WOODCARVING MUSEUM IN KONJIC

Author: Prof. Aida Abadžić Hodžić, PhD, full professor, Faculty of Philosophy of University of Sarajevo • Photo & video: Mirza Hasanefendić

The tradition of woodcarving in the Konjic region dates back to the end of the 19th century, when the works of woodcarvers from Konjic were presented for the first time at major world exhibitions in Budapest (1896), Brussels (1897), Vienna (1898) and Paris (1900). Between the two world wars, the wood carving of the Nikšić family, one of the most respected and oldest equestrian families of this trade, operated as a registered company (Adem Nikšić, 1927), which furnished the salons of numerous distinguished families in the then Kingdom of SHS/Yugoslavia. Under the name "Handicrafts", the Nikšić family has continued its work since 1995, and a special stage is the formation of the Zanat brand, in cooperation with renowned Scandinavian designers, through which, in the best way, the values of traditional handwork are preserved and revalued and harmonized with the needs of modern life. The numerous awards Zanata's products have won since 2015 at the world's most prestigious design fairs (Cologne, Milan...) are confirmation of the highest level of quality and design of the concept, which complies with high ethical and ecological standards.

In cooperation between the brand Zanat and the Normal architecture studio from Sarajevo, and with the encouragement of the EU Office in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a conceptually and architecturally unique woodcarving museum in Konjic was realized, opened to the public in June 2019, and preceded by the entry of equestrian woodcarving into UNESCO - on the list of intangible heritage of the world (2017), on which the team from Zanat worked dedicatedly for several years.