Teta razapeta, located on the Skenderija Plateau, is just one of the cult meeting places for numerous Sarajevans of all generations.
Over the years, Teta razapeta became a symbol of Skenderija, but not many people know that Teta razapeta is actually a sculpture called Figure on a Chair by the BiH artist Alija Kučukalić.
Some of the most famous Kučukalić’s works of art are Kaput (Coat), Ljetni dan gospođe G, (Summer Day of Mrs. G.), Most (Bridge), and, finally, Figura na stolici (Figure on a Chair).
Kučukalić received numerous awards for his sculpture, including over 20 international awards, but very few people had a hunch that his work will become a symbol of one city.
Figure on a Chair occupied the sculptor’s mind for years and the author eliminated everything unnecessary in his artistic expression.
Figure on a Chair, a woman with outstretched hands, stands as a symbol of resistance under the rain of grenades, in spite of time and circumstances, and until this day its form greets the passersby on Skenderija as a witness to the history of the sculptor’s hometown.
Alija Kučukalić (1936-1992) is a renowned BiH artist, professor of sculpting and Dean at the Academy of Fine Arts in Sarajevo. He was killed during the bombing of Sarajevo on June 22, 1992. The greatest award for the arts in BiH bears his name.
(Source: radiosarajevo.ba)
