mersad berber, also known as berber, was a bosnian painter born on january 1, 1940, in bosanski petrovac, bosnia and herzegovina. he obtained a ba and ma degree at the ljubljana academy of fine arts and later became a professor at the academy of fine arts in sarajevo.
artistic career
berber was known for his skilled draughtsmanship in depicting historical and contemporary bosnian themes. his works are characterized by the intermingling of ancient motifs with a more modern commentary, captivating in their iconic mystery and intensity. throughout his career, he created cycles of paintings which chronicle events, homages, and dedications. each cycle has its roots in bosnian-herzegovinian history from the medieval to the twentieth century. berber's artistic style is a unique blend of traditional and modern techniques. he was occupied with painting, graphic art, tapestry, illustrating, and preparing bibliographic editions, graphic, and poetic maps. his scenography and costume design came to life in theatres in ljubljana, zagreb, sarajevo, and washington. in 1985, berber finished tempo secondo, his own animated cartoon.awards and recognition
berber received numerous awards for his work. some of his notable awards include:- gold medal and honorary diploma at the first international exhibition of graphic art in trieste,
- first award at the 11th international biennale in são paulo,
- honorary prix at the 10th international biennale of graphic art in tokyo,
- first award at the 7th mediterranean biennale in alexandria,
- icom award in monte carlo,
- the kraków city award at the 4th international biennale of graphic art, and
- the lalit kala academy grand prix at the 5th indian triennale in new delhi.
