These Forgotten Monuments Make Eastern Europe Look Like an Alien World

A decaying winged sculpture in Croatia, an abandoned amphitheater in Serbia, and a cryptic stone installation in Bosnia and Herzegovina are just a few forgotten relics of the once-existing Yugoslavia nation. Cannes-born photographer Sylvain Heraud took it upon himself to capture otherworldly monuments sprawled in the vanished country that consisted of Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, Macedonia and Montenegro.

Following the end of Nazi rule over Yugoslavia in 1945, abstract artworks inspired by Western modernism were built all across the southeastern European country under the socialist dictatorship of Marshal Josip Tito. However, on April 27, 1992, the republic was dismantled as a result of internal political turmoil and opposing nationalism. Despite Yugoslavia’s fall, the monuments were not demolished but kept erect to serve as physical reminders of the country’s chaotic history.

“The idea of my work is to highlight these monuments and ask the question whether their messages have endured over time,” said Heraud to National Geographic. Having added that “I wanted to lose the notions of scale and size, to concentrate myself on the monuments themselves, as symbols. I brought lamps [to light up each place,] the white light allows me to remain neutral. We can however guess the green environment (trees) that gives a conductive thread on all images.”

Peruse the gallery above and head over to Heraud’s official website to view more projects.