- Sarajevans always return to Sarajevo – Ismar explains as he counts the streets where he grew up: Kulovića, Rizaha Štetića, Lenjinova...
From his childhood, Ismar remembers the field trips he made with his father to Babića bašta, a viewpoint above Bentbaša, which, in his opinion, still offers the best views of Sarajevo. Nevertheless, Baščaršija remains his favorite part of the city:
- The best thing is to walk through the streets on Baščaršija, from Kazandžiluk to Hotel Europe and Brusa Bezistan.
When in Sarajevo, Ismar spends most of his time with friends, and often visits café gallery Zvono, which reopened at the same spot where the gathering of the artist group, which carries the same name used to meet back in the 1980’s. The author of famous posters for the 1984 Sarajevo Olympic Games, he often takes his coffee in galleries such as Collegium Artisticum and Boris Smoje, and in Buybook Bookshop.
Ismar is a big fan of Bosnian food, so he considers aščinica ASDŽ to be the best restaurant in town. He often goes to Urban Grill Brajlović, and enjoys ćevapi in ćevabdžinica Željo.
When it comes to culture, Ismar can be seen at various exhibits, but also at theater plays and movie screenings. Charlama Depot, Collegium Artisticum, Zvono and Art Cinema Kriterion are just some of the places he visits in search for good cultural events. Today, this artist doesn’t only paint – he makes movies, writes, sings and composes music.
Svrzo House is, in his opinion, a masterpiece of traditional Bosnian architecture that he considers to be extremely functional and beautiful. Other attractions that visitors of Sarajevo should see include the National Gallery of BiH, National Museum of BiH, and Gazi Husrev Bey’s, Ali-Pasha’s and Emperor’s mosques.
Ismar concludes our conversation with the statement that Sarajevo is one of the most beautiful cities because it gives people a feeling that they are going to make something happen.
- There are far more beautiful and richer cities, but – not one of them are Sarajevo!
