The Croatian War of Independence was between 1991-95, Croatia were fighting against the Yugoslav regime and for the independence of the Croatian state. The conflict is said to have been 'well documented' showing the horrifying war crimes including ethnic cleansing, massacres and tortures. However, it is reported that 70 journalists were killed over the 5 year period of fighting, allegedly deliberately targetted. Photojournalism seems to be less pivotal comparing to the Vietnam War, for example, maybe this is due to how dangerous the conditions were for reporters. Below are two photographs by Jean-Claude Coutausse. These photographs were extremely powerful because of how close he managed to get to live conflict, this shows just how terrified the subjects were illustrating to the rest of the world the problem and the need to UN interference.
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| CROATIA, OSIJEK. Croatian women under a bombing attack from the Yugoslav federal army in September 1991. Jean-Claude Coutausse. |
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| CROATIA, OSIJEK. Croatian militiaman on the front line in September 1991. Jean-Claude Coutausse. |
Reinstatement of the red and white checkerboard into the flag, which was previously banned by Yugoslavia, became a large feature in the propaganda showing a clear divide between forces. In1991 Zagreb Arts Fund created an exhibition, 'For the defence and renewal of Croatia', containing and calling for all creatives to develop propaganda posters to show the disturbance to the bloodshed of the conflict.
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| VUKOVAR & KRV-ATSKA! / Logo & poster. The town of Vukovar in exile. By Boris Ljubicic. 1991. |
Amalgamation of the words; Hrvatska in Croatian 'containing within it', Krv meaning 'blood'. This captures the anger and the disruption that the war is having on the population. The play on words makes it propaganda that engages the viewer and the use of blood shows the loss of Croats as it is bright red, the same as the checkerboard pattern.
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| Read Between The Lines. Poster/ Broadsheet. Boris Ljubicic. 1994. |
The poster/ broadsheet illustrating the actual details of the Battle of Vukovar an award-winning piece of graphic design. Again bringing up the concept of, how artists and designers alike can alter the censorship of information by governments and the military.
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| Documenta Croatica. S Henningsman & M Tudor. 1991-2. Croatian History Museum. |
Above, charity campaigns printed in two sets of colour; red to show the devastation to the people, green to show destruction to the environment.
Last summer I spent a month travelling around Croatia, the signs and war still ever present, especially in places such as Dubrovnik. Bold graffiti of the checkerboard pattern is across the country showing the pride in being its own entity.
References
Graphic Agitation 2- Liz McQuiston. Chapter 3 Perceptions of War.http://www.e-ir.info/2007/12/22/framing-the-war-in-croatia-propaganda-ideology-and-the-british-press/
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4997380.stm
http://www.graphis.com/entry/435a1d42-bc94-11e2-b739-f23c91dffdec/