Home Gatherings in the 1980s and 1990s: Queer Micro-Communities of Ex-Yugoslavia is a curatorial research project examining how queer memory was formed through private home gatherings across former Yugoslavia. Focusing on Zagreb, Ljubljana, Sarajevo, and Belgrade, the project investigates informal celebrations as spaces of expression, care, and early political practice before the formalisation of queer organisations. Through oral histories and private archives, the research situates these gatherings within the context of the AIDS epidemic, the Yugoslav Wars, and patterns of displacement and rural flight. Drawing on local archives, interviews, and regional cultural networks, the project lays the groundwork for a future regional collaboration that will activate these histories through new artistic commissions, curatorial work, and cross-border cooperation.
Jurica Mlinarec is a curator and researcher based between Zagreb and Berlin whose work focuses on regional artistic practices, independent cultural production, and collaborative curatorial formats.
