The series Across the River by Jasper Bastian (already published in L’Oeil de la Photographie this last june) were selected by Sarah Preston (Agent Neutral Grey) during portfolio review at the Gaite Lyrique on the 15 and 16 November 2014.
‘Across the River’ is a long-term project examining the tense and divided city of Mitrovica located in the northwest section of Kosovo. Once one of the richest cities in the former country of Yugoslavia, the struggling town is now split in two due to ethnic tensions, political upheaval and painful memories. While South Mitrovica claims to belong to the independent state of Kosovo, North Mitrovica still vows allegiance with Serbia. The river Ibar, which runs through the center is both a physical and ideological barrier. The people are separated and suspended in a constant state of uncertainty and distrust. Today, fifteen years after the end of the Kosovo War, many Serbs and Albanians have never again crossed the bridge into the other sector. The bad blood caused by the conflict in the 90’s, the perceptions of perpetrator and victim, is still strong. With random acts of violence and a constant threat of breakout permeating the area, “Across the River” gives voice to the everyday citizens who suffer in the wake of war and political corruption. In order for the situation in Mitrovica to improve, both sides must work together. However, with wounds still fresh from the war and tensions still taut, the divide feels much farther than the width of a river.
