2001 and placed at the site of Stari Most. I wish to thank kind people like Tamara who so helped John and myself on our journey back to Ireland with the framed work in September after a second showing of the framed work and the presentation of Flights of the imagination done in conunction with a pimary and a specila school in Mostar. The people who helped during the project and on the journeys affirmed the ideal arising from creating work, which was intended to increase understanding between people from different cultures.
The work presented is the moral and copyright property of Tom Ryan
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