On the hills of Bosnia, Halim Zukic is turning his dream into reality by creating a massive reproduction of Vincent Van Gogh's Starry Night, a living tribute to the legacy of the post-impressionist painter.
In the rolling terrain of Bosnia, a businessman has embarked on a project to bring Van Gogh’s Starry Night to life, crafting a replica of the iconic painting over an impressive area of ten hectares. Deeply passionate about the Dutch artist’s work, Zukic views this endeavor as a homage to an artistic heritage that belongs to everyone. “Vincent Van Gogh is ours too; it’s our heritage,” he told AFP.
A spark and a success
At the heart of this transformation, tens of thousands of lavender shrubs and other plants are arranged in spirals and whirlwinds that unmistakably evoke Van Gogh’s celestial configuration from 1889 when viewed from above. “It was not possible to simply replicate a flat image in a three-dimensional space,” Zukic, 56, emphasized. “Inspired by the artwork, we tried to stick to the shapes and proportions to make it resemble the painting as closely as possible. And I think we’ve succeeded.”
The idea took root two decades ago, while Zukic explored the forests surrounding the village of Luznica in the Visoko region. He initially purchased a small plot to build a cabin and garden, with no connection to Van Gogh's work. It wasn’t until 2018, when he noticed tractor tracks on the grass, that inspiration struck. “To me, those tracks looked like the spirals from Starry Night. The decision was made immediately,” he recalled.
Patience required
Over the years, Zukic has expanded his project, planting around 130,000 lavender plants, alongside thousands of trees and medicinal herbs, with the help of “twenty to thirty” workers. This has created a space where “there isn’t a single straight line in the park, just like in nature.” His interest in Van Gogh has also deepened, leading him to explore the artist’s life and love for nature. In 2023, he visited key sites from Van Gogh’s career in France, including Arles and Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, where the artist painted Starry Night during his stay in a psychiatric institution.
For now, only a select few have had the opportunity to experience this evolving garden. Zukic warns that visitors will need to wait a few more months to fully appreciate the park, as the plants and trees mature. “It’s not just about having money. It takes time to create a park,” he concluded, keeping the details of his investment confidential. “I would say we’ve laid a good foundation. The park will become more beautiful each year.”
With AFP
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