Selma Selman, an artist and activist, was born in 1991 in Bihac, Bosnia and Herzegovina. In 2014 she graduated from the Academy of Arts in Banja Luka, Department of Paining, and in 2018 she defended her MA at the Syracuse University in the state of New York in the field of Transmedia – visual and performing arts. She worked as a fellow on the Roma Graduate Preparation Program at the Central European University in Budapest. She received “Zvono” award given to the best young artist in Bosnia and Herzegovina and wins the residency in New York. Selman participated in Tania Bruguera’s International Summer Academy in Salzburg – “Arte Util”. In 2018 Selman was awarded as the best Young European Artist by “Trieste Contemporanea Award”. Her works were exhibited at international and group exhibitions: “Hero Mother” at Kunstquartier Bethanie in Berlinu (2016); “Identification – Field exercises after Katalin Ladik” at acb Gallery in Budapest (2017). She had her solo shows: “You have no Idea” at Agnès b. Galerie Boutique in New York, USA (2017) and “I Will buy my freedom” at Studio Tommaseo in Trieste, Italy (2018).
Selma is the founder of the organization ”Get The Heck To School” whose aim is to encourage and empower Roma girls around the world facing poverty and social exclusion.
She lives and works in the USA and Europe.
2015 – 2018 Syracuse University, MFA-Transmedia, Visual and Performing Arts, Syracuse, New York State
2014 – 2015 Central European University, (Non-degree program), Budapest, (HUN)
2010 – 2014 Academy of Fine Arts, University of Banja Luka (Specialization: Academic Painter)
2013 International Summer Academy, 3-week class ‘Arte Util’ with Tania Bruguera,Salzburg (AUS)
AWARDS
2017 Young European Artist Trieste Contemporanea Award, Trieste (ITA)
2015 Commendation of the Cultural Center for outstanding achievements in art, Bihac, (BiH)
2014 “Zvono” art award for the best young artist in BiH, (BIH0
2014 Award for the best work in the field of painting at the Academy of Arts, Banja Luka (BIH)
2014 Award for the best work in the field of graphic design at the Academy of Arts, Banja Luka (BIH)
2013 Award for the best work in the field of intermedia arts at the Academy of Arts, Banja Luka (BIH)
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2017 “AEG vampyr 1400”, acb Attachment,Budapest, (HUN)
“You Have No Idea”, agnès b. Galerie Boutique, New York, (USA)
2016 “I exist” Gallery Schleifmühlgasse 12-14, Vienna, (AUS)
“I exist” Gallery Dreamland, Buffalo, New York (USA)
2015 “You have no idea” Gallery Epeka, Maribor, (SLO)
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2018 ‘Proof of Existence: An Exhibit of Work by Contemporary Artists of Bosnian and Balkan Origin, University Gallery, Kentacy (USA)
2017 3.Berlin Herbesalon, Maxim Gorki Theatre, Palais am Festungsgraben, Kronprinzenpalais, Berlin (GER)
“AS FAR AS I CAN GO” – radical movements, UNTERER Galerie Michaela Stock, Vienna (AUS)
“Identification – Field exercises after Katalin Ladik”, acb Gallery, Budapest (HUN)
Horsecross collection of contemporary art at Threshold artspace, Scotland (UK)
2016 Contemporary Thesaurus, Museum of contemporary art in Vojvodina, Novi Sad (SER)
The Works Art and Design Festival in Edmonton, Alberta, (CAN)
“Conquer the Beauty”, New Children Gallery, New Orleans (USA)
“Hero Mother” curated by Bojana Pejić and Dr. Rachel Rits-Volloch, in Kunstquartier Bethanien, at MOMENTUM & Studio 1 in Kunstquartier Bethanien, Berlin, (GER)
2015 Biennial of Contemporary Art D-O ARK, Sarajevo, (BiH)
“ZVONO” exhibition of the finalists and winner at gallery Duplex, Sarajevo, (BiH)
2014 “Calling Cards” Gallery 8, Budapest, (HUN)
“We want you”, The 10th Berlin International Directors Lounge, Berlin, (GER)
FESTIVALS
2017
FIAK International Ar Fair, Paris, (FRA)
Open screen –‘’Modernity – loved, hated or ignored’’ Luxembourg city film festival, (LUX)
Public Open Studio ComArt Syracuse, New York
2015
PichWise festival (participated with the work “two chickens, two fishes’’) Sarajevo, (BIH)
Workshop III at Moderna Museet, Malmö (SWE)
2014
Video Art Festival Miden, Kalamatas, (GRE)
Multimedia art project,1st video edition, Museum of Contemporary Art) Banja Luka, (BiH)
2013
International Land Art Festival “Straw”, Osijek, (CRO)
International Congress of Contemporary Art and Theory “FORMER WEST”, Berlin, (GER)
Performances
2017
7a*md8 Live Stream – Syracuse – Toronto (CAN)
3.Berlin Herbesalon, Maxim Gorki Theatre, Palais am Festungsgraben, Kronprinzenpalais, Berlin (GER)
2016
7a*11d international festival of performance art, Toronto, (CAN)
“Conquer the Beauty”, New Children Gallery, New Orleans (USA)
“Hero Mother” curated by Bojana Pejić and Dr. Rachel Rits-Volloch, in Kunstquartier Bethanien, Berlin (GER)
Mikser festival, Belgrade, (SER)
“Summer school as School”, Pristina, (KOS)
2015
Spark Performance Vol.6 “A Few Other Nows” Syracuse, New York (USA)
“Body in Danger”, Dreamland, Buffalo, New York (USA)
2014 International Festival of Performing Arts, “My country, Staglinec”) Croatia
2014 International Festival of Performing Arts, “Week of live art”) Dubrovnik, Croatia
2013 Feminist Cultural Festival “Be-Fem”,Belgrade, Serbia
Residencies
2018 Art in Residency, Artreach India, Patna (BIHAR)
2017 DANUBE ART LAB – Donumenta, art residencie 3 weeks, Regensburg, Germany
2016 “Summer school as School”, Pristina, Kosovo
2015 Residence at ISCP center, New York
2014 Project “BAUHAUS Goes South East Europe, 1914/2014”,Sarajevo, BiH
Collection:
Agnes b. Gallery (FRA, USA)
Horsecross collection of contemporary art at Threshold artspace, Scotland (UK)
Museum of Contemporary Art of Republic of Srpska, (BIH)
Acb Gallery, Budapest (HUN)
Private colletions
