TrashFormNation deals with the problem of alarming environmental unconsciousness in Bosnia and Herzegovina, examining the possibilities of artistic action for changing this devastating image. TrashFormNation shapes around one question: can socially engaged art practices raise awareness and trigger more conscious and responsible behaviors of citizens towards the environment? 

Within the context of The Balkans that are a treasure trove ( or collection more commonly used) of strange contrasts: beauty and arrogance; beautiful nature and an awful attitude towards it; freedom and limitations; kindness and rigidity; melancholy and resourcefulness; stagnation and enthusiasm;, beters (Bosnian word for stupid, lazy and irresponsible people) and talented people with great abilities; rich cultural,  historical heritage and negligence and understanding towards the same. 

We strive to level, mitigate and reconcile these patterned contrasts through the making of our work. We want to see art practice and trash  as a raw resource of  transformation, more precisely of TrashFormNation, within our national fragmented community 

We recognize the complexity of our environmental issues and we want to cope with it from a multi sided perspective that links together the tangible and intangible aspect of it.  On the one hand the obvious negative effects of all sorts of pollution on our environment and health, on the other hand the role of the authorities and communities in generating the problem.  

Waste treatment remains one of the biggest problems in BiH. We have more than a thousand illegal dumpsites and only 1% of municipal waste is recycled. Smaller towns and rural areas do not have an organized system for collecting and disposing of used oil, batteries, accumulators, tires, electrical equipment, vehicles, agricultural waste, medical waste, expired drugs, pesticides – or, in other words, hazardous waste and chemicals, the operative word being hazardous. If not managed properly, such waste can have dire consequences for the environment and our general public health, contaminating water, soil, as well as the atmosphere. After quite a few long-term consequences, a collectively responsible attitude must finally be launched towards restoring the health of our environment.

The very source of this problem are our governing authorities and their lack of responsibility, a title earned by failing to provide adequate landfills, recycling mechanisms and clear punishments for non-compliance. After a poll was conducted in one of BiH’s Cantons, data revealed that the majority of respondents expressed concern for their environment at their places of residence, but also for our global environment and its future, expressing desire to change their habits and behaviors. Young people in BiH are particularly aware of environmental problems, shown by various public survey data. 

However, it is true that by not having citizen engagement, meaningful public consultations and practical debates, we allow those who implement policies and projects to act however they please towards the destruction of our environment, health and well-being. High levels of air pollution, limited water management and waste management capacities, including illegal landfills, uncontrolled construction, industrial pollution and other environmental problems, make BiH one of the worst environmental zones in Europe.

TrashFormNation views all citizens as a responsible community. However, several types of community groups were singled out and observed for the purpose of more clearly defining and understanding the structure of our real ecological situation. These communities are polarized into two opposing attitudes towards the environment. On the one hand, we will observe either a positive prism, while on the other hand, the negative prism in relation to their personal determinations that put them in one of these contexts. Belonging to a positive or negative example of the community depends on the aspirations of their personal awareness, type, attitude and the degree of (ir)responsibility in their relationship to the current environmental situation.

In addition to the mentioned communities, cooperation during the research was achieved at various fronts, including professionals, journalists, the virtual community, and especially citizens as individuals. In order to arrive at the data that is an integral part of our problem with mentality, we must start by examining individuals and their answers and attitudes, so that we can draw an average and clearer picture, such as answering the question: what is causing such irresponsible and ungrateful behavior towards the environment in everyone personally, whether such bad habits are innate or acquired? In case the question does not apply to them, what do they think is the cause of careless and irresponsible behavior in others, without justifying them, themselves or our mentality. Where is the cause of such an “error” in our sensibility?

In support of all this, we have data that we collected from citizens who responded through a public call online and sent a huge number of photos and videos of negative examples of environmental (un)awareness from their personal archives, such as photographs of inorganic and hard-to-decompose waste in nature, polluted rivers and springs, wild dumps that sprouted in unimaginably beautiful and clean areas. These visuals cause cramps, sadness and concern.