Europe House opened its doors last night for the launch of Knitters of Dreams, an evocative solo exhibition by artist Sonja Radan that explores the role of traditional women’s handcrafts in the Balkans as acts of memory, identity, and quiet resistance. Blending painting with delicate textile elements, Radan’s work drew a powerful response from guests, many of whom lingered in front of individual pieces, moved by the deeply personal stories stitched—literally and metaphorically—into each composition.
Ferdinand Koenig, Head of Communications and Spokesperson at the EU in BiH opened the exhibition and said: “It is a great honour that so many people have chosen to spend an evening during a heatwave in a crowded, indoor exhibition space. This speaks to the exceptional quality of Sonia Radan’s work, and we are delighted that Europe House has become a real cultural hub for Sarajevo that hosts exhibitions of such a high standard. Over a century ago, the artist Marcel Duchamp placed a urinal in an art gallery and challenged the public to answer the question ‘What is art?’. This question is not easy to answer, but what is clear that for centuries, art produced by men – even a urinal – was considered art, while art produced by women was too frequently dismissed as handicraft. Sonia Radan’s work goes a long way to rectifying this imbalance, drawing as it does on generations of artwork made by women at home. We are proud that the EU is able to support this exhibition.”
Rooted in her own heritage and a long-standing practice of collecting handmade textiles, Radan builds a visual narrative that honours the generations of women who, often left behind during times of conflict, turned to needle and thread not only for survival but for self-expression and connection. Her work highlights the often-unseen cultural labour carried by women and reclaims the domestic as a site of creativity and resilience.
“It is a great honour to be able to present this series of works right here at Europe House, given the role of the European Union in connecting the interests of its diverse constituents into a common whole. I have explored the creativity of women and why they use weaving, knitting, crocheting and other forms of handwork to express themselves, using thread as their basic material. Threads and wool can be seen as metaphors and symbols in our lives in so many ways. We may have different heritages and our own life stories and experiences, but we are here tonight connected by love for art, respect for others and the ability to listen and learn from their stories,” noted the exhibition author.
Radan’s work is presented as part of cooperation with Kultura na ulice programme as several artistic performances were held during the opening of the exhibition. Exhibition Knitters of Dreams is open for the public from Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 17:00 at Europe House, Maršala Tita 62 in Sarajevo until 1 August, 2025.
Europe House is a long-term communications project of the Delegation of the European Union in Bosnia and Herzegovina, superseding the EU Info Centre in BiH, with its central office in Sarajevo (Europe House) and a network of Europe House Info Points across Bosnia and Herzegovina. As a project, Europe House provides relevant information on programmes, projects, institutions and policies of the European Union, as well as on relations between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the European Union. Europe House network activities include organisation of informative and inspiring events across BiH, with the aim of promoting European values in BiH. For more information please visit: www.europehouse.ba
