At a time where Europe is again witnessing scenes of devastation and human suffering in Ukrainian cities such as Mariupol and Kharkiv, the British photojournalist and academic Paul Lowe’s new exhibition ‘Opsada’ (‘Siege’), one of a series of events being held throughout the city this week to mark the 30th anniversary of the beginning of the siege of Sarajevo, has a particular resonance.

Three decades ago, the city was on the brink of what would become the longest siege in modern history. It would not be formally lifted until February 29, 1996.

Foto: Paul Lowe

The stunning atrium of Sarajevo’s City Hall, the Vijecnica, designed in 1891 by the Czech architect, Karel Parik, was a fitting venue to soberly and respectfully mark three decades since the beginning of the siege.

Foto: Paul Lowe

The building – which was, between 1949 and 1992, the National and University Library of Bosnia and Herzegovina – was gutted by fire from incendiary shells in August 1992 and became symbolic of the destruction of cultural heritage during Sarajevo’s long siege.

Foto: Paul Lowe

Over 150,000 rare books and manuscripts were destroyed as well as the majority of its library holdings of over 1.5 million books. Indeed, one of the first images that greets visitors to the exhibition is that of members of the Sarajevo Philharmonic Orchestra playing in its ruins during the brutal winter of 1992-93.

Foto: Paul Lowe

Organised thematically and with images depicting different facets of the siege, the exhibition covers the near four-year period in which Lowe meticulously documented the intimate lived experience of ordinary people caught up in the most extraordinary and deadly circumstances, where one misstep could be fatal.

Foto: Paul Lowe

That the siege was well-documented by photojournalists is evidenced by the significant collective body of work which has served as the basis for a documentary archive of huge importance.

However, it was unusual in that, unlike other conflicts in urban areas, much of the focus of their work was not in covering frontlines (which were notoriously difficult to access) or military developments, but in capturing in detail the daily dangers, privations, stoicism and ingenuity of the citizens of Sarajevo who were subject to indiscriminate shelling and sniper fire on a daily basis.

Foto: Paul Lowe

“It is really important to me that my work is part of this commemoration. During the siege, I really tried to document the lived experience of the citizens of Sarajevo: their resilience, their creativity, their courage, their humour and their energy in the face of the incredible aggression that they faced. To be exhibiting my photos in this beautiful but haunting space is a real honour,” Lowe said.

Foto: Paul Lowe

When I worked with Paul on our book, ‘Reporting the Siege of Sarajevo’, one of the privileges was having access to his extensive photographic archive. In its entirety, it is a detailed and rich body of documentary photography that provides a powerful insight into life within the besieged city.

Foto: Paul Lowe

His images of funerals, of bodies in morgues, of people running across dangerous intersections, collecting water to drink or wood to burn, or of the impact of the targeting of civilians by shells, mortar or sniper fire, are as visceral today as they were three decades ago.

Foto: Paul Lowe

“Sadly, the photographs exhibited here today remain resonant. We have seen similar things happen in places like Chechnya, Syria and now in Ukraine. The pledge that such things should not be allowed to happen again seems somewhat hollow in the current context,” Lowe said.

Foto: Paul Lowe

“The lesson from Sarajevo should have been that Sarajevo should have taught us is that strong and decisive action taken early will very often prevent aggressive powers from carrying out their attacks and thus prevent war crimes before they happen. Unfortunately, we have seen that same lack of resolve playing out again in Ukraine,” he added.

Otvaranje izložbe u Sarajevskoj Vijećnici. Foto: Kenneth Morrison

It is hard to disagree with this, yet documenting the experience of citizens subjected to war crimes remains vital, and Lowe’s exhibition and his body of work is testament to the importance of bearing witness and creating an evidence base of immeasurable value.

Kenneth Morrison is a Professor of History at De Montfort University in the UK. He is the co-author (with Paul Lowe) of ‘Reporting the Siege of Sarajevo’.