The exhibition Ay, Carmela was created in a symbiosis of the museum and the theatre. In these displays theatre props and costumes were turned into museum exhibits that are in dialogue with the history of the 20th century. The exhibition was created through the museologicalization of one of the most enduring theatre plays in the recent history of Bosnia and Herzegovina: the play Ay, Carmela. This play was describe as “an emotional chronicle of the memory of the Spanish Civil War”. Through more than two decades of performances, Carmela and Paulino created a new audience, promoted positive social values and made the play Ay, Carmela into cultural heritage. The theme of the play, the attempt of two artists to prevent imminent death through creativity, is symbolically intertwined with various historical references, questions, and opens up a space for dialogue – and precisely because of this, it deserves to become a museum exhibit. The exhibition also includes authentic museum exhibits from the History Museum of BiH, related to the Spanish Civil War and the participation of Bosnian and Herzegovinian citizens in the International Brigades.
The exhibition was created through the museum’s collaboration with actress Selma Alispahić and Sarajevo War Theatre (SARTR).