By Igor Blazevic
I am offering some of the most meaningful paintings in my life as gifts to those who support the survivors of the recent earthquake in Myanmar.
But before I tell you how to donate, let me share with you the story behind these paintings—because they are more than just art. They are stories of survival, trauma, healing, and hope.
Born from War: A Mother’s Brush with Healing
These paintings were created by my mother after the war in Bosnia, after the end of the siege of Sarajevo—a siege that lasted almost four years, from 1992 to 1996.
My family, like every other family in Sarajevo, lived through hell. The city was under constant shelling and sniper fire from the surrounding hills. For a prolonged time, it was cut off from electricity and water. In winter, it was freezing cold. For water, people had to go to a few distribution points, always exposed to sniper fire. To get some food, they had to go to humanitarian aid distribution places or stand in long queues in front of the few functioning bakeries. The Bosnian Serb army took pleasure in targeting these queues with mortar shells, creating havoc—human blood, pieces of bodies everywhere, and unbearable screams. Over 12,400 people were killed. No one came out untouched.
A notorious general Ratko Mladic from the Bosnian Serb army, later convicted of genocide and crimes against humanity, gave this order: “Bomb them till we mess up their minds.”
But Sarajevo endured. It survived. The citizens of Sarajevo did not have adequate weapons to defend themselves, but we had something stronger—the Spirit of Resistance. We defended our city not only with whatever arms we had, but also with culture, art, fun, music, neighborhood solidarity, love, and the belief that we were better than national fascism.
However, in many ways, it was harder after the war than during the war. The survival adrenaline faded. Depression crept in. Only after the war did we come to the realization that we had survived, but that the life we once knew would not suddenly come back. There had been too much destruction, too much loss, too much trauma and too many wounds. We had survived, but we could no longer see what our future might be. We expected the good old past to return, and when it didn’t, we were unable to imagine the future.
For my mother, it was especially dark. She would sit and stare at the walls for days, silent and unreachable. It looked like we might never be able to bring her back from that darkness of depression.
Until, one day, she picked up a paintbrush.
She joined a small group of women led by an academic painter. They painted together. Week after week. Slowly, quietly, her world returned. She painted Bosnian towns, rivers, stone bridges destroyed and rebuilt—Mostar, Trebinje, Sarajevo. When haunted by memories, she painted still lifes and flowing rivers. “Still nature and rivers give me peace,” she said.
In those years, she created over 100 oil and watercolor paintings. Her sight and health have now faded, and she no longer paints. But what she created—those paintings—are pieces of her recovery, of her resistance, of her rebirth.
Those paintings matter to me a lot because through them, I learned that life is stronger than death and destruction. My mum overcame her trauma and depression by pouring them into her art—transforming her pain into paintings of the things she loved, the things that gave her peace of mind.
Although these paintings are dear to me, I’ve decided that now is the time to part with them—and to put them in the service of helping others overcome another tragedy, one unfolding right now in Myanmar. I’m offering them to raise money for the survivors of the earthquake.
But I’m also doing this to share our story—to show that life is stronger than death and destruction. That even in the midst of pain and loss, there is always the possibility of a different future—a future that brings recovery, healing, and the beginning of something new, something beautiful, something worth living for.
War criminal Mladic didn’t mess up our minds, though he tried hard. We found our resilience. And he is spending his life in prison, sentenced for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.
HOW TO DONATE & RECEIVE A PAINTING
1. Choose a Painting
Browse the collection below and choose the one that speaks to you. Each has a story and a minimum donation value listed. Message me at igor@praguecivilsociety.org with your choice—I will reserve it for you.
Postage and packaging costs: shipping costs will need to be covered by the recipient of the painting and that will be around $150, plus potential custom costs.
Each painting is already framed, and frames have been carefully chosen for each painting, but it is possible to request a painting without the frame.
2. Make Your Donation
Send your donation to the Advance Myanmar Emergency Earthquake Appeal here https://www.advancemyanmar.org/myanmar-earthquake-appeal/ If you’d prefer a bank transfer, just let me know and I’ll send you the account details.
There is also the option to pledge a donation and enquire about precise postage and packaging costs before making the donation.
You are welcome to donate more than the listed amount—every extra bit helps those in urgent need.
3. Receive Your Gift
Once the donation is confirmed, we’ll coordinate with you to ship the painting.
Please note: we can’t cover shipping/customs costs, but we’ll help you find the most affordable options.
With your painting, you’ll also receive a signed Certificate of Donation and a letter of gratitude from my mother and me.
4. See the Impact
You will receive updates on how your donation was used to support earthquake survivors in Myanmar.
5. Everybody can join
Even if you are not able to buy a painting, you can still give what you can and make a donation to Advance Myanmar Earthquake Fundraiser.
Let us turn the pain of war and disaster into something that heals. Let us together become part of a story where resilience defeats ruin, and where empathy and love is stronger than fear.
Funds donated to the Advance Myanmar Emergency Earthquake Appeal will reach local rescue and aid groups—those who are on the ground in the affected areas, who do not cooperate with the military, and who will use the money to deliver urgently needed aid.
Your donation will help local community organisations provide food, shelter, emergency supplies, and support for rebuilding homes. They will ensure that aid reaches people in areas where the military tries to block access—people in desperate need who would otherwise be left behind.
Postage and packaging costs: shipping costs will need to be covered by the recipient of the painting and that will be around $150, plus potential custom costs.
If you would like to buy a painting, message me at igor@praguecivilsociety.org with your choice and I will reserve it for you.