Minescape
The conflicts that tore through Bosnia and Herzegovina in the early 1990's have left many scars on the region. For almost two decades, these marks on the towns, cities, people and landscape have acted as testaments to the severity, chaos and indiscriminate brutality of war. But it may be the least visible artifact of war that still acts as the most incessant and resounding reminder of such immense tragedy; the landmine.
As of 2009, the Mine Action Committee for Bosnia and Herzegovina estimated that over 3.5% of the country was still contaminated with landmines. According to the Landmine Survivors Initiative, individuals should still not wander into rural areas without a guide. Nearly two decades after the end of the conflict, many innocent civilians have been killed and seriously injured.
With Minescape, Brett Van Ort captures the majestic natural environment of Bosnia and Herzegovina while also presenting technical data and images of landmines that remain hidden in the region. By juxtaposing the mesmerizing beauty of a seemingly untouched and extremely dangerous landscape with clinical images of landmines, Van Ort addresses the fear and violence that still permeate the region's natural environment. The space is at once majestic and inaccessible, seductive and silently catastrophic. This tension exists at the heart of Van Ort's work and is a clear reminder of the continuing impact of war that fuses nature and the killing machine.